The Hercules family
buys the uncanny house and soon curious daughter Frenchy (Marie
Pascale-Elfman) wanders into the Forbidden Zone, only to become
a prisoner and fancy for the disloyal king. The queen learns of
his infatuation with the new concubine and arranges her death –
so it’s up to Frenchy’s family to rescue her. Her brother
Flash is a reasoning yet easily sidetracked man-child, Gramps is
a speechless, overweight clog that has to be tied down to the dinner
table, and Pa is a tar pit worker who no longer values life. Aside
from Frenchy’s doltish family, abused chicken boy Squeezit
also decides to come to her aid.
Forbidden Zone is a movie that must be watched with an open mind,
or a hankering for the most bizarre characters and events fused
with song and dance ever to jolt the big screen. A frog-headed
servant (literally), excessive use of bright colored makeup, drugs,
machineguns, blood, transvestites, blackface, talking chickens,
constant nudity, a human chandelier, and random aberrant sexual
activities comprise this outrageous film. Prisoners in Cell 63
are forced to wear Mickey Mouse hats, composer Danny Elfman makes
an appearance as Satan, heads are lopped off, ears are sliced
off in Reservoir Dogs fashion, and the Princess is always half-naked.
“Weird” can’t possibly cover all of the peculiarities
that frequent the sixth dimension.
Spontaneous dance routines, unruly sound effects, lip-synching,
stop motion animation with live action characters, superimposition,
fast paced music, traditional animation and painted backgrounds
are standard methods of storytelling in Forbidden Zone. Oftentimes
the film is so abnormal that it’s hilarious, but most of
the time it's just plain crass. If you can make it through the
opening scene, in which Gramps unexpectedly vomits into the lap
of Flash, it’s safe to say you’ll be prepared for
the appalling singularities that follow.
- Mike Massie
