quietearth [DVD News 06.29.09] movie trailer news musical dvd comedy fantasy



When I first saw this I thought "oh snap, George Lucas got to Richard Elfman! This sucks!" then I watched the footage.. and it isn't bad, in fact it's pretty damn awesome. It brings a whole new spin to one of my top ten favorite films of all time. For those not familiar with this gem, you know those times when you're alone and you do weird things or make weird noises to amuse yourself? THIS ENTIRE FILM IS LIKE THAT! Even better, Richard's brother Danny Elfman (yeah that Danny) scored the entire thing and even plays Satan.. it's brilliant to say the least. Part comedy, part fantasy, and heavy on the musical it's like nothing you'll ever see. Here's a synopsis:

In an absurd, cartoony world, a dufus family’s basement leads to the Sixth Dimension. Beautiful young “Frenchy” (Marie-Pascale Elfman) doesn’t heed her father’s admonishment and slides through cosmic intestines into a subterranean underworld ruled by horny midget King Fausto (Herve Villechaize) and his jealous Queen Doris (Susan Tyrrell). ”Chicken-boy” (Matthew Bridght) comes to the rescue, only to have his head cut off by the soul-singing Devil himself (played by Danny Elfman, accompanied by the original Mystic Knights of the Oingo Boingo). Frog butlers, topless princesses, and rioting school kids sing and dance in a variety of musical numbers by Danny Elfman, Cab Calloway, Josephine Baker and others.

Way back in 2008 we wrote about a propose quasi-sequel to the film called Brave New Rosenburg (The Sixth Element) which disappeared off the radar completely. But now with this color film and after just checking IMDB, we can proudly announce that Forbidden Zone 2: The Forbidden Galaxy is in PRE-PRODUCTION! OH REJOICE!! It will also employ the same magical musical weirdness! Here's a rundown of the new film:

Ma and Pa Kettle leave the depressed Dust Bowl with their kids, Stinky and Petunia, and drive their old jalopy down to Crenshaw in South-Central Los Angeles. Stinky is a hyper-active 12-year-old, played by a hyper-active 50-year-old; Petunia is a lumbering 13-year-old slut, played by an actress over 18 (hopefully); Ma is a corn-cob pipe-smoking inbred, and Pa is a craven, drunken carnival geek…with a bad disposition…even before his carnival job folded after the last dust storm. Together, they hope to find a better life in California. Unfortunately, the little shack they rent has a basement connected to the Sixth Dimension.

Daughter-in-law Jenna Elfman will do a surrealistic aerial dance routine (did you know Jenna’s a professional dancer?); I think I’ll get brother Danny to reprise his Devil role, singing a knockout version of “St. James Infirmary Blues,” and we’ll shoot the “Crenshaw” scenes in Ghana. Crenshaw will look like a cartoon version of 1910 Harlem, but everyone will be INCREDIBLE dancers and acrobats - from the Ghana National Dance Company.

Forbidden Zone 2 will have all the ABSURDITY and balls-out zaniness of Forbidden Zone 1 but with more technical tools and a greater budget to play with. I can guarantee that Forbidden Zone 2 will have unforgettable musical numbers. It will employ the MUSIC FORMULA that we used for the songs in Forbidden Zone 1. I’m going to share a secret with you…

And to boot.. Brave New Rosenburg is still in the works, you can read all about it here.

NSFW trailer after the break. Even better, buy the DVD here. Special thanks to reader FraxAtax for the heads up!

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Cyberhal (3 years ago) Reply

it's showing in LA on 18 July, with the director Richard Elfman there in person

dr. taam (3 years ago) Reply

uh, I hate to be the one to say this, but really, what's the point here? wasn't it done in B&W to emulate the madcap 1930s cartoons? sure the colorization looks great, but why not just digitally clean up the film and re-release it in B&W? If it's a good film, it WILL stand on it's own!!

Anonymous (3 years ago) Reply

Richard Elfman himself -- the director of the movie -- wanted it to be colorized. Many silent films were colorized by hand for artistic reasons, and Elfman wanted to emulate that effect, but he couldn't afford it in 1982. Here, computers are used, and Elfman has the ability to have it look like the color is actually attached to the actors, as opposed to the artificial look that hand-colorization would have produced. And the colorization not only does not harm the film's artistic integrity, but it now looks even more out there than it did in black and white.

Anonymous (3 years ago) Reply

This, as a cult movie, should've been let in its original B/W. Color provides a different experience. Those who have watched the movie don't feel the same about it after watching the color trailer.

projectcyclops (3 years ago) Reply

Be fair, it's Elfman's choice what he wants for his movie. I'd try to be open minded and see how it works out. Visually it might be worth it and either way, Forbidden Zone 2 sounds amazing!

David Bankson (3 years ago) Reply

FZ has been my favorite movie for a long time. Richard Elfman only had the film in b&w because of major budget restraints (most of the cast worked for free). The movie has such character to it though that honestly, I don't find that the color makes much of a difference. You barely have time to notice that it's b&w in the first place.

I'm wondering who will play the midget king of the 6th dimension, as Herve committed suicide 12 years ago. I had always thought, though, that if they did a remake, the midget king should start his zombie baby army like he planned! So I'm very happy about this :)

Ewe Knowhoo (3 years ago) Reply

I used to watch this movie three, maybe four times a day, up until I met my wife. Its a fantastic movie for those wierd at heart. I never thought it needed any color; but, If Elfman has a new vision for it, I'm game. Really looking forward to the sequel too!

RoboTribble (3 years ago) Reply

I'm pretty sure the sequel isn't going to happen. I checked IMDB as well and went on a hunt for confirmations, but I was told the idea was a joke made at the end of the commentary.
God knows I WANT it to be in production, you have no idea. But apparently, not.

Frank Panucci (3 years ago) Reply

I hope you're wrong. I want the sequel to exist. I have been a slave to FORBIDDEN ZONE for almost thirty years.