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Fantasy musical

Forbidden Zone (1980): Cast, Ratings, Plot & Where to Watch

Forbidden Zone (1980) movie poster

Forbidden Zone is a 1980 fantasy musical directed by Richard Elfman, starring Gene Cunningham, Marie-Pascale Elfman and Phil Gordon. It runs 1 hour 14 minutes. Critics gave it 83% on Rotten Tomatoes and 64 on Metacritic, and IMDb users rate it 6.5/10. Stream it on Cineverse and Fawesome, or rent or buy it on Amazon Video and Apple TV Store.

IMDb rating
6.5/10
Rotten Tomatoes
83%
Metascore
64
Where to watch Read the plot summary
Forbidden Zone (1980) movie poster
Released
Runtime
1h 14m (74 min)
Director
Richard Elfman
Genres
Fantasy , Comedy , Musical
Original language
English
Studio
Senator Filmverleih
After the credits
No No extra scene
The story

What Is Forbidden Zone About?

The premise of Forbidden Zone without spoilers. The whole story is in the plot summary further down.

A group of performers, the Mystic Knights of the Oingo Boingo, find themselves embarking on a bizarre and surreal journey. They travel through the unusual kingdom of Little King Fausto, encountering eccentric characters and facing unexpected challenges alongside the king and his mysterious queen. This fantastical comedy-musical blends humor and music in a unique and unforgettable adventure.

Forbidden Zone Themes & Keywords

· 50 tags
  • cult film
  • dysfunctional family
  • female nudity
  • the devil
  • blackface
  • woman murders a woman
  • absurd comedy
  • racist humor
  • racist stereotype
  • basement
  • king
  • concubine
+38 more
  • another dimension
  • chicken
  • queen
  • adult actor playing minor
  • alphabet
  • painting
  • throwing fruit
  • floating head
  • princess
  • captive
  • school shooting
  • racial slur
  • new student
  • grandfather
  • bag over head
  • singing
  • face paint
  • animated sequence
  • combined animation and live action
  • shot to death
  • gay slur
  • surrealism
  • illustrated background
  • defecation
  • catfight
  • title spoken by character
  • murder
  • murderess
  • cardboard cutout
  • cutout animation
  • parody
  • satire
  • seduction
  • slapstick comedy
  • transphobia
  • little person
  • rabbi
  • whipping
Where to watch

Where to Watch Forbidden Zone

Stream it on Cineverse and Fawesome, or rent or buy it from Amazon Video and Apple TV Store. US availability and prices from JustWatch.

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Cast & crew

Forbidden Zone Cast

Gene Cunningham leads the cast, with Marie-Pascale Elfman and Phil Gordon. Directed by Richard Elfman; 10 actors are credited in all.

Also Starring in Forbidden Zone

· 6 more
Ratings

Forbidden Zone Reviews & Ratings

Critics gave Forbidden Zone 83% on Rotten Tomatoes and 64 on Metacritic, and IMDb users rate it 6.5/10.

Plot

Forbidden Zone Plot Summary

What happens in Forbidden Zone from start to finish, spoilers included, with a timeline of 15 key events. The opening is below; the full summary is a 3-minute read.

Spoilers ahead

The story unfolds on Friday, April 17 at 4 pm in the lively setting of Venice, California. Here, we meet Huckleberry P. Jones, portrayed by Gene Cunningham, a local pimp and narcotics dealer who also happens to be a slumlord. While hiding some heroin in a vacant property he owns, he accidentally discovers a mysterious door that leads him to the Sixth Dimension—a bizarre realm from which he hastily escapes.

Full summary

The whole story of Forbidden Zone, scene by scene

Read the full summary
Quiz

How Well Do You Know Forbidden Zone?

10 questions about the story, each with a hint if you get stuck. Pick an answer to see whether you were right.

Question 1 of 10

  1. Question 1: not answered
  2. Question 2: not answered
  3. Question 3: not answered
  4. Question 4: not answered
  5. Question 5: not answered
  6. Question 6: not answered
  7. Question 7: not answered
  8. Question 8: not answered
  9. Question 9: not answered
  10. Question 10: not answered

Who is the local entrepreneur that stashes contraband in the basement?
Cars

Cars in Forbidden Zone

1 car on screen: the 1950 Studebaker Champion.

  • 1950 Studebaker Champion in Forbidden Zone 1950 Studebaker Champion Minor role
Details

Forbidden Zone Also Known As

6 alternative titles, including “La zona prohibida” and “Totaler Sperrbezirk”.

Also known as
  • La zona prohibida
  • Totaler Sperrbezirk
  • האיזור האסור
  • 금지 구역
  • 禁区
  • Yasak Bölge

Seen Forbidden Zone?
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Movies Like Forbidden Zone

Films with a similar story, tone or audience, including The Forbidden, Hobgoblins and Phantom of the Paradise.

FAQ

Forbidden Zone FAQ: Where to Watch, Cast & Runtime

Runtime, release date, director, cast, where to watch, ratings and post-credit scenes of Forbidden Zone, each answered in a sentence.

How long is Forbidden Zone?

Forbidden Zone runs 1 hour 14 minutes (74 minutes).

When was Forbidden Zone released?

Forbidden Zone was released on March 21, 1980.

Who directed Forbidden Zone?

Forbidden Zone was directed by Richard Elfman.

More films by Richard Elfman

Who is in the cast of Forbidden Zone?

Forbidden Zone stars Gene Cunningham, Marie-Pascale Elfman and Phil Gordon, among 10 credited actors.

Where can I watch Forbidden Zone?

In the US, Forbidden Zone is streaming on Cineverse, Fawesome and FlixFling and available to rent or buy on Amazon Video, Apple TV Store and Fandango At Home (availability from JustWatch).

How is Forbidden Zone rated?

Forbidden Zone has 6.5/10 on IMDb, 83% on Rotten Tomatoes, 64 on Metacritic and 63% on TMDB.

Does Forbidden Zone have a post-credit scene?

No. Forbidden Zone has no extra scene during or after the credits.

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