Movies don't get more out there than the 1980 cult classic Forbidden Zone (which starred the late Herve Villechaize of Fantasy Island fame), so it shouldn't come as much of a shock that the motion picture soundtrack by Danny Elfman is in the same peculiar vein. While the music was performed by Elfman's band at the time, Oingo Boingo, it was all composed by Elfman himself. While some of the music can be compared to '90s experimental rockers Mr. Bungle (Elfman must have been an obvious influence for them), most of it is so off the wall that it's incomparable to anyone else. The anthemic lead-off title track is the soundtrack's undeniable highlight, while the rest of the songs alternate widely between genres. Styles include originals that sound straight out of the '40s ("Some of These Days," "Yiddishe Charleston," "Bim Bam Boom"), warped children's songs ("Alphabet Song"), chants ("Flash and Gramps") and short synthesized instrumentals ("Chamber Music," "Journey Through the Intestines," "Factory"). Weird but brilliant stuff.
© Greg Prato /TiVo