Forbidden World

Forbidden World isn't exactly a stellar film, but it sure is an entertaining one! This shameless Alien rip-off is packed to the brim with gore and nudity and never pretends to be more than just an hour and seventeen minutes of pure escapism.

For a low-budget movie, the research station set doesn't look bad at all. There might not be much more than a few corridors, some sleeping quarters, a sauna (yes, a sauna, guess why) and a laboratory, but it's quite an atmospheric place. Also, the practical effects are rather good, with bloody corpses that ooze slime from every pore and a shape-shifting monster (bearing more than a passing resemblance to Alien's Xenomorph) to admire. The catchy synth soundtrack is also worth mentioning.

If you're looking for a serious sci-fi horror movie, steer well clear of this film, but if you're in the mood for a bit of trashy fun, you could do a lot worse than Forbidden World!

Expect little from it and you'll be please with what you get. I was. 'Forbidden World' is a quickly produced Roger Corman low-budget b-grade fable that's all in for exciting and junky exploitation. Nice. So I see it tagged as an 'Alien' clone… yeah kinda. Ah definitely. This time it's not an outer-space visitor, but a mutant of genetic work which goes through transformation cycles and then making ends meat of a terrific b-cast. Out of all of the films of this ilk that decided to ride the wave of 'Alien (1979)' success, from what I've seen this would be my favourite of the bunch. Still need to get my hands on the other Corman produced Sci-fi / horror cult fave 'Galaxy of Terror (1981)'.

The story centres on intergalactic trouble-shooter Mike Colbey being sent to a barren world were a group of scientists in remote station are researching genetic research without restrictions. However one of their experiments has got out of control.

It's rather straightforward, even though the script does throw around many scientific exchanges but counterpointing that is many trashy dialogues. But it seems to know what it is and goes about it in the right manner. After such a disjointed beginning (like from some other movie), it hits its strides and keeps a quick tempo, as it moves through in no time. Where this draws the most interest from is its crude and gooey make-up effects. It's daring, outrageous and literally had guts. There are a few unforgettable sequences and it's a sight to behold in the way they finally depose of the mutant. Ridiculous, but clever. However talk about leaving a icky mess! They don't make them like this anymore. Although it did get hard to see with moments of hectic editing techniques (though some odd inclusions added something different), dim lighting composition and fuzzily intrusive photography. This stark visual quality helped cemented the forebodingly moody and suffocating atmosphere within the tautly limited set-designs. Susan Justin's electronic score is elastically thumping with a real seductive pull to it. Some might call it irritably cheesy, but I loved the main theme. Allan Holzman's direction is bitingly simple and it works. Adding graphic violence (like the melting tissue in to sloppy gruel) and constant sleaze (with actresses June Chadwick and Dawn Dunlap showering together) in a pulsating package of genuine competence. The mutant (who turns peeping tom at one stage or another) with its massive head and glaring teeth looks great and terrifying. The cast do the job of what's asked from them. Jesse Vint is fine as Mike Colbey, although he spends more time flirting and sleeping about with the women. Fox Harris hams it up as one of the scientists and the sumptuous June Chadwick gives a sharp performance as scientist too. The gorgeous Dawn Dunlap spends a lot of the time screaming her head off, running around corridors and baring flesh. I guess the character is just keeping to tradition. Linden Chiles, Michael Bowen and Scott Paulin cap off a modest support cast.

Cheap and tacky, but highly enjoyable kitsch.

Take note all you horrible makers of today's movies. This is how you make a bad movie. You do not bring in a stupid 80's mall queen, make a film with monsters that are clearly not there, and you do not skimp on the gore and nudity! No, you make a monster out of stuff just laying around, you have young gals that look like they would be more at home in an adult film, and you have lots of gore and nudity like this film does! Is it a good movie, absolutely not, but it is certainly very enjoyable to watch. Though saying this one is absolutely not good may be being a bit to harsh as I actually enjoyed the story here a bit more than other "Alien" knock off movies of this era. Heck, I enjoyed watching his film more than "Alien 3", though that film was clearly better done this one was more entertaining and I was never bored. The film starts out kind of weakly though as dude and his robot pal have a pointless space battle. I do not know who or why they are fighting these people, I don't think it is our business. Once they go to the planet of Xarbia though things really pick up. The guy in the ship is some sort of problem solver and the problem they are having on this planet is that an experiment has gotten a bit out of hand. Killed a bunch of animals and has now retreated to a cocoon. Well it is not to long before it gets out and of course some idiot could have easily ended the entire movie by being a bit more careful, but then the movie would have ended even sooner than its very short running time of 77 minutes. Lots of gore ensues as the creature mutates forms from time to time and its purpose is soon to be known. During this time you get the typical scientist that does not want to harm the creature, but capture it and an even more laughable attempt at communicating with the beast. You also get lots of boobies from the two females at this little research place. Like I said it was a fun watch, the monster looks okay in some scenes and in others it looks bad, kind of like a blown up garbage bag. However, even when it looks bad it is there unlike so many computer generated monsters of today. The film could actually use a bit more time as they could have added ten minutes and had even more deaths and the death of the one guy trying to fix something was weak compared to others. The cast is all right, the lead guy being rather good. One of the females was super hot, the other with the more blond hair was just okay. Just wished they would make cheap movies like this instead of the boring stuff they do now. I am betting this is actually cheaper to make and a lot more fun to watch.

I first saw this in the late 80s on a vhs.

Revisited it recently on a fast forward mode.

The movie has a lousy sex scene mixed with a lousy 'cannot make out wots going on' kill scene.

Dawn Dunlap's nudity is the only saving grace. She looks more like a younger Denise Richards.

The fight towards the end with the alien looks as if the guy is fighting a bull or something but that too is ruined with shaky cam n reddish flickering lights.

Were the end flashback scenes required?

FORBIDDEN WORLD shows us what Ridley Scott's ALIEN could have been, if only it had included: #1- A robot named Sam! #2- STAR WARS-like space dogfights! #3- Blazing hot, female space scientists! In dangerously tight pants and high heels! #4- A wacky, chain-smoking mad scientist in a perpetually bloody lab coat! #5- A maniacally mutating metamorph, spreading goo and strawberry jam! #6- Idiot victims! #7- Blazing hot, female scientists who decide that their clothing is far too confining! Except for sunglasses! #8- Monster attacks intercut with love scenes! #9- Blazing hot, female scientists brushing each other's hair! In a super-mod shower! #10- Heaps of pulsating glop! #11- Meatball surgery! #12- Sizzling hot, female scientists in mini-bathrobes!

Yes, if only ALIEN had used cool gimmicks like this, then it would have been..., well, this movie!

EXTRA POINTS FOR: #1- Slimy, dripping practical effects! #2- Tracy Baxter's (Dawn Dunlap) incessant screaming! No, really! Once she gets going, she wails on and on like a tea kettle on the boil!...