CD Cover

Forbidden Zone

Music Composed by Danny Elfman
Steve Bartek (Musical Arrangements)
Label: UNI/Varese Sarabande (5268)

Blunt Instrument's Rating: * * * / * *
The Groovy Yak's Rating: * *

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Track Samples (MP3)

01. Forbidden Zone (0'57") 673k
07. Factory (0'58") 704k
11. Alphabet song (0'46") 540k

Did you know...

• Despite the alluringly lurid cover images, the film was shot (due to financial restrictions) entirely in black-and-white.
• Danny Elfman was given 2 weeks to compose the score.
• Elfman's role as Satan was described as "Satan rethought as Cab Calloway in a Max Fleischer cartoon" (article in Films in Review, 1990s).
• Some music clues come from family origins: the Elfmans' father was a jazz trumpeter, and previous generations were Jewish tradesman (the Jewish element is very audible as well as visual in the movie). (HorrorWeb, 2004)
• Richard Elfman is planning a follow-up to Forbidden Zone with an unofficial title of 'The Sixth Element', for which rumour has it Danny Elfman has already supplied songs.
• Check out interview transcript excerpts featuring Danny in the informative DVD documentary.
• Check out Danny Elfman's CD liner note.
• The film's official website is at www.forbiddenzonethemovie.com
• The spooky main theme from the film lives on adapted for the title score for the animated Dilbert
• The plaintive Love Theme was released as part of Music for a Darkened Theater [Vol.1]
• The Forbidden Zone has stuck with Elfman in some succeeding films: Matthew Bright wrote and directed Freeway, and wrote Shrunken Heads and Modern Vampires [aka. Revenant]; Susan Tyrell played Midge Montana in Big Top Pee Wee; Richard Elfman directed Shrunken Heads and Modern Vampires; and then Steve Bartek has worked pretty much solidly with the composer throughout his film music career as orchestrator.

Track Listing

01. Forbidden Zone (2'45")
02. Hercules Family Theme (1'37")
03. Some Of These Days (2'50")
by Shelton Brooks. Vocals by Cab Calloway
04. Journey Through The Intestines (0'55")
05. Squeezit's Vision Of His Sister (0'30")
06. Queen's Revenge (2'40")
07. Factory (0'58")
08. Love Theme (0'42")
09. Flash And Gramps (0'56")
10. Squeezit The Moocher (4'48")
by Calloway, Mills (as 'Minnie the Moocher'). Performed by Oingo Boingo with lyrics by Danny Elfman
11. Alphabet Song (1'58")
12. Cell 63 (1'20")
13. Witch's Egg (2'22")
by George Mishalsky, Susan Tyrell
14. Yiddishe Charleston (1'33")
by Rose, Fischer. Vocals by R. Youssele Elfman; piano by Brad Kay
15. Bim Bam Boom (1'53")
by Nino Morales, Johnny Comocho. Vocals by Miguelito Voldez
16. Chamber Music (1'58")
17. Pleure (0'37")
by Jerome Savary. Vocals by Marie-Pascal Elfman
18. Battle Of The Queens (3'04")
19. Love Theme (1'08")
20. Finale (3'20")

Total running time: (38'59")

Lead Vocalists

Danny Elfman (Forbidden Zone theme, Queen's Revenge, Squeezit the Moocher)
Susan Tyrell (Queen's Revenge, Yiddische Charleston, Witch's Egg)
Marie-Pascal Elfman (Pleure, Queen's Revenge)
Cab Calloway (Some of These Days)
Kipper Kids (Bim Bam Boom, Some of These Days)
Miguelito Voldez (Bim Bam Boom)
R. Yossele Elfman (Yiddische Charleston)
Toshiro Baloney (Squeezit The Moocher)

Principal Musicians

Danny Elfman (lead vocals)
Steve Bartek (guitar)
Kerry Hatch (bass guitar)
John Hernandez (drums, percussion)
Sam Phipps (reeds, flute)
Leon, Schneiderman (reeds, flute)
Dale Turner (trumpet)
Stuart Elster (piano)
Brad Schmidt (synthesizer)
Carol Emmanuel (harp)

Original Music Performed by the Mystic Knights of the Oingo Boingo