Mystic Knights of the Oingo Boingo

Expedition to the Fox Venice: Donald wore a necktie in front and another in back. Once Tony and I were settled in the back seat of Donald's car, Rick climbed in through the window, head first and upside down. We got loaded and saw 200 Motels and Groove Tube. The coolest thing on the program was the weird avant-garde Forbidden Zone which takes place in Venice and was made by the Mystic Knights of the Oingo Boingo, who are from here. Their sound is an interesting mixture of influences - Forties, African, jazz, rock, etc. Donald says he knows the lead singer Danny Elfman.

I went to see Forbidden Zone for the second time at Filmex. The sound system did justice to the music in a way that last summer's Fox Venice premiere didn't. Made by the Mystic Knights of the Oingo Boingo, it is an unremittingly bizarre film, like the raunchiest of underground comix come to life. Indeed there is a bit of animation although mostly it's live actors, Forbidden Zone ilike Viva as the ex-queen, and the charismatic Marie-Pascale Elfman as Frenchy. The Forbidden Zone is accessed through - where else?- a dilapidated house in Venice. The sets are painted and expressionistic; the highlights include a human skeleton wearing a bra and a nightmare grade-school classroom where the students shoot craps and pack Saturday Night Specials. The pre-sold audience broke into applause frequently, particularly for Susan Tyrrell's production number as the voluptuous and evil Queen of the Zone, the appearance of Herve' Villachaize as the King; and most spectacularly for Danny Elfman, alias Satan.

Forbidden Zone is playing here next week (25 years late) The lady Diane wants to see it.