Roger Corman: Forbidden World

Tape Freaks has another guest writer! Thank you to Izzi Xiques for a great piece on Forbidden World:

Forbidden World (aka Mutant) is a sci-fi horror flick. But don’t let the poster fool you, this film is NOT about giant bugs.

The plot goes a little like this: An intergalactic troubleshooter is called to duty to a remote planet called Xarbia where a group of scientists are running genetic experiments to produce an endless food supply. In stead though, they accidentally create an unrestrainable murderous mutant. As the mutant grows, the scientist begin endlessly expositioning, fornicating, and dying!


Sort of like Prometheus?: The theatrical release is presented as a deadly serious drama, but the tone doesn't really make a lot of sense. Apparently, around 6 minutes of humor in the directors edit were cut by Corman because he didn’t appreciate audience members laughing during the first test screening. He actually slapped the back of an audience member's head during the screening because he was so upset! The director, to this day, is disappointed the humor was cut because he feels it's a much weaker as a drama.

Totally not stormtroopers: Even though the futuristic robots look more like off-brand stormtroopers, Forbidden World has some serious production value going for it. Though, that's mostly because almost every set piece and costume was recycled from other films with higher budgets, credit needs to go to the FX team because there's some seriously gnarly imagery throughout the film, including dozens of actually dead and disemboweled animals. (But don’t fret! No animals were harmed for the making of this film, they were all animals that had been euthanized for unrelated reasons at local veterinary clinics.) The FX team also put themselves at risk (though unwittingly) while filming a scene where insanely cool pink goo spews out of the mutant. In reality this was a substance that produces EXTREMELY toxic fumes and burns skin on contact! The FX team did put up a bunch of trash bags between the mutant and the film crew so they weren't totally reckless...

But the score though: The true standout in this film is the score, composed by Susan Justin. After watching the movie I had to listen to the score a few times through. It's truly a moody and epic ode to 80’s space horror!

Roger Corman: MST3K

The Mystery Science Theater 3000 series reboot has features a pleasant amount of Corman productions, we'd be ashamed of ourselves if we didn't give them a nod for this theme!

Starcrash (released by New World Pictures, Roger Corman's production company): We've talked about the spectacle of this film before, and we were excited to see the riffing of it, but it's sadly one of the weaker of reboot episodes. The jokes aren't bad or anything, Starcrash just doesn't need a running commentary to be enjoyable. But if this film seems like it's too weird for you to sit through in it's entirety (or your friends aren't the sort to watch a movie of this caliber with you) this might be a pretty good option for you to experience all that is Starcrash!

Avalanche (produced by Corman and released by New World Pictures): Now, if I told you we were going to watch a movie called Avalanche you'd expect the movie would feature an avalanche and most of the movie would be about the drama during/after the avalanche right? Same. But that's what sets Avalanche apart from other disaster movies! They spend SO much of the movie building up to the titular avalanche that the actual event seems like an after thought. This is a movie that lends itself excellently to the MST3K formula, on it's own it would be a pretty big letdown.

Wizards of the Lost Kingdom (produced by Corman and released by Concorde Pictures (another Corman production company)): A humdrum kid's story featuring a boozed up hero, a boy magician and his strange furry companion team up to save their kingdom from an evil sorcerer. It's not my cup of tea on it's own, but that usually makes for the best MST3K episodes and this one is no different! They're pretty merciless in their riffing, and it's all well deserved.

Wizards of the Lost Kingdom II (produced by Corman and released by Concorde Pictures): A has-been wizard and his hapless apprentice are the only ones who can stop a power hungry band of villains from taking over a trio of kingdoms. This one features Sid Haig and Robert Jayne with the asinineness ramped up appropriately from the first installment. This might be the more enjoyable of the two though because the film is extremely dated, but also takes place in medieval times, and it's a pretty amazing balance to behold.

Mindless Action Movies: Death Race 2000

(Spolier!! If you've not seen this one yet, don't watch any trailers...)

Like a lot of people, I first heard of this movie when people who were older and cooler than me started pointing at pedestrians out a car window while assigning point values. And although it could be argued there is a social commentary in this film, it's pretty shallow. The main reasons to watch it is the total fucking carnage.

The plot unfolds something like this: In the year 2000 the streets are opened for an annual free for all, cross country, death race. Each contestant must score points by killing pedestrians while also winning the race... or something... But each contestant must also have a ridiculously themed driver and navigator team with an equally ridiculously coordinating car. (We assume that's in the rules, it's universally followed, so if it's not it's kinda weird...) With the entire country tuned in, the stakes are high and the competition is cut throat. Let the blood bath games begin!

Things to watch for: Asinine car designs, asinine costumes, asinine characters, asinine plot, asinine contest rules... But also, the worlds most annoying television host, a babyfaced Sylvester Stallone, a smoking hot Mary Woronov, loads of gory deaths and car stunts.

We would like to thank this scene for containing
as many mostly naked men as it does women. 

Some things that were possibly influenced by this movie: Hunger Games, The Purge, Mad Max, Running Man.

Spoiler Alert: The original trailers for this film give away a major spoiler from the film which leaves me wondering, why? I'm pretty sure the Corman knew he was going to have to reveal that David Carradine was in the film (as Kung Fu was in full swing and he would have some box office draw) in the trailer, so why make his character the one with a big reveal? 

He get's his, don't worry.

Bouns: Everything Wrong With was challenged by Roger Corman to EWW one of his movies, that challenge was pretty amazingly met.

Carnosaur

This movie had me at hello. There is nothing I love more than an eco-horror movie, especially if there half understandings of science and far flung conclusions in it. But this movie also offers two bat-shit crazy villains, loads of 90's-ness, and fantastic dinosaur effects. Well, fantastic considering this movie was thrown together and released to beat Jurassic Park to theaters. (This was also one of our previous Tape Freaks movies, if you missed your chance at snagging a poster, we've still got a couple left here!)

The plot unfolds something like this: Eunice Corporation has employed a clearly mad bioengineer who has taken it upon herself to re-introduce dinosaurs to the planet. But she's not happy stopping there (being clearly mad and all), she's going to wipe out the human race in the process. And, unlike most movie villains, she's not monologuing...

Things to watch for: The best mad fill-in-the-blank scientist to grace a b-movie. Obligatory 90s wire rim glasses. A politician being bribed to support food additives by the head of the company making the additives whose crouched on a conference table (on all fours) feeding him blueberry pie. Lovely dinosaur effects by Magical Media Industries Inc headed up by John Carl Buechler.

Watch if you loved: Blood Freak, The Bay, or Jurassic Park.

What we learned: Letting an employee you already don't trust sign a contract that prevents you from checking in on what they're working on might result in them releasing dinosaurs back into the world.

Best quote found while researching this movie: “That [Diane] Ladd took this role just a few years after her Oscar-nominated turn in Wild at Heart is a testament to the sheer dearth of opportunities available for older actresses.” -Scott Meslow, The Week