During the early 1980s, there was a whole string of really crappy low-budget sci-fi/horror flicks that were basically made to cash-in on the success of Ridley Scott's Alien (1979). A couple of these were produced by b-movie king Roger Corman (including this one). All of them followed the 'group of people stuck in an enclosed area being stalked by a monster' formula.
All of them had really corny titles like Galaxy Of Terror, Horror Planet, and in this movie's case, Forbidden World. Note that the title doesn't have anything to do with the movie at all. There is no "forbidden world" in the movie. The studio just thought it sounded cool.
NOTE: The title of Robert Rodriquez' Grindhouse flick Planet Terror was a throwback to these; even to the point where the title Planet Terror had nothing to with that movie, either. Also note that during this time, it was common for a movie studio to change a movie's title at the last moment, which is why even though the posters for this movie clearly say Forbidden World, in the actual opening credits the title is Mutant.
So why would I waste my time watching something as admittedly bad as Forbidden World? Because some of these awful old sci-fi/horror flicks are hilarious, that's why! Honestly, I laughed out loud more often during Forbidden World than I have at any recent comedy. Forbidden World is the kind of movie that the phrase "so bad it's good" was invented for.
I won't write a traditional review (because honestly, who cares?). Instead, I'll just go over some of the unintentionally funny highlights of the film.
-The male lead in this movie is apparently supposed to be a real cool ladies' man. This guy doesn't go after the women - the women go after him. I mean right after he gets it on with the blond lady scientist, he is immediately propositioned by the brunette lady scientist. So why is this funny? Because the actor who plays this guy is the goofiest-looking, douchebaggiest guy you've ever seen in your life! There is nothing cool, handsome, or "sexy" about him. The actor (Jesse Vint) was in the '70s movie Macon County Line which apparently made him a "star" at the time.
Apparently because this guy is so irresistibly sexy, he also gets away with screaming at the women occasionally, like when he yells at the blond lady scientist, "That's the dumbest damn thing I've heard all day....no offense."
-This guy also has a robot sidekick named S.A.M. Now I'm sure S.A.M. is an acronym for something really advanced and scientific, but for some reason I got the distinct feeling that this robot was really a guy wearing a costume.
S.A.M. looks like a Storm Trooper from Star Wars, but for some bizarre reason he talks in a child's voice! Seriously, it's very strange and a little disconcerting. It's stuff like this that makes these weird old movies so enjoyable to me -you really have to wonder what the hell the filmmakers were thinking when they made decisions like these.
-And now the highlight of the movie: about halfway through, there is an unintentionally hilarious sex scene that really must be seen to be believed. It starts out like a futuristic-themed early-'80s softcore porn, complete with cheapo red-tint lighting and throbbing synthesizer funk on the soundtrack. But then, during the sex scene the movie starts cutting to other things going on in the spaceship, and it ends up being like a really goofy '80s music-video style 'montage' sequence, with the synth-funk bumping away while we inter-cut between the couple having sex, some guy watching them on a video monitor (!), the head scientist doing whatever he's doing, the robot screwing around, etc etc.
My description of this scene is not doing it justice. I really can't come up with the right words to adequately describe it.
-Oh! Speaking of '80s softcore porn, there's also a scene where the two lady scientists take a shower together....not because it is implied that they are lovers (it isn't), but simply because they are casually taking a shower together. And this isn't just any run-of-the-mill shower. No, this is a really "futuristic" shower where there is no water, and instead flashes of laser light cleanse the body. Uh huh. So basically what I'm saying is, the scene is two naked women standing there with disco lights flashing on the walls. That's Forbidden World!
-I also have to mention a scene where the two female scientists attempt to approach the alien monster to try and communicate with it. The monster can apparently understand English and can even operate the ship's computers telepathically. Don't ask. No, really. Don't ask.
So anyways the blond one types into the computer monitor, "Can we co-exist?" To which the monster gives her a toothy grin, the '80s synth music starts going into overdrive, and the thing shoves a tentacle between her legs and through her body (exiting through her back). When you hear the term "exploitation film", this is what that means. This movie is obviously a rip-off of Ridley Scott's Alien, but where that movie was subdued and mature, Forbidden World goes the complete opposite direction. In other words, it takes what worked about Alien and exploits it.
-There's also a scene where the brunette female scientist is walking around the darkly-lit spaceship, naked, with sunglasses on for some reason. Why? I have no idea. It's like something from a Lady Gaga music video.
And, really, that's about all there is to say about this one. The alien monster itself is actually kind of cool looking (sometimes, anyway). It has the aforementioned toothy grin from H.R. Giger's Alien design, but aside from that it's a pretty original creature. Earlier in the movie it actually has more of a multi-legged arachnid appearance, and later on it's just sort of a big black blob with teeth.
Well that's enough time wasted on this one. See ya!
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