It took a few years to find this movie but finally I found it lying around in an obscure video store. This is not a conventional type of movie, but if you like Oingo Boingo, or anything rather absurd, then this should be at least mildly entertaining.

The movie is Black and White and looks very low budget, something about the cardboard scenery gives me this impression. The motif of the movie is that of a off stage performance group, as were the Mystic Knights of Oingo Boingo, from whence came the writer/director Richard Elfman, and the Satan/composer Danny Elfman. Other members of the Mystic Knights are also present as band members (of course). The movie is, more than anything, a filmed version of a Mystic Knights performance, with a little more flair, such as Herve Villechaize, from Fantasy Island.

The basic plot of the movie is this. A house in the suburbs has a mysterious door in the basement behind which people will disapear, never to return. The Herculese family, after moving into this house, previously owned by one Mack Daddy of a Pimp, begins to lose family members behind this door, starting with their daughter Frenchy. We soon discover that the door leads to, what else, the "Forbidden Zone" where Herve Villechaize is the King and his wife is the dominant force. Of course, he falls in love with Frenchy and this angers the queen who then attempts to rid her kingdom of Frenchy completly. All of this leads to much running around, bizarre chases, strange tunnels and characters and an amazing cover of Minnie the Moocher by the band that would simply be known by Oingo Boingo.

It is a different experience entirely than a normal movie, but all together enjoyable. It is not a musical but is very musically based. It is, after all, made by a performance group that turned into a succesful band. I don't know if there is a message within the strange and unusual musings of Richard Elfman but it is overall entertaining. It is a street performance, a burlesque show and a modern (1980's modern) big band concert all wrapped into one neat little package.