Take note all you horrible makers of today's movies. This is how you make a bad movie. You do not bring in a stupid 80's mall queen, make a film with monsters that are clearly not there, and you do not skimp on the gore and nudity! No, you make a monster out of stuff just laying around, you have young gals that look like they would be more at home in an adult film, and you have lots of gore and nudity like this film does! Is it a good movie, absolutely not, but it is certainly very enjoyable to watch. Though saying this one is absolutely not good may be being a bit to harsh as I actually enjoyed the story here a bit more than other "Alien" knock off movies of this era. Heck, I enjoyed watching his film more than "Alien 3", though that film was clearly better done this one was more entertaining and I was never bored. The film starts out kind of weakly though as dude and his robot pal have a pointless space battle. I do not know who or why they are fighting these people, I don't think it is our business. Once they go to the planet of Xarbia though things really pick up. The guy in the ship is some sort of problem solver and the problem they are having on this planet is that an experiment has gotten a bit out of hand. Killed a bunch of animals and has now retreated to a cocoon. Well it is not to long before it gets out and of course some idiot could have easily ended the entire movie by being a bit more careful, but then the movie would have ended even sooner than its very short running time of 77 minutes. Lots of gore ensues as the creature mutates forms from time to time and its purpose is soon to be known. During this time you get the typical scientist that does not want to harm the creature, but capture it and an even more laughable attempt at communicating with the beast. You also get lots of boobies from the two females at this little research place. Like I said it was a fun watch, the monster looks okay in some scenes and in others it looks bad, kind of like a blown up garbage bag. However, even when it looks bad it is there unlike so many computer generated monsters of today. The film could actually use a bit more time as they could have added ten minutes and had even more deaths and the death of the one guy trying to fix something was weak compared to others. The cast is all right, the lead guy being rather good. One of the females was super hot, the other with the more blond hair was just okay. Just wished they would make cheap movies like this instead of the boring stuff they do now. I am betting this is actually cheaper to make and a lot more fun to watch.
80 Reviews
The movie starts like a cheaper 'Galaxian', a space shoot 'em up video game n then goes all out blatant Alien rip off but in a very cheesy way.
Fella_shibby28 December 2021
I first saw this in the late 80s on a vhs.
Revisited it recently on a fast forward mode.
The movie has a lousy sex scene mixed with a lousy 'cannot make out wots going on' kill scene.
Dawn Dunlap's nudity is the only saving grace. She looks more like a younger Denise Richards.
The fight towards the end with the alien looks as if the guy is fighting a bull or something but that too is ruined with shaky cam n reddish flickering lights.
Were the end flashback scenes required?
Revisited it recently on a fast forward mode.
The movie has a lousy sex scene mixed with a lousy 'cannot make out wots going on' kill scene.
Dawn Dunlap's nudity is the only saving grace. She looks more like a younger Denise Richards.
The fight towards the end with the alien looks as if the guy is fighting a bull or something but that too is ruined with shaky cam n reddish flickering lights.
Were the end flashback scenes required?
Trashy fun
romeomazzei21 October 2018
Forbidden World isn't exactly a stellar film, but it sure is an entertaining one! This shameless Alien rip-off is packed to the brim with gore and nudity and never pretends to be more than just an hour and seventeen minutes of pure escapism.
For a low-budget movie, the research station set doesn't look bad at all. There might not be much more than a few corridors, some sleeping quarters, a sauna (yes, a sauna, guess why) and a laboratory, but it's quite an atmospheric place. Also, the practical effects are rather good, with bloody corpses that ooze slime from every pore and a shape-shifting monster (bearing more than a passing resemblance to Alien's Xenomorph) to admire. The catchy synth soundtrack is also worth mentioning.
If you're looking for a serious sci-fi horror movie, steer well clear of this film, but if you're in the mood for a bit of trashy fun, you could do a lot worse than Forbidden World!
For a low-budget movie, the research station set doesn't look bad at all. There might not be much more than a few corridors, some sleeping quarters, a sauna (yes, a sauna, guess why) and a laboratory, but it's quite an atmospheric place. Also, the practical effects are rather good, with bloody corpses that ooze slime from every pore and a shape-shifting monster (bearing more than a passing resemblance to Alien's Xenomorph) to admire. The catchy synth soundtrack is also worth mentioning.
If you're looking for a serious sci-fi horror movie, steer well clear of this film, but if you're in the mood for a bit of trashy fun, you could do a lot worse than Forbidden World!
"You Know Something?! You Look Like You Could Use A Steam Bath!"...
azathothpwiggins11 August 2019
FORBIDDEN WORLD shows us what Ridley Scott's ALIEN could have been, if only it had included: #1- A robot named Sam! #2- STAR WARS-like space dogfights! #3- Blazing hot, female space scientists! In dangerously tight pants and high heels! #4- A wacky, chain-smoking mad scientist in a perpetually bloody lab coat! #5- A maniacally mutating metamorph, spreading goo and strawberry jam! #6- Idiot victims! #7- Blazing hot, female scientists who decide that their clothing is far too confining! Except for sunglasses! #8- Monster attacks intercut with love scenes! #9- Blazing hot, female scientists brushing each other's hair! In a super-mod shower! #10- Heaps of pulsating glop! #11- Meatball surgery! #12- Sizzling hot, female scientists in mini-bathrobes!
Yes, if only ALIEN had used cool gimmicks like this, then it would have been..., well, this movie!
EXTRA POINTS FOR: #1- Slimy, dripping practical effects! #2- Tracy Baxter's (Dawn Dunlap) incessant screaming! No, really! Once she gets going, she wails on and on like a tea kettle on the boil!...
Yes, if only ALIEN had used cool gimmicks like this, then it would have been..., well, this movie!
EXTRA POINTS FOR: #1- Slimy, dripping practical effects! #2- Tracy Baxter's (Dawn Dunlap) incessant screaming! No, really! Once she gets going, she wails on and on like a tea kettle on the boil!...
Craptastic
etschuetz4 April 2019
Look. Don't expect top notch quality here. This is your typical straight to VHS shlock. I used to eat this kind of film up as a kid on Cinemax. To be honest, this type of filmmaking is hard to come by these days. The VHS/Rental store era was a special time. Shame that this isn't a thing anymore, and streaming sites are more concerned with ensuring top quality (or close to it) film fare. Do yourself a favor. If you come across these old Roger Corman productions, watch it. It may be tough sometimes, but the payoff is worth it.
Forbidden World (1982)
SnakesOnAnAfricanPlain13 December 2011
A cheap and nasty Alien rip-off. Roger Corman has no shame, which is part of the reason why his films are awesome. There's gore, terrible dialogue, an awful looking monster, and gratuitous nudity. Watch in disbelief as our "hero" goes from the bed of one woman, straight to the naked woman in the steam-room. Lines are delivered with such little emotion it seems as though each actor would race each other off set everyday. I simply can't recommend it as rumor has it all the funny bits were cut out. This makes it a rather po-faced knock-off. At least we are treated to an exceptionally 80's sex scene, with weird colors, fast editing, and electrical sound effects. It then cuts to other members on the planet, and we see a man jamming out on some weird instrument. I expected someone to burst into song at any moment. There's also the genius moment where a woman communicates with the creature via computer.
Wacky
gavin694222 October 2013
In the distant future, a federation marshal arrives at a research lab on a remote planet where a genetic experiment has gotten lose and begins feeding on the dwindling scientific group.
So, what do you get when you have an "Alien" ripoff written by Jim Wynorski, produced by Roger Corman, and with effects from John Carl Buechler? If you expected excessive boobs from Wynorski, you would be right. And if you expected a low budget from Corman, you would be right. A great monster from Buechler? Sure thing!
Seriously, this is not a bad movie. Is an A-level science fiction film? Maybe not. It should not be thought on on the same level as "Alien". But that is not the point, if you know what you are getting yourself into when you sit down for a Corman flick. It is is gonna be fun, cheesy and entertaining -- just like movies should be.
So, what do you get when you have an "Alien" ripoff written by Jim Wynorski, produced by Roger Corman, and with effects from John Carl Buechler? If you expected excessive boobs from Wynorski, you would be right. And if you expected a low budget from Corman, you would be right. A great monster from Buechler? Sure thing!
Seriously, this is not a bad movie. Is an A-level science fiction film? Maybe not. It should not be thought on on the same level as "Alien". But that is not the point, if you know what you are getting yourself into when you sit down for a Corman flick. It is is gonna be fun, cheesy and entertaining -- just like movies should be.
"Welcome to the Garden of Eden. We play God here."
lost-in-limbo8 November 2008
Expect little from it and you'll be please with what you get. I was. 'Forbidden World' is a quickly produced Roger Corman low-budget b-grade fable that's all in for exciting and junky exploitation. Nice. So I see it tagged as an 'Alien' clone
yeah kinda. Ah definitely. This time it's not an outer-space visitor, but a mutant of genetic work which goes through transformation cycles and then making ends meat of a terrific b-cast. Out of all of the films of this ilk that decided to ride the wave of 'Alien (1979)' success, from what I've seen this would be my favourite of the bunch. Still need to get my hands on the other Corman produced Sci-fi / horror cult fave 'Galaxy of Terror (1981)'.
The story centres on intergalactic trouble-shooter Mike Colbey being sent to a barren world were a group of scientists in remote station are researching genetic research without restrictions. However one of their experiments has got out of control.
It's rather straightforward, even though the script does throw around many scientific exchanges but counterpointing that is many trashy dialogues. But it seems to know what it is and goes about it in the right manner. After such a disjointed beginning (like from some other movie), it hits its strides and keeps a quick tempo, as it moves through in no time. Where this draws the most interest from is its crude and gooey make-up effects. It's daring, outrageous and literally had guts. There are a few unforgettable sequences and it's a sight to behold in the way they finally depose of the mutant. Ridiculous, but clever. However talk about leaving a icky mess! They don't make them like this anymore. Although it did get hard to see with moments of hectic editing techniques (though some odd inclusions added something different), dim lighting composition and fuzzily intrusive photography. This stark visual quality helped cemented the forebodingly moody and suffocating atmosphere within the tautly limited set-designs. Susan Justin's electronic score is elastically thumping with a real seductive pull to it. Some might call it irritably cheesy, but I loved the main theme. Allan Holzman's direction is bitingly simple and it works. Adding graphic violence (like the melting tissue in to sloppy gruel) and constant sleaze (with actresses June Chadwick and Dawn Dunlap showering together) in a pulsating package of genuine competence. The mutant (who turns peeping tom at one stage or another) with its massive head and glaring teeth looks great and terrifying. The cast do the job of what's asked from them. Jesse Vint is fine as Mike Colbey, although he spends more time flirting and sleeping about with the women. Fox Harris hams it up as one of the scientists and the sumptuous June Chadwick gives a sharp performance as scientist too. The gorgeous Dawn Dunlap spends a lot of the time screaming her head off, running around corridors and baring flesh. I guess the character is just keeping to tradition. Linden Chiles, Michael Bowen and Scott Paulin cap off a modest support cast.
Cheap and tacky, but highly enjoyable kitsch.
The story centres on intergalactic trouble-shooter Mike Colbey being sent to a barren world were a group of scientists in remote station are researching genetic research without restrictions. However one of their experiments has got out of control.
It's rather straightforward, even though the script does throw around many scientific exchanges but counterpointing that is many trashy dialogues. But it seems to know what it is and goes about it in the right manner. After such a disjointed beginning (like from some other movie), it hits its strides and keeps a quick tempo, as it moves through in no time. Where this draws the most interest from is its crude and gooey make-up effects. It's daring, outrageous and literally had guts. There are a few unforgettable sequences and it's a sight to behold in the way they finally depose of the mutant. Ridiculous, but clever. However talk about leaving a icky mess! They don't make them like this anymore. Although it did get hard to see with moments of hectic editing techniques (though some odd inclusions added something different), dim lighting composition and fuzzily intrusive photography. This stark visual quality helped cemented the forebodingly moody and suffocating atmosphere within the tautly limited set-designs. Susan Justin's electronic score is elastically thumping with a real seductive pull to it. Some might call it irritably cheesy, but I loved the main theme. Allan Holzman's direction is bitingly simple and it works. Adding graphic violence (like the melting tissue in to sloppy gruel) and constant sleaze (with actresses June Chadwick and Dawn Dunlap showering together) in a pulsating package of genuine competence. The mutant (who turns peeping tom at one stage or another) with its massive head and glaring teeth looks great and terrifying. The cast do the job of what's asked from them. Jesse Vint is fine as Mike Colbey, although he spends more time flirting and sleeping about with the women. Fox Harris hams it up as one of the scientists and the sumptuous June Chadwick gives a sharp performance as scientist too. The gorgeous Dawn Dunlap spends a lot of the time screaming her head off, running around corridors and baring flesh. I guess the character is just keeping to tradition. Linden Chiles, Michael Bowen and Scott Paulin cap off a modest support cast.
Cheap and tacky, but highly enjoyable kitsch.
Too squishy for me
bensonmum222 June 2021
A space marshal (at least I think that's what he is) receives a distress call to clean up a mess on an isolated science station. It seems that a biologically engineered organism is wreaking havoc on the station and threatening all on board. Much carnage ensues.
As should be obvious from my rating, Forbidden World is not my cup of tea. From the confusing and dull plot to the lifeless acting to the ridiculous character behavior, I didn't find much here to hold my interest or enjoy. Despite the Corman-sized budget, the creature effects have to be a highlight. However, I'm not a fan of watching bodies dissolve into a gooey mess. It's all too squishy (in both sight and sound) for me And I'm not a prude, but what's up with the women in this film? These are supposed to be female scientists, but you'd never know it from their costuming (or lack thereof). What kind of outfit would be suitable if you're heading toward a potentially dangerous showdown with a sentient being who's slowly consuming all of your friends. What about a short bathrobe! Makes sense to me!
In the end, Forbidden World is a cheap Alien inspired rip-off that doesn't work for me.
3/10.
As should be obvious from my rating, Forbidden World is not my cup of tea. From the confusing and dull plot to the lifeless acting to the ridiculous character behavior, I didn't find much here to hold my interest or enjoy. Despite the Corman-sized budget, the creature effects have to be a highlight. However, I'm not a fan of watching bodies dissolve into a gooey mess. It's all too squishy (in both sight and sound) for me And I'm not a prude, but what's up with the women in this film? These are supposed to be female scientists, but you'd never know it from their costuming (or lack thereof). What kind of outfit would be suitable if you're heading toward a potentially dangerous showdown with a sentient being who's slowly consuming all of your friends. What about a short bathrobe! Makes sense to me!
In the end, Forbidden World is a cheap Alien inspired rip-off that doesn't work for me.
3/10.
Hey there sexy humanoid
Wanna co-exist?
Coventry19 June 2007
Yet another cheap 'n cheesy early 80's "Alien" rip-off produced by Roger "King of the B's" Corman! This given alone is more than enough reason to proceed with caution and keep your expectations to a minimum. Then, during the opening credits sequence, your first impressions are most likely to seep to an even deeper level, as the first five minutes are a headache-inducing and utterly pointless compilation of confusing and hectic images that make no sense at all. But please do your best to struggle yourself through this crappy opening, because "Forbidden World" does eventually get interesting and worthwhile. Well, in all honesty
it's crap from start to finish! But hey, at least it's tremendously entertaining crap! We're in the darkest regions of outer space, somewhere in a distant future, but there's no menace of aliens this time. The cool-looking monster on the VHS cover is mankind's own little mistake-creation, spawned on a spaceship where the crew was actually trying to discover new types of food sources. Now they're up against a continuously growing monster that somehow understands English, yet dramatically misinterprets the meaning of the verb "co-exist". Lone space ranger Mike Colby (Jesse Vint) is called to the rescue, but he doesn't really contribute anything, except having sex with the female crew members on board. What a guy! Another scientist member of the expedition eventually comes up with an admittedly creative (but totally ludicrous) plan to destroy the monster. Naturally, I can't reveal anything about the denouement, but rest assured it's 100% original and hilarious. The cinematography is dreadfully dark and unclear, presumably to camouflage the ultra-cheap and tacky set pieces and make-up effects. The monster is very cool, though, and the killings are amusingly gross and bloody. The aforementioned "co-exist" scene truly priceless and any horror fan with a slight sense of humor will LOVE that moment. Alan Holzman didn't have any experience directing movies back in 1982, but he does a fairly adequate job and admirably prevents his cast from going over the top. Following good old Roger Corman traditions, there's some great sleaze and nudity to enjoy and also the dialogs are imbecilic but fun. Highly recommended in case you can tolerate B-movie cheapness.
Sort of a crappy reworking of ALIEN along with some gratuitous nudity.
planktonrules4 January 2016
Roger Corman produced this film and although his movies almost always made money*, they always were made with minuscule budgets. None of them are what anyone would consider high art, but a few are masterpieces of inexpensive cinema. This one, however, is pretty much like most of Corman's films--super-cheap, kind of cheesy and a bit dumb...but also almost entertaining enough to keep your interest. After all, if the story (a re-working of ALIEN) doesn't keep your interest, the film tossed in quite a bit of gratuitous nudity to keep your interest!
When the film begins, there is a really crappy space battle that looked very, very dated for the early 80s. Following this, the captain of the ship arrives at a research station where some sort of accident has occurred...though the leader of the station continually downplays the seriousness of it. They've created some sort of super-organism and although folks seem amazingly complacent, it soon starts wiping out folks on the station. Can they stop it in time or are they all doomed to be entrées for this creature?
ALIEN came out in 1979 and looks a billion times better than this film. Heck, several other sci-fi movies of the 70s look a lot better than this one. But it does sport two women who love to take their clothes off for no discernible reason other than to distract the audience from the overall crappiness of the movie. The overall effect is anything but artful and isn't particularly good...but folks wanting to see a lot of flesh should be satisfied. Otherwise, not a film most folks would want to watch and would do a lot better just watching ALIEN.
By the way, 're-working' is also occasionally a nice way to say 'blatant ripoff'.
*Corman's only money-losing film (out of over 400 credits) was reportedly "The Intruder" (starring William Shatner). Sadly, this was among the best films Corman ever made and yet it lost money and some god-awful ones made money. A great example of the phrase "life ain't fair".
When the film begins, there is a really crappy space battle that looked very, very dated for the early 80s. Following this, the captain of the ship arrives at a research station where some sort of accident has occurred...though the leader of the station continually downplays the seriousness of it. They've created some sort of super-organism and although folks seem amazingly complacent, it soon starts wiping out folks on the station. Can they stop it in time or are they all doomed to be entrées for this creature?
ALIEN came out in 1979 and looks a billion times better than this film. Heck, several other sci-fi movies of the 70s look a lot better than this one. But it does sport two women who love to take their clothes off for no discernible reason other than to distract the audience from the overall crappiness of the movie. The overall effect is anything but artful and isn't particularly good...but folks wanting to see a lot of flesh should be satisfied. Otherwise, not a film most folks would want to watch and would do a lot better just watching ALIEN.
By the way, 're-working' is also occasionally a nice way to say 'blatant ripoff'.
*Corman's only money-losing film (out of over 400 credits) was reportedly "The Intruder" (starring William Shatner). Sadly, this was among the best films Corman ever made and yet it lost money and some god-awful ones made money. A great example of the phrase "life ain't fair".
This Movie Rules.
Steve_Nyland31 May 2005
Warning: Spoilers
FORBIDDEN WORLD is quite simply a brilliantly stupid, enjoyable little movie. Almost perfect: It has space ships, laser battles, a cool drooling grinning skulled alien, abundant gratuitous female nudity, an excellent early electronica musical score, buckets of gore, slimy alien killings, voyeurism, stuff exploding, girls sunbathing naked in space, is over quickly (77 minutes: perfect for limited attention spans) and the hero is actually the movie's brilliant dork character, whom the surviving female hottie (Dawn Dunlap, who gets naked a lot in her movies) was secretly really in love with all the time. That's because he was smart, and smart is sexy. So like in fellow Geekanoid Sci-Fi/horror hybrids as CHOPPING MALL and HARDWARE, the manbeef lead actor (Jesse Vint, who looks familiar ...) is just a distraction for the popcorn crunchers. The real movie is about the geek and how he beats this transmogrifying alien mass of goo and teeth.
Also known as MUTANT, director Allan Holzman's FORBIDDEN WORLD is of course the 3rd of the Big Three Alien Sleaze Epics from the very early 1980's which exploited the ideas Dan O'Bannon and Ridley Scott cooked up for ALIEN. All three were released in the US by Roger Corman's New World Films and make a sort of unofficial Trio -- The first was Norman "Warm & Fuzzy" Warren's deceptively cheesy looking HORROR PLANET (or INSEMINOID) in 1980, then Bob Clark's GALAXY OF TERROR (or MIND WARP: AN INFINITY OF TERROR) in 1981, then Holzman's FORBIDDEN WORLD in 1982. The films helped fill a void created by the sensational effect of ALIEN and the natural desire to try and make more of it for less. All three had very low production budgets but stand as remarkable & effective little shockers with allegorical references to alien outsiders who want to kill our men and mate with our women, and then eat them.
GALAXY OF TERROR is the silliest of the three and in some ways the most true to the original ALIEN spirit. HORROR PLANET is a far more potent mix, a Sadistic frenzy of murder and chaos with Judy Geeson sweating and screaming and grimacing her way into history. She should have been nominated for an award of some kind, though exactly which variety I am unsure. It is a difficult movie to watch.
Contrastingly, FORBIDDEN WORLD exists as a Sadean fantasy, with the alien more or less leaving it's grubby mitts off the ladies, who both disrobe twice and engage in relations with the manbeef action star lead, and THEN take a shower together. Golly!! One of the interesting aspects of the film is how it repeatedly disrobes it's women and then places them in harm's way, with this grinning, drooling, slimy alien just a tentacle slither away, and as with GALAXY OF TERROR much of what we now know as Hentai Anime and it's unsavory sexual violence was given root in what we see in these films: Slimy, tubular, disgusting aliens having their way with or just simply ripping apart aggressively gorgeous, sexy women in states of undress or nudity.
On that level of thinking, FORBIDDEN WORLD is probably the most exploitative of the trio, using it's subject matter literally where GALAXY OF TERROR and HORROR PLANET both had sub-textural meaning to what was happening on camera. Allan Holzman stuck with the basics: Slimy alien running loose on isolated space station with nubile females showering together while scruffy 2 day growth faced action types search for it with flashlights and ineffective weapons. By keeping the height of his goal post appropriately low, Holzman may have made the superior entertainment of the three, especially if you are fond of naked women and buckets of simmering goo.
Also known as MUTANT, director Allan Holzman's FORBIDDEN WORLD is of course the 3rd of the Big Three Alien Sleaze Epics from the very early 1980's which exploited the ideas Dan O'Bannon and Ridley Scott cooked up for ALIEN. All three were released in the US by Roger Corman's New World Films and make a sort of unofficial Trio -- The first was Norman "Warm & Fuzzy" Warren's deceptively cheesy looking HORROR PLANET (or INSEMINOID) in 1980, then Bob Clark's GALAXY OF TERROR (or MIND WARP: AN INFINITY OF TERROR) in 1981, then Holzman's FORBIDDEN WORLD in 1982. The films helped fill a void created by the sensational effect of ALIEN and the natural desire to try and make more of it for less. All three had very low production budgets but stand as remarkable & effective little shockers with allegorical references to alien outsiders who want to kill our men and mate with our women, and then eat them.
GALAXY OF TERROR is the silliest of the three and in some ways the most true to the original ALIEN spirit. HORROR PLANET is a far more potent mix, a Sadistic frenzy of murder and chaos with Judy Geeson sweating and screaming and grimacing her way into history. She should have been nominated for an award of some kind, though exactly which variety I am unsure. It is a difficult movie to watch.
Contrastingly, FORBIDDEN WORLD exists as a Sadean fantasy, with the alien more or less leaving it's grubby mitts off the ladies, who both disrobe twice and engage in relations with the manbeef action star lead, and THEN take a shower together. Golly!! One of the interesting aspects of the film is how it repeatedly disrobes it's women and then places them in harm's way, with this grinning, drooling, slimy alien just a tentacle slither away, and as with GALAXY OF TERROR much of what we now know as Hentai Anime and it's unsavory sexual violence was given root in what we see in these films: Slimy, tubular, disgusting aliens having their way with or just simply ripping apart aggressively gorgeous, sexy women in states of undress or nudity.
On that level of thinking, FORBIDDEN WORLD is probably the most exploitative of the trio, using it's subject matter literally where GALAXY OF TERROR and HORROR PLANET both had sub-textural meaning to what was happening on camera. Allan Holzman stuck with the basics: Slimy alien running loose on isolated space station with nubile females showering together while scruffy 2 day growth faced action types search for it with flashlights and ineffective weapons. By keeping the height of his goal post appropriately low, Holzman may have made the superior entertainment of the three, especially if you are fond of naked women and buckets of simmering goo.
The Garden of Eden
claudio_carvalho21 March 2018
The Federation agent Mike Colby (Jesse Vint) is sent to the remote planet Xarbia to attend the call of scientists. Mike learns that the lethal genetic experiment Subject 20 that was created by the scientists has become dangerous. Mike wants to terminate Subject 20, but the responsible for the facility, Dr. Gordon Hauser (Linden Chiles), is reluctant to destroy the experiment. However, when Subject 20 gets loose from his cage, he begins to kill the personal of the facility.
"Forbidden World" is a cult-trash produced by Roger Corman using the success of the 1979 "Alien". The hot Dawn Dunlap and June Chadwick make the difference and worthwhile watching this gore, gross and erotic low-budget film. My vote is six.
Title (Brazil): "Galáxia Proibida" ("Forbidden World")
Title (Brazil): "Galáxia Proibida" ("Forbidden World")
Dreadful Sci-Fi Horror.
AaronCapenBanner31 August 2013
The "Forbidden World" of the title is really just a remote research outpost, where scientists are conducting experiments in creating a new life form from re-engineered DNA(or some such thing!) Of course, things go disastrously wrong, and a space marshal is called in to clean up the mess, and destroy the "mutant" monster.
Incredibly mundane and unappealing film has practically nothing to recommend it, other than two beautiful leading ladies(Dawn Dunlap & June Chadwick.) Pity they are stuck in the middle of this gross, ugly and derivative film. Method used to kill the monster may be unique, but not in a good way! Total junk.
Incredibly mundane and unappealing film has practically nothing to recommend it, other than two beautiful leading ladies(Dawn Dunlap & June Chadwick.) Pity they are stuck in the middle of this gross, ugly and derivative film. Method used to kill the monster may be unique, but not in a good way! Total junk.
Intergalactic Troubleshooter Mike Colby VS Genetic Mutant!
duke13-19 November 2002
The story concerns the efforts of Mike and his sidekick, SAM-104, an android(or robot, if you will) and their investigation of an experiment gone wrong on planet Xarbia. A group of scientists stationed on this planet are conducting experiments involving gene splicing in order to come up with a solution for a "galactic food crisis", that will supply the hungry masses(hey, it's a big galaxy out there!) Their solution? "Meet Subject 20..." Only Subject 20 is not in an inviting mood, as we are about to find out... What is the secret being kept from Mike by the scientists? What is Subject 20? How many times will Mike "get some"? (Couldn't resist!) To find out, see the film... If you are looking for cheese or horrible acting, see the latest films that take place in a galaxy far, far away. But if you are looking for a film where most of the actors seem to be having a great time with their tongues planted firmly in their cheeks(and Mike's planted in other places), not worrying about the pressures of a gazzillion dollar budget that still yields garbage, see this film. And yes, I do love this film. Enough to own multiple copies.... Did I mention that this film has two very sexy(June Chadwick and Dawn Dunlap) female scientists in it, hey, that ups the score right there! :)
Too dark and choppy to be enjoyed.
gridoon25 January 2003
Yet another "Alien" imitation, except that the monster here is not an alien but the product of a genetic mutation, and also appears to be able to understand English and operate computers at one point. Exploitations fans will be thrilled to know that the film has not one, but TWO sensuous (and promiscuous) women in it, and ends with a pretty gruesome (if unbelievable) climax. However, the film is SO darkly photographed and choppily edited that it's often REALLY hard to decipher what's going on (especially when the monster attacks). And see if you can figure out what's the point of the opening flash-forwards. (**)
Not another protein horror movie.
bbjzilla10 March 2020
Trashy rubbish totally rips off Alien and adds gratuitous soft core action, naked women and gooey stuff.
It's mostly inexplicable and goes for shocks over dread, but it remains eminently likeable due to it's earnest leads and huge personality.
Alien meets soft porn
Freethinker_Atheist16 November 2020
It is so cheap, bad acted and ridiculous that it is very entertaining. I laughed many times. One of the two girls who, when they do not get naked, walk around on high heels, was cast for the sole purpose of screaming. On the same day he arrives there, in less than an hour, both women seduce the main guy. Hilarious.
Lowbrow science-fiction gold.
Hey_Sweden7 August 2014
The always engaging Jesse Vint plays Mike Colby, an intergalactic troubleshooter who's called into service on a remote planet. It seems that the scientists there have let their big genetic experiment get out of control. Now there's a continuously evolving life form on the loose in their station, one that does hideous things to human bodies in order to digest them. The head scientist, Gordon Hauser (TV veteran Linden Chiles, 'James at 15'), doesn't want the truth about the species' origins to be known, which doesn't help matters. Ultimately, it's Dr. Cal Timbergen (notably eccentric character actor Fox Harris, "Repo Man") who will prove to be far more helpful.
Of course, one can hardly fail to notice that Mike and the others don't seem too concerned at first about the creatures' whereabouts. Mike's far more interested in hooking up with *both* of the hottie ladies at this station: Dr. Barbara Glaser (foxy blonde June Chadwick, "This is Spinal Tap") and Tracy Baxter (sultry brunette Dawn Dunlap, "Laura" '79). The two ladies even have an enticing scene with each other!
Director / editor Allan Holzman ("Grunt! The Wrestling Movie") does a decent job working in confined quarters; genre buffs will know that this typically cheap Roger Corman production re-uses sets from "Galaxy of Terror" as well as special effects shots from "Battle Beyond the Stars". The cheese and trash levels are pretty much off the charts here, as you can tell from the previous paragraph. For a movie obviously designed to get a little more use out of previously existing elements, this *is* pretty entertaining, especially in the directors' cut with its use of classical music and comedic moments. The score by Susan Justin (who was Mrs. Holzman in real life) is quite amusing.
The studly Vint is well supported by Chadwick, Harris, Chiles, Ray Oliver ("Child's Play"), Scott Paulin ("Cat People" '82), and Michael Bowen ("Jackie Brown"). Dunlap looks great but really isn't much of an actress. Don Olivera, who did the crude but enjoyable makeup and creature effects along with John Carl Buechler ("Friday the 13th Part VII: The New Blood"), plays the role of the robot SAM-104.
Highly recommended to folks who appreciate the sleazier and cheesier side of B level genre cinema.
Seven out of 10.
Of course, one can hardly fail to notice that Mike and the others don't seem too concerned at first about the creatures' whereabouts. Mike's far more interested in hooking up with *both* of the hottie ladies at this station: Dr. Barbara Glaser (foxy blonde June Chadwick, "This is Spinal Tap") and Tracy Baxter (sultry brunette Dawn Dunlap, "Laura" '79). The two ladies even have an enticing scene with each other!
Director / editor Allan Holzman ("Grunt! The Wrestling Movie") does a decent job working in confined quarters; genre buffs will know that this typically cheap Roger Corman production re-uses sets from "Galaxy of Terror" as well as special effects shots from "Battle Beyond the Stars". The cheese and trash levels are pretty much off the charts here, as you can tell from the previous paragraph. For a movie obviously designed to get a little more use out of previously existing elements, this *is* pretty entertaining, especially in the directors' cut with its use of classical music and comedic moments. The score by Susan Justin (who was Mrs. Holzman in real life) is quite amusing.
The studly Vint is well supported by Chadwick, Harris, Chiles, Ray Oliver ("Child's Play"), Scott Paulin ("Cat People" '82), and Michael Bowen ("Jackie Brown"). Dunlap looks great but really isn't much of an actress. Don Olivera, who did the crude but enjoyable makeup and creature effects along with John Carl Buechler ("Friday the 13th Part VII: The New Blood"), plays the role of the robot SAM-104.
Highly recommended to folks who appreciate the sleazier and cheesier side of B level genre cinema.
Seven out of 10.
B-exploitation Sci-Fi movie about an experimental life form becomes deadly, then the best troubleshooter attempts to solve the grisly consequences
ma-cortes31 May 2020
This is a graphically rip-off of Alien , it is set on planet Xarbia, a federation marshal (Jesse Vint) after an initial space battle is called in to execute a dangerous mission and he arrives at a research lab on a remote planet where scientists (Linden Chiles, Scott Paulin , Michael Bowen) and two gorgeous girls (Dawn Dunlap , June Chadwick) make an off-world genetic engineering project, called Subject 20, and decide to keep the slimy little splodge under observation . But then the genetic experiment has gotten loose , and begins feeding on the dwindling scientific group . As it escapes , gets bigger and comes back to snack . As lives of the genetic research team become threatened by the very life form they helped to create : a man-eating organism capable of changing its genetic structure as it grows and matures . ALIEN was the beginning ...Hell Has Just Been Relocated! A Science Fiction Horror Adventure That'll Blow You Away! A Science Fiction Horror in Deep Space The seed is planted... the nightmare grows . Deadly. Forbidden. And Alive.Part Alien...Part Human...All Nightmare.Where death is only a nightmare away!Hell has just been relocated! Imagine your worst nightmares coming true.Your countdown to Hell is about to begin! .It's always midnight in space.
This B-picture is set in an distant future, about a genetic experiment that has been created by an elite group of researchers in hopes of preventing a galactic food crisis , nevertheless , it goes wrong. It's a formula terror space film with tension , shocks , grisly horror , including some decent scares , graphic gore abounds and turns out to be quite entertaining . It displays a lot of nudism too , in charge of the beautiful girls Dawn Dunlop and June Chadwick. It's a standard terror graphically gory, giving a paranoid dimension and results to be an ¨Alien¨ exploitation film , being a sloppy attempt to cash on this hit smash. The barely seen mutant , Alien-alike , results to be a kind of of metal spider-thing is eventually disposed of by feeding it a freshly available cancerous tumour . A lot of the special effects involving live actors combined with matte paintings and miniatures and other effects footage , being all recycled and quickly done , as well as reusing the same movie sets designed by James Cameron for Bruce Clark's Galaxy of terror (1981) and Battle beyond the stars (1980) by Jimmy T Murakami . As the rest of the New World production crew were working out to reproduce Ridley Scott movie for a minimum budget , about 50 bucks.
It contains a well-known and very used premise, that's why it has many clichés of the genre. In this fim are involved various Roger Corman alumnus , as Aaron Lipstadt as director second unit portends some interest . In fact , this one seems to be the sequel also produced by Corman , a quickie follow-up titled ¨Galaxy of Terror¨ 1981 Bruce Clak with Edward Albert , Ray Walston , Robert Englund , Zalman King . This ¨Forbidden world¨ (1982) was professionally directed by Allan Holzman , though is has several flaws and gaps .
This B-picture is set in an distant future, about a genetic experiment that has been created by an elite group of researchers in hopes of preventing a galactic food crisis , nevertheless , it goes wrong. It's a formula terror space film with tension , shocks , grisly horror , including some decent scares , graphic gore abounds and turns out to be quite entertaining . It displays a lot of nudism too , in charge of the beautiful girls Dawn Dunlop and June Chadwick. It's a standard terror graphically gory, giving a paranoid dimension and results to be an ¨Alien¨ exploitation film , being a sloppy attempt to cash on this hit smash. The barely seen mutant , Alien-alike , results to be a kind of of metal spider-thing is eventually disposed of by feeding it a freshly available cancerous tumour . A lot of the special effects involving live actors combined with matte paintings and miniatures and other effects footage , being all recycled and quickly done , as well as reusing the same movie sets designed by James Cameron for Bruce Clark's Galaxy of terror (1981) and Battle beyond the stars (1980) by Jimmy T Murakami . As the rest of the New World production crew were working out to reproduce Ridley Scott movie for a minimum budget , about 50 bucks.
It contains a well-known and very used premise, that's why it has many clichés of the genre. In this fim are involved various Roger Corman alumnus , as Aaron Lipstadt as director second unit portends some interest . In fact , this one seems to be the sequel also produced by Corman , a quickie follow-up titled ¨Galaxy of Terror¨ 1981 Bruce Clak with Edward Albert , Ray Walston , Robert Englund , Zalman King . This ¨Forbidden world¨ (1982) was professionally directed by Allan Holzman , though is has several flaws and gaps .
What a dingwhopper
cowboykalira12 June 2012
Warning: Spoilers
Allan Holzman takes us on an unnecessary but highly enjoyable roller-coaster ride in this epically bad film. Everything about it screams B-movie, from the terrible acting of the male actors, the gratuitous full frontal nudity of the actresses, the jumpy and improbable plot, the cheesy lines.
Movies like this are like a tasty cheeseburger in a cheap fast food restaurant. It's unhealthy, and disgustingly greasy, but after finishing it you feel a satisfied customer, and the next time you're in the neighbourhood you might just drop in for more.
Yes, it's an Alien rip-off. Small crew, isolated base on a distant planet, and a monster that is made for killing and feeding only. And yes, they stole that robot design directly from Star Wars' stormtroopers. Are those reasons to dislike "Forbidden World"? Far from it. It steals shamelessly, and if anything the obviously stolen ideas make this movie even more fun to watch. I would have hated it if they tried to hide the fact this is a blatant rip-off.
How could you not like a movie in which the monster is frequently called a "dingwhopper", and which packs these fantastic lines: Barbara : "I hear you're the best troubleshooter in the federation. Want to ehm.. see some trouble?"
Barbara: "If it is intelligent, have you tried communicating with it?" Mike: "That's about the stupidest damn idea I heard all day"
Dr. Timbergen: "Let's see how my wildly mutating cells get along with yours."
"Forbidden World" makes no effort to be classy, it just shoves all the goodies in your face, and says "feast on this." So I did, and it was worth every second.
Movies like this are like a tasty cheeseburger in a cheap fast food restaurant. It's unhealthy, and disgustingly greasy, but after finishing it you feel a satisfied customer, and the next time you're in the neighbourhood you might just drop in for more.
Yes, it's an Alien rip-off. Small crew, isolated base on a distant planet, and a monster that is made for killing and feeding only. And yes, they stole that robot design directly from Star Wars' stormtroopers. Are those reasons to dislike "Forbidden World"? Far from it. It steals shamelessly, and if anything the obviously stolen ideas make this movie even more fun to watch. I would have hated it if they tried to hide the fact this is a blatant rip-off.
How could you not like a movie in which the monster is frequently called a "dingwhopper", and which packs these fantastic lines: Barbara : "I hear you're the best troubleshooter in the federation. Want to ehm.. see some trouble?"
Barbara: "If it is intelligent, have you tried communicating with it?" Mike: "That's about the stupidest damn idea I heard all day"
Dr. Timbergen: "Let's see how my wildly mutating cells get along with yours."
"Forbidden World" makes no effort to be classy, it just shoves all the goodies in your face, and says "feast on this." So I did, and it was worth every second.
Forbidden World review
JoeytheBrit3 July 2020
A cheap, trashy rip-off of Alien from producer Roger Corman which serves to show just how bad Ridley Scott's film could have been had it been made by a bunch of talentless hacks. Director Allan Holzman seeks to divert our attention from the poor effects and lack of plot by having Dawn Dunlap and June Chadwick disrobe as often as possible.
An enjoyably trashy early 80's low-budget "ALIEN" rip-off
Woodyanders6 February 2007
Warning: Spoilers
Made right after the splendidly schlocky "Galaxy of Terror," this choice cheesy chunk of early 80's sci-fi/horror drive-in exploitation junk rates as yet another lovably low-rent two-cent Roger Corman gem. This time a toothy, voracious rampaging mutant beast terrorizes a bunch of hapless folks in a remote outpost on a hostile desert planet. Allan Holzman's blunt'n'basic direction maintains a ceaseless snappy pace throughout and pours on the gruesome slimy gore with rip-snorting go-for-it aplomb. The ever-cool Jesse ("Macon County Line") Vint makes for an excellent surly anti-hero as intergalactic troubleshooter Mike Colby. Late, great eccentric character actor Fox Harris (the brain-fried lobotomized scientist who drives the car with the radioactive alien corpses in the trunk in the fantastic sci-fi cult black comedy blast "Repo Man") has a scenery-gulping hammy field day as a twitchy flipped-out physician whose cancerous liver is fed to the monster at the picture's incredible conclusion (the grody thing literally pukes its guts out after eating the lethal organ!). Better still, this fine freaky flick certainly doesn't skimp on the copious gratuitous nudity: adorable baby doll beauty Dawn Dunlap bares her whole bod while bagging a few rays in a sauna, stupendously slinky British blonde bombshell June Chadwick (Lydie on the short-lived "V" TV series) happily hops in the sack with Colby a mere five or six hours after making his acquaintance, and both Dawn and June even take a shower together. Susan Justin's obscenely heavy-breathing score, the cramped, claustrophobic set design, Holzman's rapid-fire editing and Tim Suhrstedt's appropriately lurid cinematography are all likewise up to par as well. A delightfully trashy hoot.
"That's about the stupidest damn thing I've heard all day, no offence." Not too bad for what it is.
poolandrews4 August 2006
Warning: Spoilers
Forbidden World is set sometime in the distant future as the galaxy is on the brink of starvation, on an isolated desert planet called Xarbia a team of genetic scientists have tried to create a new form of food that grows at an incredible rate. Unfortunately their tampering with the genetic code & splicing of DNA has resulted in a living experiment simply known as 'Subject 20' which has already wrecked a lab, killed various animals & has turned into a cocoon of some sort while it changes, the incident worries the top brass & company troubleshooter Commander Mike Colby (Jesse Vint) is sent in to 'clean up'. Once on Xarbia Colby meets head scientist Dr. Gordon Hauser (Linden Chiles) & his assistant Barbara Glaser (June Chadwick) who fill him in, Colby wants to destroy the static cocoon before it hatches while Hauser wants to save his research. Soon the decision becomes irrelevant as it hatches anyway & kills unsuspecting crew-member Jimmy (Michael Bowen), now with a slimy genetic mutant with lots of sharp teeth & powerful tentacles slithering around no one is safe as it sees us humans as a nice source of food...
Co-edited & directed by Allan Holzman Forbidden World is a decent enough Alien (1979) rip-off, the way the alien looks, the way it goes through different stages of appearance plus the overall look & feel of the film will remind you of Alien. The script by Tim Curnen doesn't set it's sights very high, basically it's nothing more than an excuse to have a slimy alien running around a space station feeding on the crew, that's it. The film takes itself 100% seriously which works fairly well although some of the static scientific dialogue is somewhat dull to listen too & becomes a little confusing. The alien creature is OK but doesn't really do much, the character's take great pains to point out how intelligent it is but it never really shows any, I mean it's not like it discovered a cure for the common cold was it? Now that would make it intelligent... The filmmakers obviously had exploitation on their minds as Forbidden World features a fair amount of nudity, slime & blood which is fine as far as I'm concerned. It's far from a masterpiece, it's a bit slow & dull at times but it doesn't try to be anything other than a 'slimy alien on the loose killing people' sci-fi horror film very much in the mould of Alien.
Director Holzman doesn't do anything special & the film has a number of flaws, first the alien creature is very static, fake looking & hardly moves. Now on to the single most annoying aspect of Forbidden World, the lighting or rather the complete lack of it. The film is so dark at times it's very difficult to see whats happening, other people have mentioned this as well & I really do think it's down to the original filmmakers rather than just a bad VHS/DVD print (although the stills on the back of my VHS box are crystal clear & slightly brighter than the corresponding scenes within the film itself). The film isn't as gory as some would have you believe, there's some cool melting people & plenty of gooey slime although not much violence, someone is impaled on a tentacle complete with a fountain of blood-spray & in the films most notorious moment a scientist has DIY surgery to remove a cancerous growth. There's a fair amount of nudity as well which I ain't complaining about.
Technically Forbidden World is alright, the production design has dated the film badly & the sets remind of Alien. The special effects on the creature are average at best although the gore effects are actually very good. The editing is a bit erratic at times as well as it tries to inject some life & menace into the creature. The acting was OK but nothing special.
Forbidden World is an Alien rip-off & nothing more, it's as simple & straight forward as that. For what it is it's OK but because of the fact you can hardly see anything & it's touch too basic, it has no ambition of it's own other than to cash in on the success of Alien by trying to copy it. Worth watching as long as you don't expect too much, it could have been better but it could have been worse. Produced by king of the cheapies Roger Corman who also produced another early 80's sci-fi horror Galaxy of Terror (1981) which is a better film than Forbidden World in my opinion...
Co-edited & directed by Allan Holzman Forbidden World is a decent enough Alien (1979) rip-off, the way the alien looks, the way it goes through different stages of appearance plus the overall look & feel of the film will remind you of Alien. The script by Tim Curnen doesn't set it's sights very high, basically it's nothing more than an excuse to have a slimy alien running around a space station feeding on the crew, that's it. The film takes itself 100% seriously which works fairly well although some of the static scientific dialogue is somewhat dull to listen too & becomes a little confusing. The alien creature is OK but doesn't really do much, the character's take great pains to point out how intelligent it is but it never really shows any, I mean it's not like it discovered a cure for the common cold was it? Now that would make it intelligent... The filmmakers obviously had exploitation on their minds as Forbidden World features a fair amount of nudity, slime & blood which is fine as far as I'm concerned. It's far from a masterpiece, it's a bit slow & dull at times but it doesn't try to be anything other than a 'slimy alien on the loose killing people' sci-fi horror film very much in the mould of Alien.
Director Holzman doesn't do anything special & the film has a number of flaws, first the alien creature is very static, fake looking & hardly moves. Now on to the single most annoying aspect of Forbidden World, the lighting or rather the complete lack of it. The film is so dark at times it's very difficult to see whats happening, other people have mentioned this as well & I really do think it's down to the original filmmakers rather than just a bad VHS/DVD print (although the stills on the back of my VHS box are crystal clear & slightly brighter than the corresponding scenes within the film itself). The film isn't as gory as some would have you believe, there's some cool melting people & plenty of gooey slime although not much violence, someone is impaled on a tentacle complete with a fountain of blood-spray & in the films most notorious moment a scientist has DIY surgery to remove a cancerous growth. There's a fair amount of nudity as well which I ain't complaining about.
Technically Forbidden World is alright, the production design has dated the film badly & the sets remind of Alien. The special effects on the creature are average at best although the gore effects are actually very good. The editing is a bit erratic at times as well as it tries to inject some life & menace into the creature. The acting was OK but nothing special.
Forbidden World is an Alien rip-off & nothing more, it's as simple & straight forward as that. For what it is it's OK but because of the fact you can hardly see anything & it's touch too basic, it has no ambition of it's own other than to cash in on the success of Alien by trying to copy it. Worth watching as long as you don't expect too much, it could have been better but it could have been worse. Produced by king of the cheapies Roger Corman who also produced another early 80's sci-fi horror Galaxy of Terror (1981) which is a better film than Forbidden World in my opinion...
Pathetic
foxtografo25 March 2021
I do like some bad movies, which usually have a good aspect, but are really bad in others, cheesy, campy, grotesque...
This movie is way too bad, way too IDIOTIC!! I can even believe such a stupid script was approved, it's so pathetic that I don't even see myself liking this when I was 15 years old and enjoying this by nostalgia about those times.
It's a real stupidity fest, plagued with nonsense and really bad clichés, abismal acting and insultingly stupid situations and characters.
Funny a couple times (out of how ridiculous and wanky it is) but pretentious enough to make it bad in a bad way.
Honestly, I don't mind the corridor (it's only one used many times along the movie) made of Chinese takeaway food and egg boxes (literally, check it out!), actually, the visuals are good enough for a good B-movie, but the writing is insulting.
Doesn't worth the watch, even if it's very short, hour and quarter.
See also
Awards | FAQ | User Ratings | External Reviews | Metacritic Reviews
