6 | / 10 |
Users | 3.5 | |
Reviewer | 2.5 | |
Overall | 2.8 |
On the remote planet of Xarbia, a scientific experiment has gone horrifically wrong. An experimental life-form known as Subject 20,” created by an elite group of scientists to prevent a major galactic food crisis, has instead mutated into a man-eating organism. It’s getting bigger, it has the ability to change its genetic structure at will and, worst of all, it’s hungry. Very, very hungry!
Starring: Jesse Vint, Dawn Dunlap, June Chadwick, Linden Chiles, Fox HarrisHorror | 100% |
Sci-Fi | Insignificant |
Video codec: MPEG-4 AVC
Video resolution: 1080p
Aspect ratio: 1.78:1, 1.33:1
Original aspect ratio: 1.85:1
English: DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0
None
25GB Blu-ray Disc
Two-disc set (1 BD, 1 DVD)
DVD copy
Region A (locked)
Movie | 2.0 | |
Video | 3.5 | |
Audio | 2.0 | |
Extras | 3.0 | |
Overall | 2.5 |
If it moves, and it's not one of us, shoot it.
Could there be a movie better suited to playing the part of Poster Child for exploitation cinema?
Forbidden World -- also known as Mutant and Subject 20 -- is a
monument to the lowest rung of the cinematic ladder, a shining example of cheap thrills, excessive
gore, and pointless sex and nudity. A Sci-Fi/Horror movie built on a flimsy plot for what was
undoubtedly a microscopic budget, Forbidden World features a consistently dank and
unwelcoming atmosphere; it's the sort of movie that can almost give off a nasty stench just by
watching it, thanks in large part to some pretty grotesque visuals that include, but are not limited
to, holes in heads, slowly-decaying bodies, yanked-out organs, ripped-off limbs, and spraying blood.
That's all well and good -- Forbidden World is pretty effective in that area -- but it
otherwise plays out as a laughably bad smorgasbord of all things low rent, including some terrible
special effects, a lousy electronic score, middling acting, and a whole lot of nudity that serves no
real purpose other than as an added enticement to see the movie through some X-rated trailer.
Still, flaws and all, Forbidden World is in a way a fun little diversion for those that can
stomach its nastiness and don't mind that everything else is about as on-the-cheap as
moviemaking comes.
All Mutants now come with USB 2.0 ports, standard!
Forbidden World blasts onto Blu-ray with a 1080p transfer that, all things considered, isn't too bad. Some scenes are awash in speckles, scratches, and other forms of print damage, but most of the elements are in decent enough shape. Colors are mostly drab, but acceptable. Fine details don't impress, but the transfer remains suitably sharp but somewhat flat. The 1080p resolution does reveal some of the haphazardly-constructed set pieces; paint is clearly thin and chipped here and there, scratches and dents visible in places, and costumes look rather cheap. Fortunately, the gore effects look great; there's some nasty stuff here, and the Blu-ray captures every last ounce of rotting flesh, gelatinous goo, and sinew very well. A fairly thick layer of grain is retained over the image, but there's also some distracting banding and pixelation in low-light scenes. Blacks vary between stable and overpowering, but flesh tones retain an honest hue. There's not much here to get excited about, but for a low-budget Sci-Fi/Horror title from the early 80s, Forbidden World looks about as good as one should reasonably expect.
Forbidden World arrives on Blu-ray with a paltry and problematic DTS-HD MA 2.0 lossless soundtrack. The picture's budget is the biggest obstacle facing this track; there's virtually nothing that extends beyond the center channel, and what's here often sounds like it was recorded on a Fisher Price tape recorder. Dialogue is plenty harsh, coming across as unbalanced but never lacking to the point that words become unintelligible. Sound effects are loud but absent clarity; for instance, explosions and laser blasts sound jumbled but not wholly indistinct. There's plenty of screaming in the movie, and honestly, it sounds like one scream was recorded and played back every time it was needed. The picture's annoying electronic score, like the sound effects, plays as clunky and unrefined. There's also an audible hiss accompanying parts of the track. Basically, Forbidden World sounds just good enough so that it's possible to make out what's going on, but as for a more engaging, yea even pleasant, experience, forget it.
Forbidden World scares up a strong collection of bonus materials for this Blu-ray release. The package is headlined by a documentary entitled The Making of 'Forbidden World' (1080p, 34:14). This is a slow-paced but highly informative piece that features Editor/Director Allan Holzman, Special Visual Effects/Production Designer Robert Skotak, Special Visual Effects/Director of Photography Dennis Skotak, Special Makeup Effects Artist R. Christopher Biggs, Production Manager/2nd Unit Director Aaron Lipstadt, Optical Effects Technician Tony Randal, Lead Actor Jesse Vint, and Music Composer Susan Justin speaking on the origins of the picture, set and creature designs, anecdotes from the shoot, the qualities of the cast, the picture's budget and pace of the shoot, and more. Next is Interview With Roger Corman (1080p, 6:25), a short piece that features the famed B-movie producer speaking on various elements surrounding Forbidden World, including the idea for the film, the cast, the change in title, shooting locales, James Cameron's involvement, post-production work, and more. Interview With Special Makeup FX Artist: John Carl Beuchler (1080p, 14:20) is a strong piece thanks to Beuchler's enthusiasm for sharing his thoughts on Forbidden World. He begins by speaking on how he came to be attached to Roger Corman and, of course, continues on to discuss the creation of the various nasty special effects. The Skotek Gallery (1080p, 1:20) contains a series of drawings and still behind-the-scenes photos from Forbidden World. Poster & Still Gallery (1080p, 3:40) showcases a series of film-related promotional items and photographs from the set. Also included is a trailer for Forbidden World (1080p, 2:33) and additional trailers for Battle Beyond the Stars, Galaxy of Terror, and Humanoids From the Deep. Disc two is a DVD that contains an alternate cut of Forbidden World (480p, 4:3, Dolby Digital 2.0, 1:22:03, entitled Mutant) and an audio commentary track with Director Allan Holzman moderated by Nathaniel Thompson. Also included in the Blu-ray case is a full color 12-page booklet that contains photos and the essay "How to Make an Alien in 20 Days" as well as reversible cover art.
Three cheers for Shout! Factory for bringing a movie like Forbidden World to Blu-ray. Sure, it's nice to have Gone With the Wind and all that in high definition, but there's something to be said for the vitality of the format when it sees a movie like this come out. Make no mistake, though, Forbidden World is a niche film that's not going to appeal to too many mainstream viewers whose collections include movies like The Hangover, Star Trek, and Pirates of the Caribbean. This is cheap filmmaking at its finest, a pristine example of celluloid trash that's little more than a collection of sex scenes, bare breasts, and gore-a-plenty. For those that dare give it a spin, Shout! Factory's Blu-ray release isn't half bad. Though the transfer has its faults, it's still a solid effort, and supplements aplenty are included. The audio track is definitely the weak spot here, but it's not enough to keep Forbidden World from earning a recommendation to the right audience.
Roger Corman's Cult Classics / Mindwarp: An Infinity of Terror / Planet of Horrors / Quest
1981
Roger Corman's Cult Classics
1980
1991
Roger Corman's Cult Classics
1978
1957
1964-1965
1986
1986
1979
Mind Ripper / The Outpost
1995
Collector's Edition
1978
1964
1989
Collector's Edition
2006
20th Anniversary Edition
1995
The Director's Cut
1997
2015
2019
1987
2016