Hey folks, Harry here - and above is a shot from last nights BBQ feasting out at the infamous SALT LICK of Driftwood, Texas with Richard Elfman, the founder of The Mystic Knights of the Oingo Boingo, the director of the esoteric masterpiece of mania - FORBIDDEN ZONE and lastly of note - the distinguished older brother of the notably younger brother, Danny Elfman - the new age Oompa Loompa of choice!
As is the way of a full half of all things cool in my life of cool things, The Alamo Drafthouse was again responsible for a hellaciously cool evening out of my cheery convalescence. About 6 weeks ago I got an issue of Buzzine Magazine in the mail with a hand written note from Richard Elfman asking me out to dinner on the last day of April - when he'd be in town to screen FORBIDDEN ZONE at the original Drafthouse. COOL! F'n A I'll dine with one of the leaders of my favorite all time groups and creator of eclectic madness.
About a week ago, Elfman suggested the Salt Lick, as he wanted real Texas Bar-B-Que - and he'd done his research. The Salt Lick at Driftwood is an exceptional establishment. One meal a week at the White House is apparently catered by them ever since the Johnson Administration. It really is that good. Now I've had many a good meal here with folks like Edgar Wright Jr, George Wendt and Stuart Gordan. And it seems that future AICN Dinner supremes prior to Butt-Numb-A-Thon will commence here, as Moriarty throws a wicked tizzy and demands this flesh by the never-ending poundage.
Richard and I chatted about Max Fleischer and his KoKo, Betty Boop, Bimbo and the Color Classics! We chatted about Bob Wills and the Texas Playboys - in particular Cherokee Maiden, oh how I love that song. Then we went into talks about Lon Chaney Sr, Famous Monsters of Filmland, surrealistic filmed realities, the great meals of our lives, Transylvania, New Zealand, Czech Republic, Beijeng, Crenshaw BBQ vs Barrel House Blues Great Robert Shaw and his Louisiana style slow smoked BBQ I grew up with. In all we ate and chat feasted about a great many subjects for over 4 hours. As the hour closed upon his hosting of FORBIDDEN ZONE - we had to depart this heaven of cooked hides. As Father Geek and I made our way back to the fair city of Austin, from the end of this backwoods road came bursting forth an enormous fireworks display... those giant ones, like when celebrating the birthday of the Statue of Liberty syle displays. IN THE MIDDLE OF NOWHERE. We were delighted, yet confused. What was this fireworks display on the edge of the land beyond beyond? As we rose above a hill we saw the golden top of a Hindu Temple - with rockets firing off from behind it... and as we passed it we saw Elephants and Tigers and costumed people with many arms... Off a backwood road in Texas, Shiva partied as we were headed for THE FORBIDDEN ZONE!
Once at the Drafthouse - we settled into our seats to watch this classic work of pure insanity unleashed to the rhythms and beats and sounds of Cab Calloway by way of Danny Elfman, Lena Horne and oh so many others. There was Herve Villechaize and Susan Tyrrell as the King and Queen of the Sixth Dimension... and the room was swaying along with the music of The Oingo Boingo. Prior to the film was a filmed introduction that Richard had made for the Japanese rerelease of the film, which is getting done up big in Japan. They even have Forbidden Zone beer I'm told! I love this film, first saw it on a Drive-In in 1980 for 3 weekends in a row - where after the screenings my stoned parents took me back to our Victorian house to watch reels of Betty Boop cartoons. This is one of my fave cult films.
Which is why - in the post-screening Q&A - when Richard alerted us to a Sequel to FORBIDDEN ZONE being mounted... it is being written by Richard Elfman and Matthew Bright (original bass guitar player for The Mystic Knights of the Oingo Boingo) and will have Matthew back chicken walking and Danny back as Satan by way of Calloway - but this time doing his take on the classic ST. JAMES INFIRMARY BLUES!!! Ah, Heaven? No, The Sixth Dimension! And I cannot wait! I know this was a long ways to go to tell you just a tidbit of information, but folks... When you get a chance to meet one of your childhood boogie woogiers, and they're as cool as Richard Elfman and in the setting of a night as cool as last's... well, I simply have to share about my oh too brief venture into the FORBIDDEN ZONE!!!
