While Richard Elfman’s name may be unfamiliar, his composer brother Danny is certainly known to anyone with even the barest knowledge of contemporary film and television. Between his Tim Burton/Johnny Depp collaborations (Edward Scissorhands, Charlie and The Chocolate Factory), superhero blockbusters (Batman, Spiderman 2) and the globally recognised Simpsons theme, everyone knows his spidery, minor key, gothic-tinged themes. (For me, The Adams Family always seemed a major influence.)

Prior to Hollywood success, however, he had a rock band, Oingo Boingo, variously described as quirky, spiky, arty and other (meaningless) adjectives beloved of non-cerebral types (like myself) to describe such disparate bands as Devo, XTC and Wire.

Going even further back before the electric guitars and Zappa-esque percussive freak-outs, the Elfmans & co. were the stage-based Mystic Knights of Oingo Boingo. Looking like a Blue Peter version of a George Clinton mothership extravaganza, they played Cotton Club classics (Cab Calloway, Josephine Baker, early Duke Ellington), with a surprising affection and authenticity. This film started life as an attempt to document that period.

With the only rule being ‘f

*k contemporary’, Forbidden Zone is unashamedly surrealist in its manifesto; looking to Lewis Carroll and Monty Python as much as Dali and Bunuel for its visual identity. It’s also a deep homage to US trash culture, which Betty Page/Ed Wood (et al) devotees will relish.

This is probably one of the most offensive, un-PC films I have ever seen – I’ll bet this was Parker & Stone’s (South Park/Team America) adolescent epiphany.