Clive Barker's Salome & The Forbidden (1973)

In 1970's Liverpool, Clive Barker and a small group of friends from college made two short films, unseen by the general public until now. "Salome" (1973) and "The Forbidden" (1978) feature early footage of Barker, who also did most of the special effects, and Doug Bradley, who went on to fame as Pinhead in the "Hellraiser" films. Also included are interviews with Barker, Bradley and other key players. Contains graphic violence and nudity. Silent with music score.

Ugh!!!

Holy crap! What a stinker! I've seen better films made by junior high students with the old wind up film cameras. I am a huge Barker fan and even loved the ultra cheesy 80s films such as Rawhead Rex and the like, but this one?!?!? Eep! The filming all in negative hurt my eyes, as did the wang-shot. No thanx, man.

I don't care if you are a goth, horror buff, OR artsy-fartsy film maker hopeful. It sucked no matter how you slice it. This film (or was it two? Aw who cares) should have been left in the vault.

The only good part was the half naked "Redemtion Films" vampire chicks, who sort of did the horror host trip at the beginning.

I don't know, maybe if you "dropped" first you might get what's going on, but even having read the books, it was too ambiguous for me.
December 22, 2006

An Eccentric Head Trip!

Clive Barker's Salome & The Forbidden are marvels of eccentricity and artistic freedom. Both shorts, within its silent contents, are provocative food for the eyes and mind and an example of Barker's early talent for film making. These include eye opening performances by Doug Bradley, Anne Taylor and Clive Barker. A must see for all! October 28, 2006

Homebrewer

This is a rare example of Barker's early work, featuring a young Doug Bradley (Pinhead from the Hellraiser series) as a surreal incarnation of a celluloid nutter and electroconvulsive therapy boy next door. These two short films 'Salome' & 'The Forbidden' were restored under Barker's supervision and are accompanied by filmed interviews with Barker, Bradley and other key players.

First we have 'Salome' Directed by Clive Barker, Music by Adrian Carson, Cast by Ann Taylor, Graham Bickley, Clive Barker, Doug Bradley, Phil Rimmer, Lyn Darnell, Susan Bickley and Julie Blake, filmed in 1973.

Second we have 'The Forbidden' Cast by Peter Atkins, Clive Barker, Doug Bradley, Phil Rimmer, Lyn Darnell and Julie Blake, filmed in 1975-1978.

Both short films feature early footage of Barker himself, who also did most of the special effects. In 'The Forbidden', Pete Atkins plays Faust, who is rather convincingly flayed toward the end of the film. Atkins later wrote the screenplays for the three 'Hellraiser' sequels and more recently wrote the screenplay for 'The Wishmaster'. Also featured is the inspiration for Pinhead's amazing appearance - a square block of wood covered in 6" nails. The anatomical etchings of Vesalius are also rather convincingly brought to life.

The discovery of these early shorts came about when an independent television production company interviewed Barker about his work. Clips were needed for the documentary, and so the task of restoring both shorts was undertaken. However, although 'Salome' was more or less completed, 'The Forbidden' remained in an unfinished, unedited state. With Barker's assistance, this was achieved, and he approved the final cuts of both shorts for this release on DVD.

If you are a fan of Clive Barker or just want to own all the strange movies like I do (trust me I have a lot), then purchase this one and enjoy my friends. You have to enjoy the early works of famous directors. They have to start somewhere. Look at Peter Jackson's first films (Brilliant I might add). Dead-Alive, Meet The Feebles or Bad Taste. Or David Lynch's Eraserhead. Or Cronenberg's Videodrome, The Brood, Scanners, Shivers or Rabid.

You can appreciate that these directors can make movies like 'Lord Of The Rings', 'eXistenZ', Spider, Naked Lunch, Lost Highway, Twin Peaks, Lords of Illusion or even Hellraiser, but look into the early stuff that the great directors have produced/directed. There is some great stuff that is hidden/forgotten out there that should be in everyone's collection of the strange, weird or abnormal movie collectors. Here's another great one 'The Short Films Of David Lynch'. To find out more, read my review on 'The Short Films Of David Lynch' or any of my other reviews. Look folks I didn't make these movies, I just enjoy stuff that is NOT mainstream. It's not every day you get to see movies like these. I swear it even opens new doors in your imagination. I'll keep on watching these movies and then writing these reviews, if you keep on reading them. Enjoy KIDDIES! February 25, 2006

not at all related to "Candyman"

The opening credits in the film "Candyman" state that it is based on "The Forbidden" by Clive Barker.

Only later did I learn that it was a short story and not a film by Barker that the movie "Candyman" was based on. June 9, 2004

hmmmmmm... stimulated - make that simulated SNUFF....

Well Ladies and Germs! This one's for the ole man in da sky ... an odd but not disappointing first vision of Mr. Barker's sm and then some world. Salome counterpoints Nazimova's version quite cutely - now - the Forbidden? Reminds so much of other student efforts .......

Vaguely amateur - but piquant - so we must applaud? February 17, 2004

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