A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum

Rating:
Summary: Excellent DVD - Hilarious Movie
Review: Not having seen the play, I am able to enjoy the film without comparison to other formats. It is hilarious, frantic and a perfect example of Richard Lester's early work.

The DVD transfer is crisp and colorful with very clear audio - way better than the version shown on TCM. Artifacting is barely existent. The transfer is anamorphic widescreen though the description provided by Amazon does not note this.

For a good, though bawdy, burlesque played broadly and strictly for laughs, you can't go wrong.

Rating:
Summary: Schizophrenic; and hardly a MUSICal
Review: This movie is schizophrenic. It is not funny. It is just half-funny slapstick gags delivered as if by a schizophrenic on drugs. Example: the Chariot race... What the hell is going on during that scene? It looks like everyone is just chasing everyone else and has no idea where they themselves are going. It's frightening. Another example: choreography for "Everybody's Gotta Have a Maid"... what the hell is going on during that scene? Rapid cuts from totally different settings and really random choreography make this one of the most bewildering stagings I have ever seen.

I've seen this stage musical, and it is far funnier than the film. Firstly, because it retains the music. Sondheim's music is absolutely hilarious, in many ways funnier than the book. Songs like "That'll Show Him", "Dirty Old Man," "Pretty Little Picture", "Love I Hear", and of course, the fabulous "I'm Free" are all missing. Why? For the love of God, why? And secondly, because the director did not replicate the good pacing of the musical. The musical itself is fast-paced but funny. Apparently, while making the transition to film, the director figured "I can do even more with a film" and thus WAY overdid it. Seriously, this film could give you a heart attack.

Also, other than Zero Mostel (who arguably is not at his best) the performers are not very good, except for the "Lovely (Reprise)" which was the highlight of the film. And the Captain has a good voice too.