Tuesday, October 30, 2007

A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum (1966)

Okay, this is not really a "classic" movie - but it fits so nicely with the other comic messes from the sixties, I just have to add it.

What a mess!



It's got all the funny moments and the songs are great (although apparently they cut a lot of songs) but the editing makes me want to shake the editors, one by one, until they cry.

Montage, montage, montage - acceleration, slow motion, montage set to music! Please, please please - spare us the latest trick you have just learned! If the costumes don't bowl you over with loud awfulness, the montage at the end of the movie will leave your eyes falling out of your head - just to get away from the never-ending scene.

Based on a funny play, some pretty funny performances, some awesomely awful costumes, adds up to two stars. Spare yourself that last scene, just fast-forward to the end credits.

2 comments:

Cheryl said...

Yay for Stephen Sondheim! (Although, to be honest, I'm a bigger fan of almost everything else he's done. But you have to appreciate lyrics like "Left, right, left, right! There's none of the enemy left, right?")

Ms. Q said...

According to TCM, they cut a lot of the Sondheim out of the movie because they didn't think people liked musicals any more...however the opening number "Comedy Tonight!" is STILL stuck in my head...