Customer Reviews

A Funny Thing Happened On The Way To The Forum: Original MGM Motion Picture Soundtrack [Enhanced CD]

5 star:		(1)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(4)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

Yes, many of the songs are gone (Yes, for some reason they left "Free" out), and some of the notes by the singers are a bit off, but besides this score is actually more lively than the lethargic Broadway Recording (which is also excellent, but lacks the energy of this recording). Ken Thorne (Superman's II and III and HELP!) adapts the music with verve and incredible energy, standouts in the songs include "Comedy Tonight," "Everybody Ought to Have A Maid," "Bring Me My Bride" and the finale version of "Comedy Tonight." As for Thorne's incidental music, it's simply wonderful, ranging from the sort of Roman music stylings to a baroque version of "Comedy Tonight" for the final chariot chase. Yes, go ahead and complain that not all the songs are in it, but be glad the songs that were put in were done fantastically! Also, if you read the liner notes, you can see what Thorne had to go through to arrange the songs, which makes his accomplishment even more astounding. By the way, those who complain about this album often forget the fact that it won the Oscar for Best Original Score.

Sadly, this CD fails to live up to expectations. A film of an enormously sucessful Broadway and West End musical must have sounded like a good idea at the time, but as this CD testifies, it was not well executed. Many of the songs have been cut, and those that remain are poorly orchestrated. The highlight of the disc, and the reason for two stars is the instumental 'Chase' and playoff at the end, as well the signature number 'Comedy Tonight!', which are nice to listen to.

While the performances are not bad, neither are they particularly good, which means that the recording lacks the particular feeling of farce that is necessary for the show to work as a recording.

If you want a recording, then get either the OBC or the recent Broadway revival cast: both of which are superior in almost every respect.

I'll admit that the CD has a lot more orchestration than song, and if you didn't see the movie it might not make much sense, but I thought the movie was a riot! Michael Crawford is absolutely amazing, Zero Mostel is an incredible actor, and there's nothing funnier than Phil Silvers singing "Lovely". If you haven't seen the movie, I highly suggest it.

First, this CD is a must for any Sondheim enthusiast. However, as any Sondheim enthusiast knows, the movie itself was a mistake: a poor movie transfer of a hysterical Broadway hit. The movie's one redeeming factor is that it visually preserves some of the original Broadway performers. If you're not a "Sondhead" buy the Original Broadway Cast recording or the 1996 Revival recording; the performances are better and there is much more music. If you are addicted to Sondheim, you probably already own this one...along with the VHS release...and the recent DVD...sigh.

Sure, most the songs from the original play were lost in the film version, but as a film it is enjoyable on it's own terms. After all, the ratio of faithful transitions from Broadway to Hollywood is about 100 to 1. However, this soundtrack is not all that great due to poor mixing and a negligent transfer to disc.

Hard to believe Ken Thorne's adaptation won an Oscar. Richard Lester's overdone (and underdone) comedy got music to match. It has its felicities, mostly the imaginings of ancient-Roman-style jazz with flutes and lutes; but where Sid Ramin and Irwin Kostal gave Sondheim's score an ancient-Roman dignity greater than the score itself, Thorne had a bad case of the arranging cutes, broadly abetted by Zero. It doesn't help that the allegedly sexy "Vibrata's Dance" sounds like sixties-Phillies-baseball intro music. (I can almost hear the ump yelling at the end, "YERRRRRR OUT!" That and the billboard.) A generic chorus more at home with Patty Duke (same studio) tops off the undistinguished work. The album came from the LP's masters and perpetuates its minor production glitches (like Michael Hordern singing "Everybody Ought to Have a Maid" in a brief and unintended duet, and Zero belting several bars of the opening "Comedy Tonight" out of tune). Deleted, of course, along with the rest of Rykodisc's "MGM" soundtracks and cast albums. (What is wrong with the name of Pickford, Chaplin, Fairbanks and Griffith -- United Artists?)

The trailer does have some nice jiggling, though.

Hard to believe Ken Thorne's adaptation won an Oscar. Richard Lester's overdone (and underdone) comedy got music to match. It has its felicities, mostly the imaginings of ancient-Roman-style jazz with woodwinds and lutes; but where Sid Ramin and Irwin Kostal gave Sondheim's score a dignity greater than the work itself, Thorne had a bad case of the arranging cutes, broadly abetted by Zero. It doesn't help that the allegedly sexy "Vibrata's Dance" sounds like sixties-Phillies-baseball intro music. (I can almost hear the ump yelling at the end, "YERRRRRR OUT!!" And the billboard.) A generic chorus more at home with Patty Duke (same studio) completes the undistinguished work. The album came from the LP's masters and perpetuates its minor production glitches (like Michael Hordern singing "Everybody Ought to Have a Maid" in a brief and unintended duet, and Zero belting several bars of the opening "Comedy Tonight" out of key). Deleted, of course, along with the rest of Rykodisc's "MGM" soundtracks and cast albums. (What is wrong with the name of Pickford, Chaplin, Fairbanks and Griffith -- United Artists?)

The trailer does have some nice jiggling, though.

The score was reduced to 5 songs - all of them poorly sung (and badly orchestrated!) The sound on the CD is just as bad as the old U.A. Lp editions .... which is to say just awful! There is no need for this album to have been released on CD at all!

If you want the score of FORUM go for either the original cast (Zero Mostel) or the 1996 revival cast (Nathan Lane.) Either version is much more enjoyable listening! (The British cast led by Frankie Howard was out on EMI's West End Angel label, but it is now out of print. While not as good as the 2 Broadway casts it is still miles ahead of this recording!)

I can't stress stongly enough... DON'T BUY THIS VERSION!!!!

This is easily the worst recording of any Sondheim musical. Most of the brilliant songs from the stage show are cut and replaced by awful underscore by someone else. This sound track is so totally pointless unless you are the kind of sondheimaniac who has to have absolutely all recordings made of Sondheim songs. Personally I regret byuing it.