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Reviews
A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum (1966)
On the Screen, No It Didn't
I have seen this show performed live numerous times (once starring Zero Mostel!), and know it well. (In the interest of disclosure (like I'm a reporter or something...) I've even performed in it). Done well, it's a hilarious romp across the stage. Done poorly, it's a bore. And this movie does it very poorly indeed.
This film suffers from the dreaded "opening up" disease that infects so many Hollywood films. The Broadway original is performed on one set consisting of three houses. While the film does concentrate on the three houses, there's other scenery to view, including a ludicrous chase sequence that seems to take place throughout all of Rome. This removes the small, intimate feeling of the show and doesn't allow for the sense of panic and doom that occurs as the situations Pseudolus gets himself into get worse by the minute.
Additionally, the direction is lame. The show is a musical, but the movie seems embarrassed by that. The songs are poorly directed, with annoying camera tricks and bits of business that ruin the pacing. It even seems that the songs were almost an afterthought in the direction of the movie. (When directing Popeye, Robert Altman said he wanted the songs to appear out of nowhere instead of the way they usually have a beginning, middle and end. The same seems to be true here, and it doesn't work in either film.) The physical business that runs throughout the movie is so far over the top that you end up wondering when the funny bits will start.
The pluses are obvious: Zero Mostel and Jack Gilford, two old pros trying to make it all work. Buster Keaton is wasted in a role that could be hilarious had he been allowed to play with it.
I'm aware that this movie got a pretty decent rating from viewers, which puts my comments in the minority. All I can suggest is that if you have the opportunity, see the original show and then see the movie again. I'd be willing to bet you'd revise your score down. Way down.
The Adventures of Rocky and Bullwinkle (2000)
Good, Should Have Been Better
If you're a fan of puns (be sure to read all the signs!) and lame (in a good sense) jokes, you're all set. Looking for a plot that makes sense? Why? The original cartoons didn't have them. Looking for something that brings back the free-wheeling spirit of the originals? Keep looking.
Basically, R&B is a good idea that wasn't quite developed properly. The idea of bringing Rocky and company into the real world was inspired, but the movie's idea of a real world is one in which yes, R&B are cartoon characters, but the movie's "real" people could easily inhabit the cartoons without missing a beat. I think the real fun would've been to make the real world slightly more real (a suspension of disbelief among the people who encounter R&B was necessary, but you'd think appearances by cartoon characters was a normal occurrence in this world) and have people deal with the idea of an animated moose and squirrel coming to life with less acceptance and more apprehension. And if the characters were going to inhabit our world, it should've been our world. No "no falling until you look down" kind of things.
Additionally, Boris and Natasha should've been given more to do. Where was the cheap disguise that Boris would always don to trick R&B into a trap, neither of them recognizing their enemy? Alexander and Russo were wasted as not much more than window dressing. DeNiro was a hoot, though, although his "You talking to me?" joke was forced.
Ultimately, it's hard to maintain the manic pace of the cartoons over the course of a full length movie, and this film doesn't do it. The need to tell a story over two hours instead of in seven minute bits was its weakness.
But the strength of the movie is that, for all the problems, there are a number of strong laughs in it. Puns and groaners fly all over the place, and that's always been what I watched R&B for. Go, don't expect much of a story and just watch for the jokes. It's worth it.
PS to Hollywood: stop with all the cameos already! They're forced, they're distracting, and they fall flat. (Usually. John Goodman's wasn't bad, for reasons that are clear when you see the film).
Doc Savage: The Man of Bronze (1975)
Enjoyable, But Not What it Should Have Been
You know how Star Trek fans flocked to all the Star Trek movies, even the really bad ones? Why? To see their heroes in action one more time. That's the way I feel about Doc Savage. I am a major fanatic for the character, and the prospect of seeing Doc and his crew in an adventure was overwhelming. And the first 20 minutes of the film only heightened that feeling of anticipation. Then they decided to crib elements from a number of Doc adventures and throw them into this one movie, resulting in a somewhat disjointed film. There's a lot of promise in here, diluted by a number of unfortunate choices (the music, the "camp" elements, etc.) But the spirit of Doc is there, and that's what those of us familiar with Doc and his crew respond to. So, in my long-winded way, what I'm trying to say is that this is not a bad movie: it's just not as good as it should have been. And anyone who is a fan of Superman, James Bond, Indiana Jones, Buckaroo Banzai, and many other characters ought to check this movie out just to become familiar with the hero who provided inspiration for them all.
Captain America (1990)
Could They Have Made This Film Any Worse?
It's obvious that the people who made this have no feel for the characters or the comics. The story is full of holes, lacks logic (why did the Red Skull cut off his own hand to escape Cap instead of plunging the knife into Cap's chest? And why was there no blood gushing from the Skull's wrist?) While they did some things right (they did manage to make Matt Salinger look scrawny before the experiment), overall it was another attempt to take a character with a long history in the comics and put the filmmakers' own spin on it to poor effect. Captain America is a great character, and I'd love to see him done right, but after two poor TV movies and this wasted effort, I just don't think there's anyone in Hollywood who's willing to take the chance and make movie about a straight arrow superhero.