A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum Reviews

Review by suetonius for A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum
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Great fun musical comedy loosely based on T. Maccius Plautus’ 2nd century B.C. comedy “Miles Gloriosus” (“Braggart Warrior”).
The widescreen format lets you see pratfalls and edge-of-scene antics that are missing in the pan and scan version. Zero Mostel was a comic genius; it’s a pity that he didn’t leave us more movies to enjoy. Michael Hordern is superb as Senex, as are Jack Gilford and Phil Silvers as Hysterium and Lycus. When I was a child I didn’t enjoy the musical numbers, I remember fast- forwarding through to get back to the comedy. I now appreciate the songs as well; they are genuinely funny and full of double-entendres that you have to hear repeatedly to fully enjoy. The entire movie, despite its classical setting, has a swinging-sixties feel that you’ll have to watch a Rat Pack film to match. You almost expect Frank Sinatra to walk into a scene, singing a song in between drags on his cigarette.

Review by ellafan for A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum
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If you cherish the memories of Zero,Phil,Jack,and Buster…you must get this very funny and very well-presented DVD.It’s a great mixture of slapstick;burlesque;hamming it up for the camera;and silliness that makes you long for the days when these wonderful ,almost obscenely talented, and always hilarious men were making movies.It’s a delight.Hopefully,if this is your first exposure to the likes of these fellas,you will be compelled to investigate more of their screen work.One of my friends who watched the movie with me when I received it commented that “they surely had a ball making this movie,didn’t they?” That’s what you’ll have when you watch it! I really miss these guys.If you don’t laugh out loud as Zero plays the “soothsayer,” check your pulse!!

Review by Bruce Lampley for A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum
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If you’re too young to have ever seen the original play or any of the successful Broadway revivals, you can’t go wrong with the dvd of the movie version. Zero Mostel and Phil Silvers are hilarious. Buster Keaton looks old but hangs in there for a few laughs. The women are all gorgeous. Check out the names of some of the characters because they are mostly faux-Roman sexual jokes. Pretty clever for the time period in which it was made. The story gets confusing but you always know who you are rooting for and who you want to see get the virgin in the end.

Side note: keep a close eye on the extras. If you are keen you will spot Hammer Horror queen Ingrid Pitt as one of the Roman toga girls.

Review by Kelly E. Guilfoil for Schoolhouse Rock: Grammar Classroom Edition [Interactive DVD]
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I teach high school English and use these songs to review grammar concepts. The songs are catchy, funny, and informative, and the videos don’t seem dated. In fact, Schoolhouse Rock is now retro, so kids think it’s cool again!

Review by Carol A. Bowman for Schoolhouse Rock: Grammar Classroom Edition [Interactive DVD]
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This book does exactly what the title says it rocks. My ELL students are loving it.