cut songs - A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum (1966) Discussion

[–] justoldbill 18 years ago

Most of the songs were written to serve as respites from the action- a chance for the audience to stop and breathe. A deadly proposition on film. I'd be bored to death sitting through "Love, I Hear" or "That'll Show Him" in a film version, much as I enjoy them in a theatre.

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[–] robertmcgahey 18 years ago

Maybe it's just my imagination, but I would swear that as a young man I saw a version of this film that had both "Pretty Little Picture" and "Free" in it. I have a distinct memory so vivid that every time I see the version currently shown on TV, I wonder when and by whom the songs were cut.

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[–] robinflamingo 18 years ago

Movie musicals were losing popularity fast when this was made, so the less songs the better. The songs were almost all cut, especially Hero's ballads,which is rather amusing when you realize what Michael Crawford went on to do.

As funny as the material is, I have never liked this movie, or considered it a musical because it is SO different than the stage play. I'm just a purist. I don't like Grease the movie either.

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[–] JPWalktheLineRW 17 years ago

What songs does it have and which were cut?

I'm going through an awkward stage. You know, the one between birth and death.

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[–] robinflamingo 17 years ago

FROM Wikipedia:

"Comedy Tonight"--Pseudolus and Company
"Love, I Hear"--Hero
"Free"--Pseudolus and Hero
"The House of Marcus Lycus"--Lycus and Pseudolus
"Lovely"--Philia and Hero
"Pretty Little Picture"--Pseudolus, Hero, and Philia
"Everybody Ought to Have a Maid"--Pseudolus, Senex, Lycus, and Hysterium
"I'm Calm"--Hysterium
"Impossible"--Senex and Hero
"Bring Me My Bride"--Miles Gloriosus and Company
"That Dirty Old Man"--Domina
"That'll Show Him"--Philia
"Lovely" (reprise)--Psedolus and Hysterium
"Funeral Sequence"--Pseudolus, Miles Gloriosus and Company
"Finale"--Company
Note: The songs "Love, I Hear", "Free", "The House of Marcus Lycus", "Pretty Little Picture", "I'm Calm", "Impossible", "That Dirty Old Man" and "That'll Show Him" were cut from the film.

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[–] Eric-62-2 17 years ago

A lot of the time I can understand why songs got cut from a film version, but there was no, repeat NO excuse for cutting "Free" because not only is it the big number by the star it's also the heart of the entire show.

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[–] bradjanet 14 years ago

"Pretty Little Picture", and "I'm Calm" are essential songs in the show and should never have been cut ... we could manage without the others, but the omission of those two mutilates what could have been a much better film translation of the show. "Free" is a sad loss as well.

But you ARE Blanche ... and I AM.

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[–] vpilutis 13 years ago

I saw the 1972 revival with Phil Silvers only problem he was out sick for a few weeks and so Tom Poston took over. Plus they added another son between the lovers.

See some stars here
http://www.vbphoto.biz/

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[–] stevenackerman69 16 years ago

They decided to focus more on the comedy in the film. There is something in the trivia section on here about this. By the way, the chase scene in the film does not occur in the stage version.

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[–] robinflamingo 16 years ago

There most certainly is a chase scene in the stage version. It isn't like the movie version, but most of the play isn't, fortunately.

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[–] stevenackerman69 16 years ago

Yeah, at the time I wrote that, I hadn't read the play, so I didn't know there was a chase scene in the play, although it isn't like the one we see in the film.

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[–] CatcherInTheIslandOfLost 14 years ago

srsly? they cut house of marcus lycus??! that is by far the best song. and hell it's super short too, like a minute and a half, two minutes maybe?
(ps. i haven't seen the movie.. thinking about it, but haven't. but i am working on my schools rendition of it, which is making me all happy and such)

We're off to go to the island...
the wonderful island of lost

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[–] movieghoul 10 years ago

House of Marcus Lycus was not only cut from the film, but it didn't make it to the 1962 Original Cast album (possibly considered too racy for the time?)

Also, Pretty Little Picture was cut from the 1996 revival starring Nathan Lane. The 1972 revival starring Phil Silvers included the full score, plus a previously cut (for good reason, it stunk) number for Hero and Philia called (I believe) The Echo Song.

And of course, Love is in the Air has never been heard within the show since it was removed in the original out of town tryout.

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[–] jet_blanchard 16 years ago

"Does anyone know WHY THEY CUT THE SONGS FROM THE MOVIE?" For the same reason that they cut Rosemary's songs from "How To Succeed In Business Without Really Trying"... stupidity, based on the belief no one really wants to hear the songs. Some "musical" movies have been entirely stripped of songs - I don't care to guess whether Jack Lemmon or Peter O'Toole could sing - but if they're going to gut a musical's music from the movie versions, they should be honest and rename them. It really isn't the same story without the songs... I never saw this on stage, but - fun and funny as it is, it seems to be missing something. And "Forum" deserved better.

"Vademecum..."

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