American Pop
|
List Price: Our Price: $10.72 You Save: $4.22 (28%) Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days Buy Used: from $4.33 (click here) Category: DVD See more DVD releases |
|---|
Buy this DVD movie at online store in your country
Canada
Canada
Movie Reviews of American Pop
Movie Review: Classic Bakshi
Summary: 5 Stars
American Pop, quite obviously, is far from perfect. The reviewers here and elsewhere have taken a lot of time arguing that point, what inaccuracies there were in the timeline, the shallowness of some of the characters, which musical movements have been misrepresented and which have been completely neglected. But the fact of the matter is, Bakshi did an amazing job on this project, in the aspects of both the animation and the film's historical scope. What he actually did here, is tell the history of American popular music from the beginning of the century (Vaudeville) to the late 1970's (Punk) in 97 minutes, through the story of four generations in one family. Naturally, it doesn't cover every musical style existing in this period, and there are bound to be those who are insulted, but essentially American Pop covers all the important ground and he shows true sensitivity and understanding of the subject.
Bakshi, who started his career as a strictly commercial animator throughout the 1960's, spent his rather brief highly creative period - from the mid-70's to the early 80's - continually trying to prove that the Disney way - though he obviously held it in great esteem - was far from being the only way of making animation, and like Wizards, Fritz The Cat and Lord of the Rings among others (the latter two, by the way, are mediocre movies that do little justice to their source material but are fascinating artistically) in American Pop he did things never seen in animation before. These works came years before the work of independent animators like Jan Svankmajer became known in the US, and a long time before the existence and huge success of independent, artistic, commercial animators like Nick Park and Bill Plympton, and Bakshi's films, while they were firmly grounded in his commercial roots, they were also amazingly original and years ahead of their time. The differences in atmosphere and feel in the different periods of time shown in the film - from the 1920's through the 40's, 50's, 60's and 70's - are fascinating and very creative and the characters, though drawn rather simplistically, have enormous personality and emotional strength, an you are drawn into the film and moved like only few animated films can move.
Like his other works, American Pop never had a hope of achieving commercial success, but today it functions both as a fantastic film and a fascinating historic artifact. It's essential, of course, for fans of Ralph Bakshi's, but is also well recommended to anyone interested in animation, be it commercial or artistic, and in animation history, as well as anyone interested in the history of pop music in the broadest sense. American Pop may be simplistic at times, but it's never dumbed down, and great care and thought was put into every word, every movement, every facial expression and mostly every musical note. A wonderful and underappreciated classic that's worth every minute.
Movie Review: Brilliant and underrated mature animated movie!
Summary: 5 Stars
In the early 1900's a struggling Jewish family from Russia called the Blinkskies have fled to America in search of hope, the young boy named Zalmie becomes quite talented in comedy and singing as he becomes an overnight success. Years later he becomes a father with a beautiful wife that leads to generations of musicials that follow in his footsteps from the 40's to the early 80's.
A very underrated, powerful and quite mature animated movie from Ralph Bakshi that has became a cult favorite over the years. I love how this movie is a very melodramtic and entertaining look at the history of a family from the vaudville days to the rock and roll era of the 80's in a "Forrest Gump" kind of way. I always believed this is Ralph Bakshi's best movie besides "Heavy Traffic", "Wizards" and "Fire and Ice" or even his "Hey Good Lookin", but this one is perhaps the most mature and adult movie he's made as i'm not talking about sex and gory violence. This one does have language and mild bloody war violence but can be viewed by people 14 and up despite the "R" rating for those reasons, it's also a story with heart and a great soundtrack from the 1900's to late 70's. The animation done with rotoscoping is very good and well made with a quality storyline as it's one of my favorite animated movies ever since i was 16 in 1997.
This DVD contains crisp picture and sound with only one extra which is the trailer, a must see for animation and drama buffs.
Also recommended: "Grave of the Fireflies", "Heavy Metal", "Pink Floyd The Wall", "Rock and Rule", "An American Tail", "Walk The Line", "The Doors", "Forrest Gump", "Saving Private Ryan".
Movie Review: Beautifully done!
Summary: 5 Stars
As an artist and animation buff, I must say this film is a work of art. I'm not a big Bakshi fan either, I simply can't ignore the truth. There are definitely things about his style that annoy me, like his attraction to larger women, so much that they are practically all he uses. His, ugly yet honest style and his grim though realistic view of society. Honestly, what makes this film look so good is the rotoscoping. Now, I'm not saying every animation studio should take it up, but since most non-Disney animated films are so badly animated maybe it would be for the best. Anyway, the dialogue is great, though some of the protagonists could have been a lot more likable. I'm not saying that storywise this film is pleasant to watch, it's a pretty sad story, and even the victorius ending doesn't alter that. But speaking as someone who has seen tons and tons of animated films, this movie is so beautifully done that you can't take your eyes away from it no matter how depressing and sometimes annoying the story might get. Now I noticed one reviewer calling this film a failure because it was supposed to be a history of music and yet it had a few flaws here and there in its facts. This movie was in no way a failure as to what it set out to do. It was about perseverence, and destiny, and it's lesson about the evolution of music in America was beautifully executed. Don't believe those other reviewers. If you love beautiful animation, dialogue, and dramatic scenes, you'll appreciate this film. Don't buy it as a cartoon babysitter for your little kids though...Movie Review: One of the best and most underrated rock n roll dvds!
Summary: 5 Stars
I have seen so many rock magazines out there with its best rock movies list or reviews and for reasons I will never know,American Pop is rarely mentioned. Hello!!! Wake up critics! This is one of the best out there! It is the masterpiece from the artist who brought you The Lord of the rings and Fritz the cat. This is the story of 4 generations of young men trying to make it in the music industry. Taking place in New York during the early 1900's and ending in the late 1970's,each of the first 3 generations don't succeed for one reason or another with the last generation getting his big break giving this classic its happy ending. From the days of Vaudeville to the big band era to the summer of love to the punk era,this movie has it all. But to me,it is not just a rock n roll movie,it is a history book on dvd as well with such historic moments as the mobsters era,both world wars,the beatnik movement,and the drug problems of America,just to name a few. With music from legendary big band,jazz,and rock n roll legends,this dvd is for all age levels,though there might be a scene or two not recommended for the very young music lovers. This dvd may not be around long enough due to slow sales and lack of advertising so I recommend you buy this legendary and underrated animated rock dvd a.s.a.p.! Rock on!!!!!!!!Movie Review: An American classic by an American master...
Summary: 5 Stars
An honest look at American pop music and the roots of it's pain and suffering buried beneath the commercial glitz of mass-media marketing. I've seen the film mistakenly reviewed as a condemnation of punk music and a glorification of top forty hit makers and nothing is further from the truth. Bakshi takes us through the roots of American music and the suffering of the people it has always masked. We sing because we seek relief from our daily suffering. As the pain gets worse the music gets angrier and angrier until we are screaming though the music of today that enough is enough. We are human beings, not cogs in the great machine of the industrial complex. As we get buried deeper and deeper beneath the insensitive, uncaring excrement of the corporate entity our need for rebellion gets harder and harder to suppress. Music is humanities cry for recognition of our souls. It is our rebellion against the corporate entity that sees us only as machine parts to be used as nothing more than production tools in the manufacture of profit for the corporate [...].