Wizards
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Movie Reviews of Wizards
Movie Review: A Little Trick That Mother Taught Me...
Summary: 5 Stars
Unless my memory has failed me utterly this film came out just as I was finishing up graduate school. Bakshi was already something of a god to the revolutionarily inclined of my generation, and there was no question but that a group of us were going to see it. We were wowed, enthralled, and heartened by Bakshi's brilliant combination of a strong story and inventive animation back then. And today, years later, I found myself thinking feeling the same way while watching it again.
For three weeks the film was a smash hit, when one of those weird accidents of fate happen and Wizards was pushed of the stage by the arrival of Star Wars. Suddenly Bakshi's fable was relegated to fond memorys, only to reappear in retrospectives and campus theaters. As you will find out when you listen to the excellent Bakshi interview (more of a monologue), Wizards was the film dearest to the artists heart, the one he felt was his best accomplishment.
Despite its rough language, partial nudity, and high level of violence, Bakshi though of this as a children's tale, albeit one that hewed closer to the true than the sugar coated fantasies that were coming out of Disney's studios. Set in far post apocalyptic times, two brothers are born to a queen of the fairies. One at distorted mutant (Blackwolf) and the other normal (Avatar), both potent wizards. The inevitable clash between then happened, and this is the story of the end of a 3,000 year struggle between the two over the fate of the world.
The story shifts between the two wizards. First the machinations and plots of Blackwolf, as he unearths archaic Nazi technology and turns it into an weapon designed to erase the magical from the world. Then the journey of Avatar and two elvish friends, Elinore and the warrior Weehawk, who are seeking the source of Blackwolf's power.
The story is told with a deft hand as both the narrator and the characters use humor more than dramatic horror to bring the lessons of the film home. The horror, especially that of the battlefield and the aftermath of war is never far behind. In fact it is the these grim scenes that Bakshi displays some of his greatest genius in illustration, using stock footage, illustration, and collage to build an unnerving context.
Even years later, jaded by many hours watching anime, this film still works artistically, and works well. In addition, its messages about the risks of over-dependence on technology and the inevitable losses of war ae just as fresh now, if not fresher. Bakshi was right, Wizards is his best work.
Movie Review: Based on how I felt when I first saw it.
Summary: 5 Stars
Ok, I first saw this movie, in the theater, when I was in high school back in 1977. This came out the same year as Star Wars and when you are 15, it is the coolest movie you have seen. Now that I am umm... older, this movie still rocks. I show this movie to some friends of mine who didn't grow up during that time frame. We were all adults watching it and they loved it so much that they decided to add it to their DVD collection. Now I must say, most women don't get why us guys like this movie. I can't really get all the reasons, why I like this movie, I just do. Perhaps its the character of Avatar, or Peace, maybe its the ending or the cool music during the battle scene. It is just a fricking cool, kind of counter-culture movie. Nowadays much better animated features exist and there are some fantastic movies, but THIS one is special to me. The story is about 2 brothers, both Wizards, one good, one bad, but the good one is kinda rough around the edges. He smokes, he curses (or what was allowed back then) and a bit fed up. He is called upon once again to try to stop evil from spreading throughout the world. His brother, hates where he live and wonder why they have to live in the wasteland so he wants a piece of the good land... and so we have a collision course set. Along the way, Avatar (the good wizard) encounters other fantastical creatures and it adds to the character of the movie.
Ralph Bakshi may not be the world best animated, but he made some pretty cool animation. Besides you have to have something other than Disney and back then, Bakshi was the answer. His themes always seem to be more adult and his characters are flawed, but that what makes the movies (like Wizard), so cool. It's different and its a good different. For you new people, the animation may look a little dated, but I think, if you get behind the story, you will enjoy it. And I was going to give it 4 out of 5 stars, but 4 rates as "like it" and 5 rates as love it. I love this movie, so my rating is based on how well I dig this film. I can watch it any time.
Movie Review: Finally a beautiful Bakshi release on DVD
Summary: 5 Stars
Ralph Bakshi has his admirers and his detractors, as any good filmmaker should. Wizards is an important film for many reasons, but mostly, in my opinion, because it really began the experimentation of melding of rotoscope, traditional animation and live action. Bakshi masterfully mixes the three techniques in ways never before done, and seldom since. His powerful use of Nazi propaganda films melds perfectly with high contrast rotoscoping of Eisenstein's Alexander Nevski to give birth to a new and disturbing world. His use of traditional animation techniques then colors the fairy lands in another light and we see the contrast between these two worlds brought together in a terrifying realization. The melding of various methods of filmmaking might be too much for some who have become accustomed to Disney animation, Saturday morning cartoons and anime, but it gives us a rare glimpse into what might have been in an artform which never fully developed into its own right.Finally, we have DVD which treats master filmmaker, Ralph Bakshi, with the respect he deserves. After the atrociously inadequate release of Bakshi's Lord of the Rings Part One a few years ago, with it's incredible lack of special features and horrific overdub in the middle of the closing score (though thankfully finally released in widescreen format), I couldn't be happier with the treatment Fox has given to this film. The transfer is gorgeous and the colors are far more vivid than I have ever seen before - an element that is critical to the film.
The real treat, however, is the feature length commentary by Mr. Bakshi as well as the "documentary" on him and his work. I would have liked to have him chat a bit more about Lord of the Rings since we were robbed of a commentary in that DVD release, but he does give a bit of insight into the film, which was welcome.
All in all, a fantastic DVD release of a groundbreaking film. Bravo Fox and Mr. Bakshi! I hope Fire and Ice, Hey Good Lookin', Coonskin and someday a re-release of Lord of the Rings, will receive a similar treatment.
David
Movie Review: HOLY CHROME! <--actual film qoute
Summary: 5 Stars
Hands down this is one of the funniest films of all time-- unintentionally. It is a supposed genius rebel-independent alternative to watered down Disney children's films. It supposedly brilliantly revolutionary in its animation. So why is it a 40% rotoscoped story about an old drunk man and a young harlot battling future mutant nazi hoards over a nuclear wasteland? Drugs probably. Everyone has seen a bad movie that they thought was funny because it had cheesy costumes, bad plot, poor acting--japanese sci fi of old comes to mind. Wizards goes past that and unintentionally gives you bad punchlines--the ending alone is one of the funniest jokes ever to appear in a movie. When you see it for the first time you're jaw will drop, then you will burst out laughing and fall to the floor, between which you question the purpose of your existence and your perception of the universe. The films beginning sets the pace for high octaine comedy--the world is destroyed by 5 terorists and explodes into 1000 atomic fireballs. Those numbers come from the movie and that is the actual setting. Thankfully for inhabitants of this films world, thats just hyperbole, their planet is only partially radioactive and mostly whole. Oh back to the fact that its a childrens film, did i mention there are mutant prostitutes? And not to say that prostitutes wouldnt fit right into most childrens stories, but kids are so dumb, they just wouldnt get it, right Disney?. Mark Hammil even has a cameo as a fairey. Odds are he'd sooner star in Howard the Duck II than ever be credited to another Bakshi film. With climatic battle scenes of all the worlds armies rotoscoping about for 10 minutes in pyschodelic colors, partially nude sprites, a dirty old drunk man as a "hero", and a villain who wants to rule the world just because he's evil, this movie will create a numbing sensation over most of your brain and nerve centers. Luckily it will also induce a lot of laughs.Movie Review: Bakshi's masterpiece finally on DVD!!!!
Summary: 5 Stars
This 1977 Ralph Bakshi made animated sci-fi fantasy is set in the post-apocalyptic future where mutants, monsters, fairies, elves, dwarves, and magical creatures roam. An evil wizard named "Blackwolf" plans on taking over the world with his mutant army using old Nazi propaganda films while a kind and powerful wizard named "Avatar" with a hot fairy chick named " Ellinor" and a brave elf named "Weehawk" including a robot named "Peace" join forces together to go to a place called "Scorch" then stop Blackwolf, the war and prevent the end of the world.A unique, kadeldoscopic and entertaining animated fantasy from the director of "Fritz The Cat", " Animated Lord of the Rings" and "American Pop". The animation is quite good, it does have Mark Hamil's voice debut before he was in "Star Wars" of the same year this movie was released, a superhot fairy chick guaranteed to make guys smile and it's a good fun flick for the whole family even though it's rated PG due to some graphic animated violence, battle scenes, some language and some mild nudity.
The DVD is excellent, the extras include TV Spot, Trailers, a documentary on how Ralph Bakshi created this movie, still gallery and a audio commentary by Ralph Bakshi. So if you love fun fantasy, sci-fi and animated flicks then pick this up for your animation DVD collection.
Also recommended: " Terminator 2: Judgment Day", " Fist of the North Star" ( Anime version), " Braveheart", " Gladiator", " Mad Max", " The Last Unicorn", " The Secret of NIMH", " Rock & Rule", " The Dark Crystal", " The Princess Bride", " Star Wars", " Gettysburg", " Starship Troopers", " Total Recall", " Heavy Metal", " The Fifth Element", " Mulan", "Antz".