Wizards
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Movie Reviews of Wizards
Movie Review: Utterly Fantastic
Summary: 5 Stars
You have probably read many negative reviews of this film and I'm sure those reviewers honestly don't get it but this film is actually a fantastic movie not only for its time but for now.
It does get a bit preachy with its pro-environmentalism and anti-war message but at the heart of it is one of the funniest movies with some of the most unique characters of its day and is a goodtime movie except for the hauntingly saddening voice of the narrator.
The bad guys are very, very bad and the good guys are very, very good. This movie may not have the best cinematic value for your dollar but then again it isn't an expensive buy either. See it. Give it a chance and it can fill you with a conflicted sort of sadness and delight that will make you glad you did.
Movie Review: A dated little piece of animation history
Summary: 3 Stars
I faintly remember seeing posters for this movie in the late seventies at my local cinema and wanting to see it. I never got the chance but recently bought the DVD on a whim and I have to say this is a odd little film.
I can see why in the seventies this would be considered revolutionary. There were several pokes at religion, politics, corporations and even the rising consumer culture. At its heart the movie seems have a pacifist and anti technology message. At least those are the ideals put forward by the protagonist, named not so subtly Avatar. That is until the very end, when the protagonist uses what he considered evil to accomplish his goals.
The opening narration by Susan Tyrrell is splendid, although for some reason she is uncredited. I thought the rest of the film was unremarkable. The animation is poor by today's standards and the main characters are unlikeable. Also there are curious sexual themes that I thought were out of place, especially in what Bakashi calls a kid's movie. If your are a causual viewer then I would pass on this film, but if you are a big fan of animation I would recommend this because it was revolutionary in its day.
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: Ugh
Summary: 2 Stars
Got this movie for Christmas...can't say enough bad things about it.
The animation is often about as good as in the Smurfs (I.e., not that good), and it usually does not mix well with the retroscoping at all.
The story's message is muddled at best. There is a strong peace and no technology message to it, until the end when the "hero" uses violence and technology to win.
The "hero" of this story was supposed to be funny, but I found him incredibly unlikable. I liked the villain far more and was hoping that evil won at the end of this movie. Sadly, it didn't.
For some reason you can see the heroine's nipples through her shirt. Then they put her in bandage where she struggles and heaves her bosums. It seems like the animators were horny. It didn't fit with the other elements of the movie at all.
In all, I can't imagine watching this movie ever again. In fact, I'm angry that I bought it!
Movie Review: Ralph Bakshi's 'kids' movie
Summary: 2 Stars
Coonskin is one of my all-time favorite movies ever (a true favorite not just an animated favorite). I am also a huge fan of Heavy Traffic. Coonskin I have watched close 100 times. I had a vhs copy for about 15 years and watch more than a few times a year. I know have it on bootleg dvd and would love to buy an official copy (if there was one)
Besides these two absolute masterpieces Bakshi is also known for the ok Fritz the Cat.
Both Fritz and Heavy Traffic were originally rated X. Coonskin got pulled after immediate racial controversy. Though I wonder how Bakshi could ever be considered close to real X rated material, Bakshi is primarily known as animation for adults.
In the special features Bakshi describes this as his favorite creation and is very proud to have created a great kid's movie. He also describes it as a family movie.
I have to say, I don't know about Bakshi's sense of judgement if he considers this a "kid's" movie. I agree with his assessment of Disney talking down to kid's but I don't see how Wizards can be considered "kid's" material.
He has prostitutes soliciting passerby's near the beginning of the movie. He has someone machine gunning "the president" blowing him full of holes near the beginning. Avatar's girlfriend is a fairy in a skimpy outfit with her nipples poking bumps in the cloth. There is plenty of Nazi propaganda, war images, etc.
We even have Jewish rabbis (I assume they are rabbis) praying cartoonishly with great ernest and then hitting each other with two by fours and pouring water from watering cans on each other. Obviously some type of statement about religion.
This is kid's material? I have to wonder just what he considers is the difference between this and Coonskin, etc? The absence of 4 letter words? And no nudity? (well some fairy's were totally nude so that can't be it)
As for me, I thought Wizards was extremely mixed between good and bad.
For one, the animation ranges from interesting "Bakshi style characters" to overly cutesy characters like Avatar the Wizard to uninteresting generic characters like the elves.
The movement of the animation is also pretty poor throughout the film and does use a lot of stills. I believe this is mostly attributed to the budget.
The story is surrealistically preachy. It feels like it is trying to hammer home a message but you never really know what the message is exactly. And perhaps there really is no message.
On the positive side, I did appreciate Bakshi's often changing use of different animation styles and techniques to go with different emotions and aspects of the story.
Overall, it is mildly entertaining and interesting. But it has little rewatchability to me.
The best part was the extras because I really enjoyed Bakshi talking about his work and some of the people he worked with in creating this. Some of the experiences surrounding the making of this were extremely interesting as well.
It had some good qualities but overall I don't like Wizards that much.