Allegro non troppo

Many many years ago, I saw this film and I was absolutely transfixed. This film cannot helped BUT be compared to Fantasia due to the fact that they mention this themselves. But what sets this film apart is its absolutely brilliant interpretations, in animated form, of these wonderful classical pieces that don't get as much attention as the ones Fantasia made popular amongst the general public. And there is one classical piece, above all, that was so brilliantly interpreted that it STILL stands out as one of the most moving pieces ever to be put on screen and that is the "Valse Triste" segment set to the music of Sibelius. Don't get me wrong, Disney's "clean" animation of Fantasia is a wonderful film, but none of its segment moved me as much as Valse Triste. And I think it's free form, scrubby, its understated color use and none heavy handed animation fits BRILLIANTLY here. You don't feel you are watching an animation, you feel as you are watching a painter, with each stroke, visualize the musical note of this wonderful classical piece. You get to see the abandon cat go from fantasy, reality, fantasy, that you wish you could adopt the poor cartoon kitty. If you are a teacher of music, especially classical, get this film and show it to your students, if they are not moved, then nothing will move them. This is the type of stuff that stays with you for YEARS and I guarantee you will be the better for it.

If you are feeling at all depressed or bored with psychological thrillers, this is just the film to brighten up your dark moments. It's not hilarious, it won't have you rolling about in hysterical laughter, but it will put a smile on your face and you may even manage a chortle or two. It's pure fantasy, the stuff that dreams are made of....Debussy, Dvorak, Ravel, Sibelius whose music forms the basis of this film would probably be amused at how their music has been interpreted.

While the black and white scenes of the compere, the conductor, the orchestra and the cartoonist are amusing enough, they seem a bit forced in their attempt at humour (the cartoonist is no Charlie Chaplin) and the transition from black and white to colour is never very smooth. Even the sound level is not constant.

Wherever did they get the old ladies to represent the orchestra? They looked as if they stepped straight out of a Fellini film. In a couple of farcical scenes one old girl while blowing a fanfare on her trumpet ran out of breath and fell over backwards. Another was knocked off the stage when she was struck by a cork propelled from an exploding bottle of champagne.

While the film lacks the technical quality of Disney's Fantasia, it still has some amusing and original ideas. To the sound of Ravel's Bolero, we see some sludge at the bottom of a bottle give way to primitive life and then follows in rapid succession the origin of the various species of life on earth. Even Darwin would have been fascinated by this interpretation of his theory of evolution.

Allegro Non Troppo is far more sexual than any of Disney's work. The faun is depicted as a lecherous old man, an interpretation never seen before in any of the great ballets. There are heart-tugging moments too, particularly to the beautiful music of Sibelius, when we see a starved cat searching for food, warmth and company amongst the ruins of a home.

When one ponders over the number of hours the artists worked on this film, one can only admire their competence and artistry. See it at your first opportunity.

I was introduced to this obscure gem by my mom when I was 9 years old. I have not seen it since, but I have looked for it since then, and now found it on DVD from Netflix. Reading the reviews of some more recent viewers has brought back many memories. I never forgot the "Bolero" evolution, and the poor kitty DID make me cry so...I didn't understand everything, and our TV was too old and small to let us see the subtitles at all, so no wonder I couldn't get it all. My favorite part was the little man that outsmarted the evil dictator. That still makes me laugh, although it's been so long (17 years!) I eagerly await the little red envelope to bring back some memories and strange fun! Please give this one a chance..I'm proof that it will stay in your heart for a long time.

Surely not all of you know the Italian version of Coca Cola... it is called Chinotto, it has better (healthier) ingredients, got more flavour, a bitter-sweet taste, less sparkling effects... in a few words it is pretty good. (Un-)fortunately it cannot challenge the American giant, but for those who know... In a very similar way Allegro Non Troppo stands compared to Fantasia. Fantastic and funny animations, clever and never vulgar, made without a big budget, but with lot of thinking and skills, it creates something quite different from its original model. Obviously the music choice is also very good and both animations and movie (it is not only animation) work fantastically well with the musical selection...You may like it or not, but it surely is a very good and enjoyable effort. Try it once, and you might change your (mass-production) habits...

"Allegro Non Troppo" is truly a great movie. The storyline, although sample and maybe awkward, is very, very funny.

Animations are good, too. The second and third ones are my personal favorite, but the finales are good, too! The storyline can be offending and crude, but that's all the point of it : it's like "Fantasia", from Walt Disney, as it said in the beginning of the movie, but actions made by characters are more adult-oriented (i.e. : sexual connotation).

Everybody who loves bizarre movies, animations, and stuff like that should love this movie. It is also posing a critical eye over the modern society, one made of consummation and things like that.

Definitely, a must-have!