American Pop

A story that transcends through the generations of a family. Starting in the "roaring" '20's the movie begins with the life of an immigrant boy and carries the viewer through a tapestry of jazz, swing, blues, classic rock, and early 80's rock. A completely different look than previous or later Bakshi works, but with the same quality. A must see if you want to forget you're watching an animated movie.

What a genuinely interesting and touching film. The rotoscoped animation may not be everyone's cup of tea but it works just fine here. I honestly think it's use was a big plus as it gives this human story a human, life like quality.

If this was done today it would be slopping over with re-do tunes by current pop nobodies to jam onto a "music from and inspired by" CD not to mention it would be poorly cast with Hollywood no talents.

The casting here doesn't leave you straining to identify celebs, it just has good actors portraying good characters. You focus on the story of the family, which after all is the point.

Underrated and very much worth your time.

One of Ralph Bakshi's last animated opuses "American Pop" came out in early 1981 with middling fanfare. I do have to give credit to Ralph Bakshi for making a very serious effort, rotoscoping the animation without leaving it too fuzzy (as in "Wizards," my personal favorite) or for the better word, half-done so you can the characters only half-animated and half-live (as in "The Lord of the Rings," I'd say the worst of any of his works).

This movie should play best as a midnight movie flick. Bakshi's best-known movies - "Fritz the Cat," "Heavy Traffic," and "Wizards" - for instance -would all play as midnight cult favorites at the Uniondale Mini Cinema back in the late '70's and early '80's. Naturally, I would have been much too young to go to that cinema and possibly out of place with a rough crowd had I'd been an adult in that era. If the Mini Cinema still existed today, then I'd say that "American Pop" would be up there too.

As for the movie, there isn't a single bit of humor, but the story is straightforward and allegorical of 80 years of music. We start with turn-of-the century Russian Jewish immigrant Zalmie who makes it America with his vaudeville acts. But Zalmie fails because his voice box is injured from a shooting while serving in the First World War and then gets mixed up in the mob. Then Zalmie passes the musical torch to his illegitimate son, Benny, who had lost his mother, Zalmie's girlfriend Bella to a mob bombing in their household. Benny makes it as a pianist,gets married, but is suddenly shot by a Nazi shoulder behind the back while playing the piano in his bunk during World War II. This depicts the music of the first half of the 20th century.

The era now radically shifts from early days of jazz to the latter-days of psychedelic rock in the 20th century. Benny has an irresponsible son named Tony. Tony, unloved at home, gets on a bus, runs away to California, yet stops halfway to Kansas to wash dishes and fall briefly for his blonde coworker, calling her hair "the color of corn", and makes it big as an acid 1960's rocker. He falls for a boozy redhead named Frankie, gets high on drugs with her and her friends, and bores an illegitimate blonde son with her named Little Pete. Then Frankie, obviously modeled on Janis Joplin (watch her swing beer as she performs), dies of the drugs and alcohol. Pete is confused about his familial background and doesn't know that Tony is his father. Tony abandons Pete on the street and Pete, the lone musical survivor, makes it on his own where everyone else failed. This fourth generation child has the best out of everyone as a David Bowid lookalike of a rock superstar. His "Blue Suede Shoes" wins the admiration of worldwide fans.

This movie is best understood with a historical and musical background so one could identify with the four generations of music. It is the most profound and realistic of Bakshi's work, and some felt that he toiled too much. Bakshi's works always carry social mores and he always includes Jewish references because he is indeed Jewish, although the surname sounds Indian. In addition to the four musicians, he also juxtaposes them with real life songs, singers and rock groups of each era, such as Cole Porter, Eva Tanguay, The Mamas and Papas, Jimi Hendrix, Pat Benatar and the Sex Pistols. Sounds crammed in, but it's hard work.

"American Pop" is an animated movie that rings truer to life than any other animated movie. It is indeed rated R due to occasional vulgar language, implied nudity, and frequent drug use. In addition to Bakshi's rotoscoping (his best done here), look for historical live action footage that blends well with the animation.

I thought this film was one of the finest animation films I have ever seen. The film continually keeps building and building until it peaks at the end when the last guy becomes a star. It almost has the feel of a documentry on life in a America by the way it continually keeps pounding the nail on the head in terms of the storyline and the action scenes cut to music were absolutely brilliant. Considering this film was ahead of anything even close to this (even ahead of MTV for gods sake) it's far and away one of the finest animation films ever made. I think anyone grading this film before a eight just isn't looking at this film as a film and instead putting it against a Disney film or something that's pretty but has no point. For my money I'd easily stack this film against any other animation ever made. Also I saw some people nay saying this film because of the soundtrack, but it's all a natural progression man and in this film it shows the progression of life and music and in 1981 that's what was popular and I thought it was a great choice since it's still listen-to-able today.

Extremely great film, if you haven't yet... Go see it now!

I love the animation style used in this movie. The interlacing of real footage and photos from earlier times brings a level of realism not seen in many animated films. The characters move realistically as well; minute body language is portrayed well. Voice overs are great. Of course it's not "Disney quality", but it's got a grittiness to it that truly makes it original.

Now I can see how one could criticize this movie. Basically, it all depends on how you watch it. If you watch it as a drama, you'll be disappointed. The plot is very centered around the one tragic late hippieish character, and is pretty simple and predictable. But there's a certain amount of charm within the overall story, kind of a sad, but beautiful shine.

If you watch it more as a musical, the movie works fine. The songs chosen are fantastic, and they totally underline the feel of the scenes in which they are used. In one of the first scenes, taking place in Czar-era Russia, there is no dialogue, only subtitles (giving it a great historical feel). The soundtrack is a sad and stirring Russian song sung acappella. You really get a sense of what the characters were going through.

This style continues throughout the movie. One of the most emotional scenes, for me, takes place in a cornfield, with the character torn apart with what he's done with his life. Janis Joplin's version of "Summertime" (an interesting choice, perhaps a hint of a throwback to earlier eras, as it is a Gershwin tune) as haunting as ever plays as the character cries. Messed up. But well done.

Jimi Hendrix has a cameo. A pseudo-Joplin/Slick character has a major role. A Sex Pistols parody jams it out. Late 70s corporate goons are running the studio. Great fun.

And that's how you have to enjoy the movie; and that's probably why music geeks will love it more than anyone else.