Ralph Bakshi’s Wizards (Animation)
Picture: B+
Sound: B- Extras: B+ Film: A
“Wizards” is a cult classic; no doubt
about it. This 1977 animated film by
Ralph Bakshi is a classic by any measure to a genre that has changed greatly in
the 28 years since its theatrical release.
There is no way to measure the impact that this film, and others by
Ralph Bakshi including “Fritz the Cat”
and its sequel, “Heavy Traffic”, “Coonskin”, “Hey, Good Lookin’”, and “American
Pop” on the animation and special effects genre; the influence has been
that powerful. This is the director who
did the 1978 animated adaptation of “The
Lord of the Rings” on a budget so small, no one today could even imagine
it. Now, “Wizards” has been carefully transferred by Fox into the medium that
is DVD, something no one could have conceived of back in the days when science
fiction/fantasy was something rarely taken seriously out of the comic book
genre, and by “Star Trek” fans. But, the world was about to change.
“Wizards” (which was originally going to
be called “War Wizards”) was released by 20th Century Fox at a time
when the studio was trading at 12 cents a share. This film, and one released just two weeks
later, may have been the last ones the house released before going dark. That next film was George Lucas’ “Star Wars”. Obviously, the studio, and all of the
magnificent work of many an animator, director, producer, and dreamer remained,
and has grown again into the powerhouse that is its birthright. The transfer is magnificent, giving the
viewer the impression that they are watching classic character animation come
to life in colorful, grand fashion. The
strokes of the talented artisans are now preserved in yet another medium for the
current and future generations to appreciate, but there may be the
problem…appreciating the film for what it was intended.
“Wizards” is probably not for everyone’s
taste, and that may be a good thing. It
makes you uncomfortable. It’s honest,
revealing, and as naked as some of its depicted characters. This was Ralph Bakshi’s first venture into
film making out of adult-thinking entertainment. He makes films for himself, that reflect what
he saw in his life, without apology. Those
who are students of animation and special effects should see this film, and
often, because it is an almost breathing moving pictorial of the history of the
types of character animation in a single project. The animation is done using a variety of forms
simultaneously in the same frame, something most viewers are not accustomed to.
Its brush strokes, and movement of the
pen are evident in certain spots, making the film sometimes resemble the
Monet-inspired scene in “What Dreams May
Come”…only this is the actual character animation - 24 frames per second
animation techniques with layers of cels on each frame, and not a CGI
invention. In the nearly 30 years since
the release of this film, the industry in general has become a lot less
tolerant of things that back in the 70’s were considered PG fare. With that in mind, I think a cautionary note
is necessary for anyone intending to view this with anyone under 13. They didn’t have PG-13 then, but if they had,
this may have been where they would have applied it. Take the rating seriously; parents should be
strongly cautioned about content, and if they are going to watch this with the
pre-13 children, they had better be ready to explain some things. Children’s movies in the recent decades have
become almost vacant of meaningful content beyond ‘be nice to others’. This is a thinking film, with lots of period
meaning of the day, and is highly pertinent to today’s issues. Children who are not politically well read
will get quite a crash course in world history and political climate of the
past 60 years with this film. I was 15
when I saw this film back in the 70’s, and seeing it now was quite a reminder
of how much things have changed. Its
depth, with every corner and every word pertinent to the tale is still evident
and very relevant to the times. The old
adage ‘those who do not know their history are doomed to repeat it” applies
here. This is fantasy, but it is
relevant, and means to be allegorical and controversial at every turn and
transition.
The tale
is classic myth: two brothers, fraternal
twins who grow up with very different principles and ideals. One enjoys the aspects of nature and earth,
the other honors technology and dictatorship.
They have separated in their adult lives: one lives in a land of
fairies, sprites, elves, and apprentices to the earth arts; the other lives in
a land of aged machines, crumbling technology, and failing resources. There is love between one brother, Avatar,
and his student Elinore, although it is not clearly defined. Elinore is an innocent, although her mode of
dress may challenge some stereotypes and generalizations of the current
age. The evil wizard brother, Blackwolf,
has a lackey named Harry (who is hysterical), and one of his mercenary
robot-like creatures becomes transformed by Avatar into a worker for the bright
side, ironically called Peace. Irony is
the driving force of this film, as well as an eclectic soundtrack created for
the day on a single synthesizer utilizing a variety of musical genres, from
classical to jazz. Its sound surpasses
what one would have expected considering the time this film was done, and for
less than $1.2 million. That was paltry
even in 1977.
The film
has the expected battle between good and evil with a big twist that not even
the most savvy viewers of the day expected, and will probably still surprise
most unsuspecting newbies now. The
anamorphically enhanced 1.85 X 1 image is a big surprise, offering fine color
from a great period in the DeLuxe lab’s history, further enhancing Bakshi’s
outstanding color palette. The
soundtrack, originally released theatrically in monophonic sound, is offered in
Dolby Digital 2.0 Mono and a very interesting Dolby 2.0 Stereo mix that gives a
nice soundstage spread when played back in Pro Logic surround. The DVD packaging contains director
commentary, which is extremely entertaining, as well as commercial spots from
the 70’s, and an interview with Bakshi about this film, and some discussion
about his “Lord of the Rings”
adaptation as well.
Rating
this film was very difficult, because of its period, and the way (in an almost
scary way) that the times and expectations about films have changed. If this is ever developed into the Hi-def
format, it will surely get our highest rating.
Bakshi, a native of Brooklyn, spent years at Terry-Toons, and worked on cartoon
favorites like Mighty Mouse. The
illustrators, inkers, opaquers, etc. that Bakshi worked with over the years
have become some of the most talented and well respected animators in the
industry. This film has earned an A for
not only what it did with what it had to work with, but what it generated to
future projects and undertakings. Its
picture is as perfect quality as could be asked for, and its sound is true to
its source. This is a great film to view
with friends, and leave some time for discussion afterward… there will be
conversation.
- Stephanie Simmons
Be sure to check out our
Ralph Bakshi interview by Stephanie & Areya Simmons at:
http://www.fulvuedrive-in.com/review.php?id=1031
Stephanie
Simmons is the author of “Regional Cooking From Middle-earth: Recipes of The Third
Age under the name Emerald Took. It is
available at: Emerald Took’s Hobbit Hole www.stores.ebay.com/emeraldtookshobbithole
