I did a search on the message board search engine and I was surprised there was no thread dedicated to it.
I haven't seen it yet, but I have recently become curious to watch it. Apparently, it caused quite a stir in the 1970s, but hasn't aged well and shows like South Park have trumped Fritz the Cat in regards to adult content in animation to the point where it's kind of tame.
Is it worth seeing just for historical reasons and I'm always curious about animated films that don't fall into the usual Walt Disney-Pixar vein, or is there actually a good story in there and it's a very good film, too?
I should point out that Cool World is the only Ralph Bakshi I've seen and I thought it was one massive mess of a production.
Thoughts on Fritz the Cat?
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I rented it a few years ago. Of Bakshi's films which I've seen, I usually refer to them as "ugly, disjointed messes," and found Fritz no different. I was more bored than anything, though there was a good story in there somewhere; it just wasn't told all that well. Fritz no longer rates an "X" these days, but it's still not for kids (due to sex, langauge, and other content).
However, for an animation buff, it is almost essential viewing. Even though I don't tend to like Bakshi's films, they are always interesting. I do have most of his films on VHS (even Coonskin!) or DVD, and I was honored to meet him at Comic-Con two summers ago. I really enjoyed his book, actually. He's quite a guy.
However, for an animation buff, it is almost essential viewing. Even though I don't tend to like Bakshi's films, they are always interesting. I do have most of his films on VHS (even Coonskin!) or DVD, and I was honored to meet him at Comic-Con two summers ago. I really enjoyed his book, actually. He's quite a guy.
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I remember watching a few minutes of it when I was a kid. (I really shouldn't have been watching it at all, considering the fact that I was only 12 or so at the time 
).
The only Bakshi film I've managed to sit through entirely was Cool World, and I remember being either bored or freaked out by most of it (again, I was a pre-teen at the time. My parents were of the mindset that cartoons were for children, thus I could get away with watching films like these. SHAME on them)
I've seen bits of his other films as an adult, and I agree with Randall about them being "ugly, disjointed messes." They're an interesting part of animated history. But few people actually find them entertaining.
And they should definitely NOT be viewed by children.
).The only Bakshi film I've managed to sit through entirely was Cool World, and I remember being either bored or freaked out by most of it (again, I was a pre-teen at the time. My parents were of the mindset that cartoons were for children, thus I could get away with watching films like these. SHAME on them)
I've seen bits of his other films as an adult, and I agree with Randall about them being "ugly, disjointed messes." They're an interesting part of animated history. But few people actually find them entertaining.
And they should definitely NOT be viewed by children.
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The original movie was Bakshi's salute to R. Crumb, for those with whatever cult-comics urge wanted to salute him.
"Nine Lives of Fritz" was a completely unrelated mess that Bakshi wasn't involved with, except for the production company still owning the character and wanting to cash in on the 70's-shock reputation. (Haven't seen either of the movies, but those who have say the followup's a poor pretender.)
And yes, Cool World made Bakshi's old Nixon-era 70's Disney-deconstructionist "Look, Bambi's talking dirty!" act look like a brontosaurus stuck in the tar pits--
By that point in '92, we'd had more alternative animation on MTV, the Simpsons were just becoming popular on their own show, anime was just breaking out of the college campuses and onto cable and store shelves, and Roger Rabbit had long since stolen most of the live-action and classic-character thunder, not to mention Jessica had already given us the Cartoon Cheesecake Babe.
Coming out four years after WFRR, Bakshi's attempt to do his old cynical/misogynist guitar licks just looked like "Hey, remember me, I used to be adult-animation, too!", and, frankly...we didn't:
We'd have rather seen him go back to his old fantasy-rotoscope days, and we were still asking whatever happened to the second Lord of the Rings.
"Nine Lives of Fritz" was a completely unrelated mess that Bakshi wasn't involved with, except for the production company still owning the character and wanting to cash in on the 70's-shock reputation. (Haven't seen either of the movies, but those who have say the followup's a poor pretender.)
And yes, Cool World made Bakshi's old Nixon-era 70's Disney-deconstructionist "Look, Bambi's talking dirty!" act look like a brontosaurus stuck in the tar pits--
By that point in '92, we'd had more alternative animation on MTV, the Simpsons were just becoming popular on their own show, anime was just breaking out of the college campuses and onto cable and store shelves, and Roger Rabbit had long since stolen most of the live-action and classic-character thunder, not to mention Jessica had already given us the Cartoon Cheesecake Babe.
Coming out four years after WFRR, Bakshi's attempt to do his old cynical/misogynist guitar licks just looked like "Hey, remember me, I used to be adult-animation, too!", and, frankly...we didn't:
We'd have rather seen him go back to his old fantasy-rotoscope days, and we were still asking whatever happened to the second Lord of the Rings.
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I keep coming back to Bakshi's movies and kind of love them as the train wrecks that they are.
Like Rand, we were lucky enough to hear Ralph speak (numerous times as it turned out!) at Comic-Con 2008, and the reasons behind why his movies don't always turn out so well was clear...like many artists, he doesn't have the business acumen to go with the talent. Sure he can set up a deal and turn out the goods, but usually runs out of money or falls out with someone half way through production. That's all part and parcel of being an auteur, of course, but they usually surround themselves with solid producing partners. Bakshi produces himself, which is the key to madness.
But...every now and then I dig a Bakshi movie out and think it can't be as bad as I remember. And yet it usually is. Fritz actually has some interesting things in it, and moments of good "cartoon" animation counterbalancing the very adult themes. But as Rand says, it is ultimately boring, reverting as it does for much of its central sequences to a few characters just talking, and once the novelty has worn off they're not even talking about that much.
Fritz doesn't actually have (a lot? It's been a while) rotoscoping in it...that was a cheap way for Ralph to turn out his films in later years, and often he had to resort to "grunging up" live-action footage (Zulu was a favorite!) for battle scenes in movies such as Wizards and Lord Of The Rings.
But whatever else, you have to give it to a guy who managed to bounce back and make animated films that were very different to the mainstream. And even if they don't always work (and they don't), they were personal films that often contained moments of realism and passion that you just don't get in big studio funded product. Some were juvenile, yes (Fritz, Coonskin), but some (American Pop, Hey Good Lookin') were also "adult" in their sense of maturity.
It's a shame his output is so scatty on DVD...I'd very much like to pick up a number of films that I still haven't got in my collection, if even just to say I've seen them all.
Like Rand, we were lucky enough to hear Ralph speak (numerous times as it turned out!) at Comic-Con 2008, and the reasons behind why his movies don't always turn out so well was clear...like many artists, he doesn't have the business acumen to go with the talent. Sure he can set up a deal and turn out the goods, but usually runs out of money or falls out with someone half way through production. That's all part and parcel of being an auteur, of course, but they usually surround themselves with solid producing partners. Bakshi produces himself, which is the key to madness.
But...every now and then I dig a Bakshi movie out and think it can't be as bad as I remember. And yet it usually is. Fritz actually has some interesting things in it, and moments of good "cartoon" animation counterbalancing the very adult themes. But as Rand says, it is ultimately boring, reverting as it does for much of its central sequences to a few characters just talking, and once the novelty has worn off they're not even talking about that much.
Fritz doesn't actually have (a lot? It's been a while) rotoscoping in it...that was a cheap way for Ralph to turn out his films in later years, and often he had to resort to "grunging up" live-action footage (Zulu was a favorite!) for battle scenes in movies such as Wizards and Lord Of The Rings.
But whatever else, you have to give it to a guy who managed to bounce back and make animated films that were very different to the mainstream. And even if they don't always work (and they don't), they were personal films that often contained moments of realism and passion that you just don't get in big studio funded product. Some were juvenile, yes (Fritz, Coonskin), but some (American Pop, Hey Good Lookin') were also "adult" in their sense of maturity.
It's a shame his output is so scatty on DVD...I'd very much like to pick up a number of films that I still haven't got in my collection, if even just to say I've seen them all.
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I've enjoyed most Bakshi's work that I've seen (except for Cool World). I saw both Wizards and Lord of the Rings when I was 12 or so (my uncle was a fan and showed them to me) and at the time they blew my mind and changed my perception of what a cartoon could be. Fire and Ice is interesting to see as an attempt to animate Frank Frazetta's illustrations. I've not had the pleasure of seeing Fritz (or Coonskin, or Heavy Traffic) but I definitely want to someday.
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Should they reboot Fritz, or make a 3rd film?
I would like to ask this to my fellow Bakshi fans, with all the commotion on comic book made movies going around I figured I would ask this. I was kinda wondering if they should reboot fritz the cat. But making it more true to Crumb's book...Would u like to see a reboot of fritz the cat? Or just have a 3rd film?
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Though again, Eric, Darkblade is confusing "crude sex" with "adult" instead of "maturity". There were plenty of animated films with adult sensibilities before Fritz came along. But if you just want to see cartoons swearing and being naughty, then sure, you could call that "adult", but really it's just "juvenile". Technically, if hearing cartoons swear and seeing breasts in an animated film is what you're after, then that was done long before Fritz too.
No...I don't think we really need a new Fritz or a third Fritz. Two is more than enough. If you need more of the same, see the Muppets get the same treatment in Meet The Feebles.
No...I don't think we really need a new Fritz or a third Fritz. Two is more than enough. If you need more of the same, see the Muppets get the same treatment in Meet The Feebles.
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Well, even Tex Avery's more out-landish work ("Red Hot Riding Hood" was always a favourite of mine) doesn't come close to the adult nature of Fritz the Cat.
Anyway, I watched it and enjoyed it. Admittedly, the animation is only a cut above Saturday morning fare, though I understand that Bakshi wasn't able to get a Disney-sized crew. However, it does work as an interesting time capsule to the 1960s-1970s anti-establishment youth and while Fritz is a sleazebag, he is oddly likeable in a strange sort of way. I don't condone any of his actions, but his voice-actor gave him an oddball sort of likeability.
Now, some scenes did run a tad long and all of the nudity was definitely thrown in there, so as not to confuse it with anything of the Walt Disney vein, but I'm not bothered by it. Though I do wonder if Fritz gave birth to the furry fandom. A lot of people would definitely hate it and while I didn't love it, I did enjoy the film, as crazy and out-landish as it was. I think the Adult Swim shows need to learn a lesson from Fritz the Cat.
To be honest, I find something like Watership Down to be more disturbing, mainly because that was a more serious animated film, while Fritz simply played for laughs most of the time.
Anyway, I watched it and enjoyed it. Admittedly, the animation is only a cut above Saturday morning fare, though I understand that Bakshi wasn't able to get a Disney-sized crew. However, it does work as an interesting time capsule to the 1960s-1970s anti-establishment youth and while Fritz is a sleazebag, he is oddly likeable in a strange sort of way. I don't condone any of his actions, but his voice-actor gave him an oddball sort of likeability.
Now, some scenes did run a tad long and all of the nudity was definitely thrown in there, so as not to confuse it with anything of the Walt Disney vein, but I'm not bothered by it. Though I do wonder if Fritz gave birth to the furry fandom. A lot of people would definitely hate it and while I didn't love it, I did enjoy the film, as crazy and out-landish as it was. I think the Adult Swim shows need to learn a lesson from Fritz the Cat.
To be honest, I find something like Watership Down to be more disturbing, mainly because that was a more serious animated film, while Fritz simply played for laughs most of the time.
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That's the point I was going for--Ben wrote:Though again, Eric, Darkblade is confusing "crude sex" with "adult" instead of "maturity". There were plenty of animated films with adult sensibilities before Fritz came along.
The last time somebody asked, I brought up the point that "Heavy Metal" was really the last heyday of "We're not Disney!" so-called "adult" crude-alley animation, during the days when the safe and living-in-the-past Ron Miller 70's G-rated Disney seemed like the "only" animation in the mainstream.
It's easy to throw a tantrum at what you wishfully/paranoid think is a "monopoly", it's a lot harder creating something solid to compete in a multi-faceted market like we have now.
Which is why no one gave the Bad Little Boy attention anymore when he wrote dirty words on the wall to shock the teacher.