First animation movie by Ralph Bakshi, based on the works of Robert Crumb 78min imdb
Recap:
Fritz The Cat is selfish, irresponsible, hedonistic and his head is full of buzzwords that may sound poetic and progressive, but he’s far from understanding them or living up to them. As a college boy he enjoys a life of sex and drugs and Rock & Roll until it’s time to learn for the exams. He drops out of college and, while being stoned, tries to be blacker than a crow, causing a race riot. He leaves town with his girlfriend Winston but ditches her as soon as she becomes a threat to his boyish ego.
Robert Crumb is a genius. Period. When counter-culture was new and significant, he was among those who thought new thoughts, brought new ideas to the table and renewed their arts and crafts, in his case: comic books. FritzThe Cat is one of his best and certainly the most famous of his creations, and much of what is great about him can be seen in this movie. However, this is a Ralph Bakshi movie. Ralph Bakshi is an artist, too. He wanted to create animation that goes beyond Disney, and in a way he succeeded. This movie exists, and so does the other stuff that he created, and the stuff that may have been inspired by his works. However, he is anything but a genius. Where Crumb uses a scalpel, Bakshi uses a sledgehammer, so it’s a small wonder that Crumb hates this movie and that there is indeed a lot to dislike. Yet, this movie is a historic document that is worth to be watched and enjoyed. Thank Robert Crumb for the great parts, and don’t be too harsh with Ralph Bakshi about the shitty parts: at least he, too, created something new and broke some taboos, and while this movie is not a great piece of art it really is an innovation.
Movie 78min
Trailer
Arkham TV 