Rating: R
Genre:
Drama
Release Date: 06/17/1998
SubTitles: English/French/Espanol
Dubbed: English/Espanol
Sound: DDS
Run Time: 95 Minutes
Flags: Adult Situations, Not For Children, Adult Language
Distributor/Studio: Columbia TriStar
The rise and growth of American popular music through the 20th century is reflected in the lives of four generations of one family in this animated drama directed by
Ralph Bakshi. Zalmie (voice of
Jeffrey Lippa), a Russian Jew, emigrates to America, and tries to struggle along as a comic and musician in vaudeville, until an injury suffered in World War I ends his singing career. Zalmie's son Benny (voice of
Richard Singer) inherits his father's love for music, and when he grows to adulthood, he joins a jazz combo as a pianist; his career is cut short, however, when he's killed while fighting in World War II. Benny's son Tony (voice of
Ron Thompson) is also bitten by the music bug and is determined to make his mark as a songwriter; he becomes involved in the Beat poetry and music community in San Francisco, and later falls in with a pioneering psychedelic band. Along the way, Tony fathers an illegitimate son named Pete (voice of
Eric Taslitz), and ends up becoming Pete's guardian in New York City without realizing he's the boy's father. After Tony's death, Pete supports himself by dealing drugs, while struggling to make his dream of becoming a rock star a reality.
Ralph Bakshi achieved
American Pop's unique look through a process called "rotoscoping" -- shooting the scenes with live actors, and then tracing their movements onto animation cells.
~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
