Wizards (1977)
Product Information
Product Details: Wizards (1977)
- Edition:
- DVD . See other editions
- MPAA Rating:
- PG
- Release Date:
- 05/25/2004
- UPC:
- 024543120261
- Directed by:
- Ralph Bakshi
- Featuring:
- Mark Hamill, Richard Romanus, Bob Holt. See all cast
Synopsis: Wizards (1977)
Synopis: This uniquely 1970s blend of swords, sorcery, science fiction, kung-fu, fascism, and nuclear holocaust was director Ralph Bakshi's first venture into fantasy after his grim urban epics STREETFIGHT and HEAVY TRAFFIC. In a postapocalyptic future that appears as a blend of World War II Europe and J.R.R. Tolkien's Middle-earth, a pint-size wizard named Avatar (Bob Holt, sounding like Peter Falk) must save the world from a band of fascist mutants controlled by his evil twin brother, Blackwolf (Steve Gravers), who likes to confuse enemy armies by projecting films of Adolf Hitler speeches during attacks. Painted live-action footage of advancing Nazi armies contrasts with Saturday-morning-cartoon-style animation of fairies and elves as Avatar travels through various magical and radioactive realms on his quest. Aiding him are a sexually promiscuous fairy queen (Jesse Wells), a hot-blooded warrior elf (Mark Hamill, fresh from his role in STAR WARS) and Peace (David Proval), a misunderstood robot rebelling against his Blackwolf-controlled programming. A bizarre and psychedelic meditation on magic vs. technology, this cult film still finds an audience on college campuses and will prove quite rewarding to viewers in the right frame of mind.Features: Wizards (1977)
Features: DVD Features:Region 1
Keep Case
Widescreen - 1.85
Audio:
Stereo - English
Mono - English
Mono - Spanish
Additional Release Material:
Audio Commentary - 1. Ralph Bakshi - Director
Featurette - 1. "Ralph Bakshi: The Wizard of Animation"
Trailers - 1. Theatrical Trailer
2. Theatrical Trailer B
3. TV Spot
Text/Image Galleries:
Stills Gallery (300)
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User Reviews: Wizards
-
Finally!
, September 30, 2004Reviewer: ta0j0nes - See all ta0j0nes's reviews -
Tolkien with a lava lamp
, July 26, 2004Reviewer: thechang7 - See all thechang7's reviewsPros: Great landscapes and 70's soundtrack
Cons: Tolkien rip-off
Bakshi was quoted in the May 2004 Entertainment Weekly as saying, "I get lots of e-mail that says emotionally speaking, I was closer to Tolkien, as great as I hear the other films were in effects... I'm not down on Peter Jackson. I'm sure he did a good job.. but I haven't seen his films. I don't see where it would do me any good... The Lord of the Rings ain't my life. It's Tolkien's life. It's just not that important to me anymore."
In the interview featurette included with the Wizards DVD, Bakshi never once mentions LOTR. Come on now, Bakshi. LOTR was once your life, at least between 1975-1977. The story and theme parallels between Wizards and LOTR is so obvious, it's embarrassing. Instead of a ring, there's the "dream machine" which is TV/media (I actually like that idea, but Tolkien already alluded to it with the Palantirs). Instead of a "bad blood" feud of Dwarves vs. Elves, it's Faeries vs. Elves. There's even a Shelob-like sequence in a cave, for crying out loud. I could go on forever. There's very little original material here where narrative, plot, and theme are concerned.
On the positive side, Bakshi is one of the most inventive animators ever with a style somewhere between Crumb, Terry Gilliam, and Dr. Seuss. I absolutely love his landscapes, the rotoscoping technique (which is very retro, but also very eery), and the use of film footage as backdrops. The seventies soundtrack brings a smile to my face, despite being dated and locked in a time capsule (wah-wah guitar and flange rule.)
This movie is definitely not a "family movie," though Bakshi seems to think it is. It does, however, deserve to be a classic of low-budget adult animation, along the ranks of others like Pink Floyd's "The Wall," Laloux's "Fantastic Planet," or "Vampire Hunter D." ...
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Pros: Wizards is back and on DVD
Cons: None
I have been waiting for years for this title to make it to DVD. This is Bakshi's best. Powerful message and imagery. One of the most intense animated features of all time and a true classic.