American Pop is the animated story of a Russian-Jewish immigrant family of musicians whose careers parallel the history of American popular music in the 20th century, starting in 19th-century Russia and spanning four generations.
The story begins in Russia, where young Zalmie’s father is killed for defending the torah against blazing Cossacks. The sequence is meant to recall Eisenstein, but not even Eisenstein could survive the maudlin dramaturgy of such title cards as “Oy! Oy! Oy!”
When Zalmie and his mama emigrate to New York City, the look echoes the Ash Can School, but the lachrymose tone recalls Ross Hunter.
We actually hear “There are smiles that make us happy” as Zalmie hovers over his mother’s dead body at the site of the Triangle Fire.
Director Ralph Bakshi has been acclaimed for trailblazing new animation techniques, largely involving rotoscoping, a process in which a live-action film serves as the basis for animation.
Apart from a few live-action archive shots and the static drawings in the opening credits, American Pop is entirely rotoscoped (Bakshi estimated the film consists of 700,000 to 800,000 individual drawings).
What’s most distinctive about American Pop, however, is its vulgarity. Zalmie becomes a clown in a burlesque show and is deflowered by a stripper with a heart of platinum. She sticks a finger in her mouth as he pulls off his funny pants.
When Zalmie’s Gershwin-like son, Benny, goes overseas in World War II, he finds a piano in an abandoned cafe and begins to play, unaware of the Nazi soldier lurking behind him. When their eyes meet, Benny switches his tune to Lili Marlene; the German sobs but then, after the song is over, shoots Benny in cold blood.
The film covers American popular music from the pre-jazz age through rhythm and blues, 1950s rock ‘n’ roll, drug-laden psychedelia, and punk rock, finally ending with the onset of New Wave in the early 1980s.
As a spot check of pop culture, the film is ludicrous: Benny’s son, Tony, is in Greenwich Village when Allen Ginsberg reads Howl! – then through some time/space warp, he manages to be in Haight-Ashbury for the formation of the Jefferson Airplane.
Tony, who has the most time onscreen, is, unfortunately, the most irritating example of Bakshi’s hybrid approach.
His face is a pug version of the young Brando, but he gestures like James Dean’s Jett Rink in Giant. Actor Ron Thompson’s voice sounds in turns like Al Pacino, Robert De Niro and Sylvester Stallone, only to end up mimicking Robert Blake.
Tony’s sullen son, Pete, finally becomes the family’s rock superstar; we’re meant to think that his fame has been forged from his family’s history of misfortune and corruption (his great-grandfather colluded with the mob, resulting in his great-grandmother’s death; his grandfather married a mobster’s daughter; his own father got strung out on drugs).
The film’s musical lineup is breathtaking. More than 40 classics are featured, including tracks by Janis Joplin, The Doors, The Mamas & the Papas, and George Gershwin. Even more impressive: Bakshi selected the music from his own extensive record collection and secured the film rights for just under $100,000.
Unfortunately, Bakshi failed to secure subsidiary rights for some of the many songs featured in the film. Columbia Pictures suggested replacing certain songs in the film for the VHS release, but Bakshi repeatedly refused. The situation was eventually resolved.
Tony/Pete
Ron Thompson Frankie
Marya Small Louie
Jerry Holland Bella
Lisa Jane Persky Zalmie
Jeffrey Lippa Eva Tanguay
Roz Kelly Crisco
Frank De Kova Benny
Rick Singer Hannele
Elsa Raven Palumbo
Ben Frommer Nancy
Amy Levitt Leo Stern
Leonard Stone Little Pete
Eric Taslitz Izzy
Gene Borkan Beat Poet
Richard Moll Dwayne (voice)
Phillip Simms Little Zalmie
Marcello Krakoff Young Zalmie
Barney Pell Halley
Ken Johnson August
Gene Woodbury Space (voice)
Marc Levine Johnny
Ty Grimes Reed
Peter Glindeman Jeffrey
Auburn Burrell Freddie
Joey Camen Little Benny (voice)
Bert Autore Young Benny
Tony Autore Tony’s Brother
Johnny Brogna Tony’s Sisters
Dawn Agrella
Cari Anne Warder Curtis
D.A. Young
Director
Ralph Bakshi
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We actually hear “There are smiles that make us happy” as Zalmie hovers over his mother’s dead body at the site of the Triangle Fire.
The film covers American popular music from the pre-jazz age through rhythm and blues, 1950s rock ‘n’ roll, drug-laden psychedelia, and punk rock, finally ending with the onset of New Wave in the early 1980s.
