This is a rather splendid arrangement of experimental animated shorts, set to accompanyment by classical symphonic works and held together by a live action main story. Released in 1977 as a sort of Italian refutation of Disney's "Fantasia," the film reached moderate cult status amongst certain circles as a psychedelic tour de force. Included with the main film is a compendium of often bizarre animated works from the film's producer/director and braintrust (Bruno Bozzetto), as well as a documentary style short with the cast and crew. Watching the film now, without any, uh, "accompanyment," was still quite an enjoyable revisitation. However, this revisitation also brought about a realization of the unbalanced quality of the effort. Some of the shorts were just wonderfully constructed, showcasing the music perfectly, while others seemed to miss the mark a bit. Overall, though, this was a great cult film to revisit. Important last note: although the main film is appropriate for all ages, there is brief nudity and adult themes in the accompanying "Special Features" compendium of animated shorts.
Review of Allegro non troppo
