I had watched this film from Ralph Bakshi (Wizards, Hey Good Lookin'), 13 years ago on a video website, and I didn't see anything racial. Well, I do admit the character designs are a bit crude and unacceptable in this modern era, but I think it's a satire and a very, very urban retelling of the old Uncle Remus stories that the Black American culture created, right down to the main characters and the blatant nod to "The Tar Baby" and "The Briar Patch." These aren't bigoted stories, mind you, but cultural icons created by black Americans, and me being a white woman, I read and loved those stories. And I also found it an interesting time capsule view of black culture in Harlem, New York, in the 1970s.
Well, to get to the nitty-gritty of this film: This is a live-action/animated film that begins in live action with a fellow named Sampson and the Preacherman rushing to help their friend, Randy, escape from prison, but are stopped by a roadblock and wind up in a shootout with the police. While waiting for them, Randy unwillingly listens to fellow escapee Pappy as he begins to tell Randy the animated story of Brother Rabbit, a young newcomer to the big city who quickly rises from obscurity to rule over all of Harlem. You know, to me, Rabbit, Bear, and Fox are the animal versions of Randy, Sampson, and the Preacherman.
So anyway, it is another good Bakshi movie. And should we sweep films like this under the rug? Pretend they never existed? I think that would be a shame. I think we should watch these films and learn about what went on back then and just how far we've come since then.
Well, to get to the nitty-gritty of this film: This is a live-action/animated film that begins in live action with a fellow named Sampson and the Preacherman rushing to help their friend, Randy, escape from prison, but are stopped by a roadblock and wind up in a shootout with the police. While waiting for them, Randy unwillingly listens to fellow escapee Pappy as he begins to tell Randy the animated story of Brother Rabbit, a young newcomer to the big city who quickly rises from obscurity to rule over all of Harlem. You know, to me, Rabbit, Bear, and Fox are the animal versions of Randy, Sampson, and the Preacherman.
So anyway, it is another good Bakshi movie. And should we sweep films like this under the rug? Pretend they never existed? I think that would be a shame. I think we should watch these films and learn about what went on back then and just how far we've come since then.