Heavy Traffic (1973)

Director:

Ralph Bakshi

Writer:

Ralph Bakshi (writer)

Release Date:

17 November 1973 (Sweden)

Genre:

Animation | Comedy | Drama

Tagline:

Heavy Entertainment!

Plot:

Michael, a Jewish-Italian cartoonist with a black girlfriend tries to make it in New York City.

Plot Keywords:

Surreal | Disturbing | Male Virgin | Social Commentary | Violence

Cast

Joseph Kaufmann	...	Michael Corleone
Beverly Hope Atkinson	...	Carole
Frank DeKova	...	Angelo "Angie" Corleone (voice)
Terri Haven	...	Ida Corleone (voice)
Mary Dean Lauria	...	Molly (voice)
Jacqueline Mills	...	Rosalyn Schecter (voice)
Lillian Adams	...	Rosa (voice)
Jamie Farr
Robert Easton
Charles Gordone	...	(voice)
Michael Brandon	...	Voice characterization
Morton Lewis	...	(voice)
Bill Striglos	...	(voice)
Jay Lawrence	...	(voice)
Lee Weaver	...	(voice)

Runtime:

77 min | Argentina:79 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English | Italian | Yiddish

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Canada:R (Manitoba/Nova Scotia/Ontario) | West Germany:18 | Canada:14A | Canada:18+ (Quebec) | Australia:R | Finland:K-18 | Norway:18 | Sweden:15 | UK:18 | USA:R (edited for re-rating) | USA:X | Argentina:18

Filming Locations:

New York City, New York, USA

Trivia:

Half way into production as Bakshi was fired (before being re-hired). A different director stepped in and animated a train sequence in which Michael goes to visit his brother-in-law. He is on a subway and witness' a woman sleeping while two men begin to undress her. Michael just watches. As the woman wakes up, she screams "rape" toward Michael. This was in the original script. But was scrapped when Bakshi returned to the project.

Quotes:

[first lines]
Michael: What makes you happy? What makes you happy? Where do you go? Where do you go? Where do you hide? Where do you hide? Who do you see? Who do you see? Who do you trust? Who do you trust? Who do you screw? Who do you screw? What kills the pain? What kills the pain? Game up, game win. Bug around, set it straight. Transaction. Play it hard, hurts so bad. Gotta win. Everyone loses. Everthing loses. Gotta win big. Sick and tired of losing. Where does it all go? Where does it all go? Where does it lead us? Where does it lead us? Tilt City, Pinball Alley. Blinkin' lights shot to Hell, fuck it all!

Movie Connections:

References Breakdown (1952)

Soundtrack:

Twist & Shout

A creative animated masterpiece with human drama.

Made after the X-Rated animated film, "Fritz the Cat," Ralph Bakshi's "Heavy Traffic" is considered to be his greatest work. Like all of Bakshi's films, it emerged amidst a storm of controversy due to its sexual and violent animated content. However, once the viewer gets beyond the shock of seeing an animated film with adult attitude, the symbolic details and creative genius of the work becomes apparent.

The film follows a young animator as he struggles to get out of his domestic situation, and to sell his films. The film is an extremely personal account of director Bakshi's own early life. As the story unfolds, the viewer sees the difficulties of growing up in an economically and socially depraved household, as well as in a racist environment. The main character struggles to find out who he is, and what he must do to free himself of all the restrictions around him. This is all a symbolic representation of Bakshi's own struggle to have his bold and adult natured animated films accepted among critics and the film world.

As for the creative efforts of the film, it is incredible and fascinating. Bakshi brilliantly meshes a wonderful musical soundtrack with all styles of creative animated symbolism, without losing its personal human touch. The end result is a creative animated masterpiece about growing up and becoming a free and confident adult, while challenging the contraints of society and the censors.