It had been years since I even thought about watching Ralph Bakshi’s animated feature, Wizards. I had seen it in passing at the various video stores I worked at over the years. It wasn’t hard to miss with that iconic image and all white box. I know I picked it up and tried to watch it at least once. For some reason I never made it past the blending of the different styles of animation. Since the film was celebrating its 35th anniversary (and its first Blu-ray release) I decided to give it another chance.
After a series of great wars and catastrophes, our world as we know it is gone. A new one has been born populated by elves, fairies, and mutants. The why and the how all this came to be is revealed in a prologue. Our story begins with two wizard brothers and their final fight for supremacy over the world. Avatar (Bob Holt) uses the magic in nature and believes in peace and love. The other brother, Blackwolf (Steve Gravers) uses technology and methods from the world that was before. Avatar enlists the help of Weehawk (Richard Romanus), an elfin warrior, Elinore (Jesse Welles), the warrior princess, and Peace (David Proval), a reformed assassin, in the hopes to take down his brother.
It is evident that writer/director Ralph Bakshi was influenced by “The Lord of the Rings” books (an animated film he would release a year later). The quest itself is a story that is an old as time, stop evil with warriors that are of pure of heart. What is so strange and unique about Wizards is its blending of different mediums into one film. Bakshi uses rotoscoping, stills, newsreels, and paints over old war footage. The effect is mesmerizing whatever your current condition is (stoned or sober). Yet, in this world that has been completely turned upside down, it works.
The message of the film is incredibly heavy handed, “They have weapons and technology, all we have is love”. Obviously, Wizards is a product of its age (1977). However, if you take that into consideration I have to find fault with the film’s ending. Avatar talks a great deal about peace and love and finding a non-aggressive method of taking down his brother. At the site of the Land of Scorch Avatar begins to use his magic to populate the land with flowers if only to show the inhabitants the world doesn’t have to be like this. His final solution to stop his brother is so out of character that his final words to Weehawk become meaningless. I waited for some sort of retort after the film’s story ended, but there was nothing. Bakshi missed his own point and for this reason, perhaps, Wizards has only a niche audience.
Since this was the film’s first release on Blu-ray I was pleasantly surprised how many film cells I could see. In being an animated film it was great to be able to see the various layers of paint and production that went into it. The colors were rich and vibrant. It was as if you could smell the paint on the screen. There aren’t many truly 2D animated films anymore. With each scratch, layer, and fingerprint I grew more appreciative of Bakshi’s film.
Wizards might not be for everyone with its style, confused message, and psychedelic images. The 35th Anniversary Edition Blu-ray is perfect collectors. It supports a 24 page collectible book, commentary by Bakshi, a still gallery, and plenty of trailers.
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4. South Park: The Complete Fifteenth Season [Blu-ray]
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