Bakshi Pop

AMERICAN POP-1981-This is an unusual musical mostly animated drama from Ralph Bakshi. It goes through several generations of a Russian Jewish immigrant who come to the US to escape the Cossacks. He winds up as a Burlesque Singer, marries, gets involved with organized crime, loses his son in WW 2 and turns state's evidence in the '50's. It touches on The Beats, TV, alienation and restless youth. His grandson becomes a Kerouac type character hitching across the US, hanging out with hobos, washing dishes, smoking dope with hippies, tripping on acid and writing song lyrics. He becomes an addict and eventually a runaway he befriends becomes a pusher/lyricist (?). Many famous songs are partially performed but none by the original artists.

Bakshi made this three years after his disappointing version of LORD OF THE RINGS.

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