The World of Ralph Bakshi

Before The Simpsons, before Family Guy, and before Sausage Party, there was Ralph Bakshi, who remains one of the most distinct voices in all of animation, and who helped popularize mainstream adult-oriented animated features in the West. Let's take a few minutes to dive in and explore the worlds he created.
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Further Reading-
They Don't Make Them Like Ralph Bakshi Anymore: Interview by Marc Spitz- bit.ly/1MCVtsa
Inner City Hues: The Ralph Bakshi Q&A by Tony Best- bit.ly/2nsRApd
Ralph Bakshi- Surviving in Tough Times (2008)- bit.ly/2nKcFYi
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Listen on Spotify: bit.ly/ChillhopSpotify

[@TheRoyalOceanFilmSociety]

If no one gets the 'deranged cousin' joke, just go watch Cool World... and suffer.

[@Bill-zp2mt]

Love it dude, keep making amazing content ^^

[@Nemrex]

It's the poor man's Who Framed Roger Rabbit.

[@Cyriakx]

It's funny cause I'm the deranged cousin in my aunts living room.

[@boredincan]

The Royal Ocean Film Society unfortunately this was my introduction to Bakshi films... Followed by Lord Of The Rings. It's a wonder I kept going with it.

[@velociraptor4you3291]

Pogla The Grate "Cool World" was my introduction to Ralph Bakshi as well, but I seriously don't hate it.

[@Mclovin486]

His son, Eddie Bakshi, is actually my animation teacher at my college.

[@lucapeyrefitte6899]

Mclovin486 oh wow that’s really cool

[@draseusx2632]

Which college if I may ask?

[@Mclovin486]

NMSU

[@spiciestmemelord9706]

A fellow NMSU animation student! What are the odds?

[@coinexplorer]

Oh god what I’d give to meet his old man!!

[@WillScarlet16]

Everyone only associates Bakshi with the violence, sex and vulgarity, but there's so much more to him than that - he has real compassion for his characters and their pain. Moments like the mother in Heavy Traffic remembering her childhood, the 'Malcom the Cockroach' scene in Coonskin, the father-son scenes in American Pop - those, I think, are the real essence of Ralph Bakshi's philosophy.

[@th3azscorpio]

Indeed. His films are all of this and more. I love Bakshis films. They have a sincerity very few adult/mature animations can muster.

[@NelsonStJames]

Ralph Bakshi is probably going to be another one of those artists that aren't fully appreciated until after they've shuffled off this mortal coil.

[@Madbandit77]

Nelson Smith And that's the rub. Bakshi gave feature animation a much needed kick in the ass by dealing with mature/adult material when the medium was basically a assembly line ghetto. People probably thought he was a madman who deformed kid fantasies when he put out "Fritz" and "Heavy Trafffic". I think he was honest to the nines.

[@theguardian8317]

sad but probably true

[@hadensasser4937]

Nelson Smith I really like those last few words you said “shuffled off this mortal coil.” I think I should start saying that in place of “kicked the bucket” or “dead” but not all the time. But yeah, I haven’t seen a Ralph bakshi film yet and I really want to.

[@josephcalabrese6337]

When that day comes. I am going to morn the passing Ralph's life, more so than Richard William.

[@quartch7650]

@@hadensasser4937 kzbin.info/www/bejne/hoq9ZHuqZr2sjMU here's one

[@Blitzkrieg_Wolf]

Ralph Bakshi, A man who only knows too well the madness of the world, and how to paint it perfectly on a moving canvas... So many perfect classics of his (My personal favorite is "Wizards").

[@SebastianTinajero]

I love the feelings his art evokes in me , it's honest , and it's sorta like a dive bar vibe

[@alejandrorivas4585]

Sebastian Tinajero wizards especially

[@Againsthegradient]

College really pushed me to hate this guy but once leaving that realm of "Disney is the best" I really found a new appreciation for his films.

[@user-mh6ju3pg8c]

"Disney is the worst" now...

[@dirkdiggler.]

What fucking college did you go to?

[@mistersudz102]

@@dirkdiggler. seriously

[@dirkdiggler.]

@@mistersudz102 ya, no college students suck the teet of the mouse. And individuality is championed at campuses

[@crimsondynamo615]

@@dirkdiggler. maybe he discovered bakshi movies when he was in college. I discovered his movies when i was in high school and it certainly was enlightening.

[@1000OtherFoxes]

"When you take any of those things, racism, fascism and blow it out of proportion it starts to look ridiculous... When you satires any of those things it looses some of its power" Amazing

[@michaelrizea3108]

Well ya ... comedians are the most persecuted people in modern times because there certain things you can't joke about because they are offensive

[@cheetahluv210]

Well there’s robocop

[@Agave310]

@@michaelrizea3108 'persecuted' lol

[@ERoserie]

@@michaelrizea3108 *Gestures toward Dave Chapelle

[@jimjamjones5335]

Bakshi is one of the greatest movie animators, tracers what ever. Ever since I saw wizards his films have just got a string that is ready to be struck. He has such a style that is so gritty that its exceedingly tasteful.

[@patrickmarsh2538]

Had no idea he did Wizards

[@neilworms2]

Bakshi always struck me as wonderfully ambitious and woefully immature. I think the latter is what has kept serious adult animation a novelty in America. My favorite film of his is Heavy Traffic, but even while it has moments of brilliance it feels drenched in a kind of adolescent sleaze. I kind of wish someone as talented as Satoshi Kon stepped in at this time period, (or Plague Dogs was made about 10 years earlier) as early 70s hollywood was probably the only time American cinema could have adopted animation as a serious medium.

[@alejandrorivas4585]

Neil Clingerman a satoshi kon would definitely have changed our cinema, but theres a larger precedent for that sort of immaturity. He never said as much, but all of his films smell of the ennui of JD Salinger's Catcher in the Rye

[@wyattcamp6762]

Neil Clingerman I think that in creating such crude worlds, his movies ended up being juvenile. Satoshi Kon would have been a fantastic addition at this time but a decent amount of his work works best with present day settings. He would adapt but then we wouldn't have Paranoia Agent or Paprika.

On the other side, i think his style is in perfect balance, has both serious stuff and cartoon comedy, exactly what makes it so unique

[@FranklinBlunt]

Immature? Or reflective of society? People may easily confuse them.

[@killergoose7643]

A controversial opinion but I kind of agree

[@Xelets]

The Amazing World Of Ralphball.

[@canaisyoung3601]

I'd pay to see a Ben Bocquelet/Ralph Bakshi collab. It'd probably be illegal to show in some countries, given Ralph's art and Ben's cynicism.

[@About2Crash]

Fritz the Cat is one of my all time favorite films. He's got great moments in his other work, but it often feels disjointed and a lot of it can pass by you or seem to not be going anywhere. But when he's at his best, its as authentic as film making can get.

[@SirBlackReeds]

Late, but ironically, R. Crumb disliked that movie and claimed that Bakshi himself was repressed.

[@About2Crash]

@@SirBlackReeds As much as I love Crumb, he doesn't seem to be the kind of guy to like anybody doing anything with his work, so while I respect his opinion, they seem like completely different works entirely.

[@kevinr.3542]

Love Bashki and the look of 70s animation. Early Simpson's episodes, seasons 1 especially, has a style that looks to be hugely inspired by Ralph. In fact the dad character in Heavy Traffic looks a little like Homer. You can tell Matt Groening was a fan. The Simpson's animation style was refined and it lost that look. it's hard to describe but it's the weird, fluid, stretchy kind of animation where things/characters/facial expressions kind of pulsate, ungulate, shrink, expand, morph, etc. Much more alive and cool to watch.

[@IndeedVancho]

this is good food to sample in a song.

[@yunghoodie7534]

Austin Esquillin they have a Tyler the Creator song called garbage that has scenes of this in there. But no sounds of the show

[@mateodavidgutierrezgonzale6556]

Waiting for MF DOOM to pick this up, unless he already did.

[@jonnyboi9026]

The video has been used in some synced rap video's. Swaggerlikeuz is a good channel to find toons and hiphop synced.

[@alejandrorivas4585]

Mateo David Gutierrez Gonzalez very mf doom, that audio texture

[@guywhoever4518]

Done

[@birdleaf03]

Ralph inspires me to become an animator.. Far out..

[@yukowolfang8645]

*BOOOOOM*

[@AugustBreak]

Bakshi’s work is interesting to me. Especially with his work in the 60s, it’s almost a parody of the typical American life. It reminds me a lot of how I grew up. I grew up in a rich (for the first part of my life and then poor for the rest of it) white family. I had this expectation that I would be as an adult what I thought adults like me would behave like. Live in a suburban home with nice neighbors, work at a job with a bunch of other men my age, occasionally drink beer and shop at Target. Then as I grew up I realized how grimy and atypical the world is. I had a moment after a night of binge weed smoking where I thought “oh god I’m ghetto this isn’t how my life should be”. I’ve realized now that it’s just what life is like. It’s dirty and it’s grimy. That’s what fascinates me about Bakshi. Where other cartoons show these clean and sanitized worlds, we see the real, dirty, grimy world that is city life. I love it.

[@KenyoMurabu]

You went from a Rich Life with good neighbors to Drinking & Smoking & visiting Target, to the Poor Life? Did you even redeem yourself even a little? I take it, when half the money was gone, it wasn't enough to convince you to think? Somethings wrong here? Anyways, good luck in the future, glad ya figured things out... =D Btw, the world is not dirt... There are good people out there, you just need to find them... They are pretty much the rare kind that are found in the least of most places you'd think to look... Good Neighborhoods with good friendships may have a decent person in them or so, but if you live in a large city, your not likely to find probably anyone who is this special... You might find a worker who is willing to help get you cleaned up, but I mean, it's pretty rare to find people like this... But you are right, there are pretty crummy people out in the world, some are worst then others, o_@ The Animations by Bakshi, is pretty good, & they do show real life problems, & they are not like anything today... I do like their work, however some of it is over done to the extreme, like where they are out of control, but it's not about the theme or what happens that he's good at, it's his Art Style, his Stories... That are good... Like his Lord Of The Rings (1978), & Rock & Rule (1983), ^_-

[@coolguy02536]

It's dirty, it's grimy, it's all slimy.

[@magicman3163]

August Break aren’t his movies about bad urban life in the 70’s

[@darktetsuya]

some years ago I rediscovered 'heavy metal' and it lead me down a rabbit hole of the late 70s/early 80s adult animation... naturally ralph bakshi's stuff wasn't far behind! seen a few of his films, fire and ice, wizards, and probably the hobbit many years ago! something about the gritty visuals, and the way the sound was recorded I've never seen much of anything like it since! I follow his facebook and the one I'm really curious about is american pop, seems like it would be a really good story and sounds like there's a lot of music involved.

[@TheBloodyloon]

American Pop is by far the best of his works, and I highly recommended anyone intrigued by this video to watch it. The history of American rock and roll, where beauty grows in the darkest places.

[@SirBlackReeds]

Late, but it's actually his most middling film and shows that he has a greater understanding of history over music history.

[@stphnmrrs3982]

Bakshi's films are the animated equivalent of the poems and books of the Beat Generation. Even tho they came out a too late to be embraced by the Beatniks

[@SCORPION89199]

Ralph bakshi, I never really understood this guy was he just did he just enjoy showing pain and anger and disturbing stuff and his cartoons was he trying to make a point that this is just the way life is because some of the stuff he puts in his cartoons seems pro-communist and anti-American, according to his cartoons of what I've watched, he seemed to be pro-communist he didn't seem to like America very much it's fine to show the problems in everyday America but if that's all you do all the time you're not doing you yourself or anybody else any favors he didn't really offer any solutions he just basically showed how evil and how dark and how strange and how to pray the world is but he never did anything really positive not to the extent that he had a movie like that it was always about drugs and racism and why does he always make the cops and the pigs that's anti-American yes some cops are pigs and they don't care about the law but that doesn't mean all cops and to say that it does mean that makes you an anti-American and makes you throw Marxism which is not only that but a lot of the problems that we have in our country today are because of people who either were pro-communist or let the government be taken over by globalism and socialism (and yes some capitalism is bad if it's crony capitalism this guy was the wrong kind of cynical I don't know why he never made anything butt rough social commentary) he must really have been confused and Ralph must not have understood that a lot of the problems they had in the 60s and 70s and even today are because of the Communists the socialists the marxists and the crony capitalists (not regular capitalism I like the founding fathers intended) in the founding fathers actually had laws and rules to protect businesses and to protect the people who would have been overrun with not only capitalism but big corporations who have no interest in mind except money even if people die for them to get it.

[@SCORPION89199]

Everyone who believes that communism or Marxism is good should read the book color communism and common Sense written about a defector in the black community who was a high-ranking Communists who woke up one day and realized that it wasn't helping him and it was making his country worse, whose name was Manning Johnson he died in 1959 but after he left the party in 1945 he spent the next 14 years (until his death in 1959, from a car wreck) he spent the rest of his life exposing the Communist party all they had taught him and their tactics and all of the things that he had been through the Communist party where a lot of people like him who had darker skin were sent to meet people at the Kremlin in Moscow Russia, were the Russians had decided years before that they were going to use soft words and pretend to help black Americans gain their freedom against Jim Crow segregation in the rampant racism that the government was pushing back then. Mr Johnson was blackmailed for thinking differently and he was a government Target because much of the government had been infiltrated by the same people he had parted ways with in 1945 and he realized when he left in that year that he was being used as a sort of Cannon father as well as others that look like him to take down America and divided people even more.

[@StephenWorth]

If you want to see the essence of Ralph, check out Last Days of Coney Island. He made that pretty much by himself in his 80s. It's pure Bakshi.

[@christineantal5045]

I've never heard of Bakshi, but he seems like exactly what I need right now. Great video as always, man, keep it up!!

[@kostajovanovic3711]

He made the first x rated animated film, for starters

[@rained649]

actually... well yeah, in america at least. before that there was cleopatra (1970) and a thousand and one nights (1969) in japan.

[@slashingkatie7872]

Thomas Antal he's interesting in that he was someone who felt that animation could be made for adults as well. Seems like nothing now but in the 60s and 70s, cartoons were still viewed as children's entertainment. In a weird way he sowed the seeds of adult animation today. He was a bit of a loose cannon though. We forget though when the Simpsons first debuted people were like "you can't make s cartoon for adults!!" Now animation geared at adults is everywhere. Archer, South Park, Rick and Morty. Yes Anime fans, we see you there.

[@j.vonhavre1741]

Katie, that's incorrect. Cartoons have been geared for an adult audience since as early as the 30s with Betty boop. Looney toons in the 40s and Flintstones in the 50s. Who do you think Fred was promoting pal-mal ciggaretes to?

[@PIKMIN_PROPHET712]

Check out *ROCK & RULE* mate

[@samguy7654]

This video just introduced me to Ralph Bakshi.. seems really *cool* and *existential*..

[@CesarACastillo]

Eddie's stories are the real Soups for the Soul books. He doesn't censor life and more people need to appreciate his work.

[@erniewaterson5833]

Could you do a video on Don Bluth. I think he is one of the 20th centuries greatest story tellers in animation. He created arguably one of the greatest animated films of all time "The Secret of NIMH."

[@fandude666]

you could argue that both Don Bluth and Bakshi did what animation needed, Bluth made movies that showed children movies to be dark and gritty, yet still find hope for a better tomorrow. Bakshi however showed that animation doesn't have to be for kids, or that you don't even need the biggest budget to be successful

[@Nyrufa]

It wasn't until many years later that I realized most of the sequels to his animated classics tried to imitate disney musicals. The dark, atmospheric artwork even change to being more bright and colorful. Just look at the Land Before Time and then take a look at... like, ANY of its sequels.

[@funkyweapon1981]

Corporate meddling at its worst.

[@williamcrowe2576]

Most times when I think of Don Bluth, I tend to think of the video game trilogy he'd created alongside Rick Dyer.

[@Dino23968]

The Top 10 Don Bluth movies 10.Rock A Doodle 9.A Troll In Central Park 8.Thumbelina 7.Titan A.E. 6.Anastasia 5.Dragon's Lair 4. An American Tail 3.The Land Before Time 2.The Secret Of NIMH 1.All Dogs Go To Heaven Any comments?

[@benny1132]

After watching some of these clips of his movies I feel cold. Not literally but figuratively. Just cold. As if I’m just sitting down and watching the world destroy itself not even caring. And just feeling cold and sad

[@PurpYoshii]

kinda like the real world

[@NintendasticoAnimations]

After I read that comment, I saw this: 2:36

[@alexdp7526]

My mum used to watch this stuff and I didn't think anything of it because she only ever mentioned it offhand. I just watched this video on a whim, and I am overwhelmed with emotion. Beautiful. I can't wait to watch something of his. You've made a fantastic advertisement!

[@kyleshiflet9952]

When it comes to animators Bakshi and Tex Avery are my favorite cause both are talented animators and did so much for the animation world

[@greengorilla6325]

THIS RESLLY ONE OF THE BEST YOURUBE VIDEOS EVER

[@ukmell]

Could you do a video on flashbacks, and how their used in film. None of you video essay peeps have done one.

[@jnru3ns4N3]

Mel cinefix did a top ten i think where they briefly looked as great usages of flashbacks, though it was brief, it was highly informative

[@famuel2604]

would recommend Folding Ideas second video on man of steel, where he talks about how flashbacks are structured in regards to the rest of the film

[@supyoist]

God, I love that exchange you put in there at the end. Just as true today, kids like to employ the term "existential" to make themselves sound deep and it's all just losing its meaning. Great video as always.

[@redcrowinparadise]

Stop getting mad about Youth of Today in Current Year you fuckin snob.

[@ZeebouSpace]

I agree, but there are always other intelligent words you can use.

[@JackOfen]

It's not about the kids of "today" it's about college kids in general, who think they have the world figured out and are smarter then everyone else, but in reality have no clue how the real world works, because they have been so sheltered and pampered.

[@kongtzi2704]

It's been happening since even before the term was actually introduced to the English speaking world.

[@milascave2]

Not just today. Baskhi made that commentary back in the sixties.

[@ianrotten4453]

Thanks for this upload. I've been waiting for someone to finally cover 70'/80's American/Canadian adult animation. I've been a fan ever since I saw Fritz The Cat and Rock & Rule back in the early 80's. It's my favorite form of storytelling. These guys along with Bakshi, are (in my mind), what Walt Disney should've been. Someday, Criterion should release all of these gems in a box set.

[@carolyns4519]

I've been praying for a Bakshi Criterion set for years. The Criterion Channel hosted Coonskin a while ago so he's on their radar...one can only dream...

[@TrashPics04]

I would add that his world, mannerisms etc are very late 60's toearly 70's. You got to watch at least one or two of his films to get a better understanding, or at least feeling of this time.

[@andregusmao5472]

this is by far your best video! The last two were a but repetitive but this one just blew those ones out of the water, you really captured something unique which other video essaist are not doing!

[@anfrac3700]

5:41 “The worlds he creates often wind up looking a lot like his own” The footprints he left in the snow appear to be from his shoes

[@mauriciocamposnoemi9721]

American Pop is one of the most underated films of all times

[@dildonius]

Mauricio Campos Noemi as is most of not all of Bakshis films. Fritz the Cat, Wizards, Heavy Traffic, LotR...

[@osmanyousif7849]

What about Fire and Ice?

[@kingamoeboid3887]

I’m surprised that Ralph carried a tape recorder to record dialogue which he makes the dialogue seem genuine.

[@dildonius]

The One Man Army I think he only did that for Heavy Traffic, because that film called for many scenes that divert from the main story to take a look at the people of the world the main character resides in, as well as using real people for the backgrounds to help paint a clearer picture of that world. Oh. Actually I think he did a little of that in Fritz the Cat.

[@russianfunkerroma]

@@dildonius He also did that before in Fritz the Cat. Dialogues in bars and workers dialogue in the intro scene were recorded with random people.

[@angelusdemorte3]

This is superbly done! For such an underrated creator...

[@paleoartstudios783]

Great video. The 20-something writer sounds a lot like me. I relate to him very much with my love for writing, drawing, and fantasy.

[@SauraElanthier]

This was probably the best, short summary of his work I've found so far!

[@kingkash4869]

animation is really a beautiful art. makes my eyes water with emotion

[@slicedtopieces]

Fritz the Cat blew my mind. The 70s was a violent time and I had no idea...

[@dildonius]

Hugh Walker every era of humanity is a violent time. Today is no different

[@MrMrpostmn]

Thank you for the introduction to Ralph Bakshi. It seems there's a lot more to him it shall be a fun, trippy, personal journey of discovery into his works.

[@CommonNeon]

I've recently found out about Bakshi, and I've only seen one of his films so far. Which was Fritz The Cat. I am going to watch more of his films. I am very interested in 70's and 80's animation. I really like his art style and animation. I hope to someday become an animator, and Ralph is now one of my inspirations. I think his work is very interesting and I want to watch more of it. Great video, man.

[@paint9er]

binged lots of Bakshi films during this quarantine summer. thank you for this!

[@petersmith9633]

Love Bakshi, and American Pop is one of my all time favorite films.

[@vmiximv]

love the sensory edits ta enhance the experience and focus! your one of the best reporters I have found on YT

[@andrewantretter4279]

I enjoyed this. There really is a sense of constant observation of people and the world we live in. Sometimes the best things to write about are the stories happening around you.

[@MigPlz91LivestreamOnly]

Fritz the Cat was one of my favorite Bakshi creations

[@Stylianou54]

I first watched this video the day it released. It’s aged with me, watched it over 20 times. Brilliant work

[@chrisfeistner8294]

His stuff was the best. You never knew what was going to happen, you saw your own family, friends, everyone in his films and animation. A true genius! Thank you Ralph!

[@SirBlackReeds]

Late, but it really wasn't. After Wizards, it all goes downhill. The Lord of The Rings is bloated and he was simply not the right director for the job. He is counterculture(?) and J.R.R. Tolkien was a fundamentalist Catholic. American Pop is a very middling feature that shows he has a better understanding of history over music history. Hey Good Lookin' lacks the bite and satire of Coonskin/Street Fight. His heart wasn't fully in Fire & Ice, and Cool World was infamously tampered with, so it became a shadow of its former self. Ironically, The Cool and The Crazy, a live-action film, had been his best feature in years.

[@chepepuy]

Congratulations, man. You did it. You really did it. This is perfectly done. Documentary level work!

[@gallumsgorner6185]

‘The World of Ralph Bakshi’ is the world we live in.

[@SirBlackReeds]

Late, but it's actually closer to the world of Fahrenheit 451.

[@Herowebcomics]

I enjoy seeing how reality looks through the filter of an artist like this!

[@funnypatrol123]

your editing style is very interesting. good work

[@S9L8x]

Love your channel. Even more so, now that you've covered Bakshi. Keep it up.

[@Huneiyue]

What a great video essay!! Absolutely fantastic!! I applaud to you!

[@amichael3401]

I grew up always catching these movies staying up late channel surfing and I was always enthralled by them because they really did take a contemporary look at the world that was around the artist at the time. I think works like his could stand to see a revival even if it's just in the small independent film circles.

[@jc128744]

Excellent. Thank you for crafting this.

[@roontoon5806]

Thanks for putting this together. Great overview

[@IllaMatik222]

Ralph's artstyle and movies have a relatable vibe when you see the world for what it is...... Also without him I wouldn't have the dope name.

[@johnmccarthy4134]

Heavy Traffic might as well be the most underrated animated film of all time.

[@livndeadgrl0555]

I loved Ralph Bakshi's movies n Don Bluth's films as well n color palletes in both of them. too bad movies aren't made that good anymore...

[@kennyhagan5781]

Nicely done dude. I've been a fan of Baksi movies since the mid seventies. 🏆

[@ezrastardust3124]

I know this is a really overly ambitious thing to say, but I want to try and follow in Ralph’s footsteps, creating animated films that tell genuinely complex and sobering stories I’m currently taking a course in film and screenwriting at university, working on numerous scripts and art/writing projects, hoping to start up my own animation/filmmaking company and introduce a new generation to this kind of unique storytelling

[@DocMortsnarg]

His movies that are set in city environments remind me of my childhood

[@creepdimensions2405]

I keep coming back to this video again and again.

[@ericpeterson2975]

I like how take five is in the background

[@hambonesmithsonian8085]

This is such an underrated video. I was blessed to watch this while under the influence of a psychedelic. Watching this video spoke to my soul. I believe other young men would benefit from seeing this under the same conditions. It was healing.

[@BClocals]

This was really great! I've always wondered about the director of Cool World. Now I'm embarking into all his amazing work.

[@stevengreen9536]

Wow this was deconstructed very well.I believe i have watched every film listed.But this has given me something to think about.

[@dildonius]

Bakshi's work might be my absolute most favourite pieces of media of all time. Fritz the Cat, Heavy Traffic, and American Pop are certainly three of my absolute most favourite animated films and have been a major influence upon me in so many ways. All three encapsulate the very essance of the gritty urban world and drug culture and so much more. It speaks to me on the most base, instinctual level. Every time I watch them, I am reminded even more why I need to escape this puerile Southern Californian suburb that I've been stuck in for so much of my life and get back home. Either my literal hometown of Toronto or, preferably, my spiritual and familial hometown of Montréal. I need the grit. The concrete jungle. The constant action. The opportunity for art in all its forms. The written word, film, sketch comedy, supplemented by the ability to find all manner of other artists to collaborate and create with as well. Or if all else fails, the ability to get positively loaded, kick back and absorb the artistic creations of others and take in the A E S T H E T I C of the big city and big city life.

[@ashknoecklein]

Great video! I am going to revisit a whole mess of Bakshi this weekend.

[@39thlink]

Just great stuff man

[@MemeMeme-to4ht]

This is one of the best video essays I've ever seen. Keep it up, dood.

[@NJPictures]

Wow. Long time Bakshi fan. You just did serious justice to his work. Thank you.

[@Nurpus]

His colour pallet and animation style just depresses me whenever I look at his films... and not in a good way. Anyone else?

[@TalhaMansoor]

I think it's meant to be like that

[@jasperpuccinelli5856]

Nurpus I like it, the color pallets evokes the bright lights and dark corners of big city life, and in a mystical setting it works almost as well

[@SebastianTinajero]

Nurpus i think that's what beautiful about art it evokes different feelings in every different person, for me his color pallet gives me almost a nostalgic feeling without the nostalgia , a weird appealing feeling about the real world instead of the bright always happy clean looks that most animation back then focused mainly on, the crooks and crannies the dirt no one looks into. Kinda like the difference in feeling and atmosphere a dive bar gives as oppose to a fancy club

[@SpiritOfRadio2112]

Being depressed isn't supposed to feel good.

[@jmwilliams88]

Same for me. I know it's intentional, but his visual aesthetic is aggressively ugly.

[@TheSchmuck2]

really nice to see someone appreciate so much what Ralph was getting at. Great video.

[@piebot8675309]

Funny, I just started getting into Bakshi's work, watched Fritz the Cat a couple weeks ago and I keep showing the trailer to my friend. Solid video, gotta watch more of his stuff.

[@lgmzproductions]

Congratulations for your chanel!! I really like your show don't tell style. Thank you for making youtube a place to discover awesome artists!! Saludos desde España

[@bobsbigboy_]

Amazing video, man! And perfect way to end the video haha

[@MortenEng]

LONG LIVE RALPH BAKSHI! LONG LIVE ANIMATION!

[@michaelalameda2002]

He's still alive...

[@shaulea]

good video on the man behind many of my favourite films of all time. theres something about his style that i just love, even elements of his films that may be considered "objectively" bad (like the low quality audio in fritz the cat- my favourite film of all time) it all gives off a distinct style that ive yet to see anyone replicate.

[@Massck]

I haven't heard of him before, but this is a great first impression of his works

[@gokud.ryuzaki4836]

This has been some great and interesting video.

[@Jackson-th3th]

For some reason this video essay always put me at ease

[@empteeTV]

It will never cease to amaze me how underrated and overlooked this genius is. I'm happy to say his films seeped into my conscience and have forever left their indelible mark. Thank you Ralph

[@2l84me8]

I like to come back to watch this video every now and again. It’s oddly soothing.

[@nerdsman567]

Honestly, I would've LOVED to have seen Ralph Bakshi direct an animated adult- oriented retelling of "Alice in Wonderland." While I'm not exactly a die-hard fan of Bakshi's work, I do admire some of his visual sensibilities in animation and I think he could've done some very unique and interesting things, both visually and thematically, with his version of "Wonderland." Especially since the story of Alice parallels with a lot of Bakshi's recurring themes in his films as mentioned here, with the main character wanting more out of life and taking refuge within their own imaginary world as a means of escaping their everyday life.

[@axelpatrickb.pingol3228]

Why bother with that? Just go read Lost Girls by Alan Moore...

[@SirBlackReeds]

Late, but why in addition to what Axel said, you could also just play through the American McGee Alice games.

[@Vans3151]

I actually didn't know about him just now. Wow he does make great animation and we need more animation like these.

[@animatorkiwiblackfootedfer6328]

What an beautiful animator... He has to be one of my favorite. :0>

[@damienofthedamned]

So here's long haul: Growing up, my parents and my grandmother were of the impression, "its animated, so it must be for kids". They'd put the movie, and I'd get quite an unforgettable viewing that burns into my memory and influences my taste in media 😁.

[@gabe_s_videos]

The mother in Heavy Traffic was my aunt Terry! She was nowhere near as cynical, though.

[@-aquamarine-324]

this is the best analyzation of Ralph Bakshi i've ever seen, nice dude

[@jessebarnett4733]

I think this is one of your less educational, more artistic videos and I love it

[@kclowney97]

This was so good that I thought this was “every frame a painting”

[@johnerwin9024]

Wow, so much material out there with his signature :))

[@buh2001j]

I love Bakshi and I really wanted to enjoy this video but it comes off as a shallow reading of him and his work. Nothing from Last Days of Coney Island? He didn't write 'Cool World' and had the entire concept of the script changed on him, so it seems like a cheap shot calling it a 'derranged cousin' to be suffered through. There is a lot more to the 'essence of a Ralph Bakshi movie/world' than what you're showing here. You don't talk about his representation of race, or really anything specific. I get that his protagonists are similar but to condense them down to all being the same discredits Bakshi and the films. I'm sure this was made out of appreciation for Bakshi's work but I don't think you're doing him or it justice.

[@charliedalencour5141]

Jesse Sanchez I feel like this is more of a trailer of his work than a video essay. Like I've yet to see any of his films but honestly I was sold at the intro. I was able to watch this, see a sample of who the artist is, and then go on my own and watch his movies and experience all of those great themes you are talking about for my own and have my own thoughts on them. This isn't a replacement for a His regular style of video essays but it's really just not those same types of videos. He's trying something different and though I wouldn't like it for everything I think it works for the artist he was representing

[@Blackburn-Arts]

I would love to see how he represents Puerto Ricans

[@buh2001j]

It's the title that messes it up for me more than anything. Calling it 'the world of' sounds far more comprehensive than just 'a sample of the artist's (work)' as you're reading it. The label doesn't match what is in the video. I'm all for people discovering Bakshi -but if this is presenting his 'world' it's a shallow reading of a very significant career.

[@uddhavsrivilasan8460]

He doesn't discredit Bakshi in the least. The video merely offers one person's insight into the creator's creative process, if not the creator's work. As for the specifics, why don't you try sharing what you understood in Bakshi's movies? If you have something to say about the specific representation of racial stereotypes, cultures and whatnot, why not write a blog or post a video essay or something? 'Cause really, if you have something to share then don't keep it all to yourself.

[@fissshy7]

Yeah, I think we can cut the guy some slack for not being exact with his titles, he's not trying to do a documentary nor a thorough video on the issue, it's shallow, but just a prompt to let you know what he's talking about. Not all his, or anybodies videos needs to be all the nine yards, he does a quick analysis, what he see's from the movies and their core, and thats that, already hooked. It's hard to give credit to every protag that Ralph has done, so he tries to make a comparison between them all to intrigue people in all of the movies, not just one or two.

[@williamcrowe2576]

I can kind of relate to the Every Man in films like *Heavy Traffic* and so forth, because I'd been there; high school, intercity bus rides, etc.

[@TheeSlickShady_Dave_K]

Fkn nailed it 🏆 Liked and subbed

[@TheSirDominic]

Holy shit dude i loved this, well done