Fritz the Cat **** (1972, voice of Skip Hinnant, Rosetta LeNoire, John McCurry, Judy Engles, Phil Seuling) – Classic Movie Review 9566

Writer-director Ralph Bakshi’s 1971 feature film debut Fritz the Cat is a naughty, outrageous satirical cartoon for switched-on early Seventies adults about the adventures of a raunchy New York alley puss, Fritz the Cat (voice of Skip Hinnant), in New York City during the mid-1960s (‘happy times, heavy times’), based on the characters from legendary underground artist Robert Crumb’s comic strip.

Bakshi hits his satirical targets of the era’s college life, race relations, the free love movement. It is impressively drawn and imagined, and is sophisticated, funny, gross adult animation entertainment.

It is the first animated film to receive the Motion Picture Association of America X rating and is the all-time most successful independent animated feature.

Also with the voices of Rosetta LeNoire as Big Bertha / additional voices, John McCurry as Blue / John, Judy Engles as Winston Schwartz / Lizard Leader, Phil Seuling as Pig Cop #2 / Additional voices, Ralph Bakshi as Pig Cop #1 / Narrator, Mary Dean as Sorority Girls / Harriet and Charles Spidar as Bar Patron / Duke the Crow.

Fritz the Cat tries to pick up a trio of young females at Washington Square Park.

College cartoon major Bakshi founded his own studio, Bakshi Productions in 1967, after 10 years with the Terrytoons studio. In 1969, Bakshi bought a copy of R. Crumb’s Fritz the Cat (1969) in the East Side Book Store and suggested to his producer partner Steve Krantz, that it would work as a film. Crumb was enthusiastic but unsure about the film’s production and refused to sign a contract but his wife Dana had power of attorney and signed the contract.

In spring 1970, Warner Bros agreed to fund and distribute the film, but Bakshi refused when Warner executives wanted the sexual content toned down and to cast big names for the voices.  This led to a deal with Jerry Gross, the owner of Cinemation Industries, an exploitation film distributor. Further financing came from Saul Zaentz, who agreed to distribute the soundtrack album on his Fantasy Records label.

Ralph Bakshi (born October 29, 1938).

Fritz the Cat was a major hit, grossing more than $90 million worldwide, and Bakshi stated: ‘We made the film for $700,000. Complete.’ It was acclaimed for its sharp satire and social commentary and its animation innovations, paving the way for animated works for adults. Inevitably, not everybody liked it, and there was criticism for the use of profanity, sex and drug in an animated film, then mainly a children’s medium. Crumb had disagreements over the film’s political content, which he thought critical of the political left.

Fritz the Cat is directed by Ralph Bakshi, runs 77 minutes, is made by Fritz Productions, Steve Krantz Productions, Aurica, Black Ink, Cinemation, is written by Ralph Bakshi, is shot by Ted C Bemiller and Gene Borghi, is produced by Steve Krantz, and is scored by Ed Bogas and Ray Shanklin.

See also the sequel The Nine Lives of Fritz the Cat (1974), produced without Crumb’s or Bakshi’s involvement.

Bakshi directed seven more animated features, including Wizards (1977), The Lord of the Rings (1978), American Pop (1981) and Fire and Ice (1983).

© Derek Winnert 2020 Classic Movie Review 9566

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