Review of Fire and Ice (1983) by Eric L — 24 May 2011

A study in contrasts to say the least. Like most of Bakshi's other work, Fire and Ice makes extensive use of rotoscoping. In fact I'd say this is probably the best rotoscoped movie I've ever seen, and I'm including both waking life and scanner darkly. Really I can't say enough about the animation they've done here. At the same time, it's perhaps one the dumbest movies I've ever seen. Animated or otherwise. The dialogue isn't especially interesting, and the plot is ham fisted as all hell. Of course you really shouldn't expect anything more ambitious than all that considering Bakshi's co-creator this time is Frank Frazetta, y'know the guy that does all the paintings of sinewy Conan-esque men alongside imperiled busty women, all of them appareled in chain mail butt floss. Also not helping the movie is the fact that the guys who actually wrote the script had until this movie only written for comics and/or star trek books. And I've never met anyone who had anything nice to say about star trek literature, except this one guy who had the dorm room across the hall from me. It's one the reasons I and everyone else made a point of having as little contact as possible with the guy. The movie's strengths and weaknesses are perhaps best displayed any of the multiple times the shot lingers on someone's posterior, to be sure they look lovely, but I have the sneaking suspicion that these moments don't add anything of substance to the rest of the movie.Course I dropped out of art school, so what do I know about art or substance.

Anyway it's a beautifully done movie, you should see it. You should especially see it with a sense of humor, and if possible with chemical adjuncts.