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DVD Fire and Ice (2-Disc Limited Edition)
The mighty-muscled heroes and big-bottomed babes of fantasy artist Frank Frazetta inspired animator Ralph Bakshi (Fritz the Cat, Wizards) to create the swords-and-sorcery epic Fire and Ice. Bakshi uses a technique called rotoscoping, which uses live-action film of actors as the template for animation, allowing him to put realistic action into fantastic environments. The verisimilitude of movement in a cartoon can be startling, but that's about all Fire and Ice has to offer; the wafer-thin story, overwrought characters, and clumsy dialogue are vapid cliches. Of much greater interest are the extras in this two-disc set, including a making-of feature that demonstrates the painstaking process of rotoscoping; enthusiastic commentary from Bakshi, who's a jovial, down-to-earth guy with a thick Brooklyn accent; deliriously fatuous diary notes from one of the actors; and a feature-length documentary called Frazetta: Painting with Fire, which reveals the artist to be more intriguing than any of the barbarians he's famous for. The effusive praise of other fantasy artists and "Frazetta historians" occasionally veers into Spinal Tap territory, but it's fascinating watching Frazetta turn from a 1950s James-Dean-style tough guy into the king of fantasy art. Though his work is often dismissed as adolescent kitsch, the documentary persuasively argues that Frazetta deservedly dominates his corner of the art world. --Bret Fetzer
Review(s): DVD Fire and Ice (2-Disc Limited Edition)
A Unique Film Event that Used to Affect me More.
I originally saw "Fire and Ice" about 16 years ago when I found a bargain-bin VHS copy at a local discount store. At the time, it was one of the most amazing things I had ever seen. My teenage eyes were blown away by this mature cartoon. As an artist myself at the time, I very much appreciated the skill involved in this movie. And, being that I was a teenager, the skimpy costume on the girl didn't hurt things at all.
Based on that memory, I bought this DVD last week. To be honest, I was disappointed and barely made it through the entire movie. But upon further reflection, I see that the change is in me. I haven't pursued art in years, so that aspect of the movie just doesn't move me as much as it once did. Also, in the intervening years, we have seen digital effects revolutionize movies, including fantasy movies. Looking at "Fire and Ice" with modern eyes, I'm not so amazed with what I saw. And too, being an adult, there's no hormone factor in my reaction to the girl in the skimpy outfit.
This time around, I still found some things to like. The rotoscoping (even if you consider it cheating) produces an enjoyable quality of motion. Dark Wolf is as impressive as ever. And I laughed out loud when I saw the end credit that read "Costumes by Frank Frazetta". Someone had a wry sense of humor there.
Of most interest to me was the people involved here. Besides Frazetta and Bakshi, there are other notables. The screenplay was written by Roy Thomas and Gerry Conway. Thomas essentially "created" the comic-book version of Conan the Barbarian, which began the entire "sword and sorcery" fad in the seventies. Conway, like Thomas, is a legendary comic writer (notable for Spider-Man and Justice League) who now produces Law & Order: Criminal Intent. Some background art was done by James Gurney and Thomas Kincaide. Gurney became famous years later with the illustrated prose "Dinotopia" books (and subsequent TV shows), while Kincaide is probably even more famous than Frazetta now because of his intricate paintings of houses, lighthouses, etc.
I would recommend "Fire and Ice" to any fantasy enthusiast. I suppose my interests have simply changed over the years.
fire and ice on dvd finally
this is one of the best animated movies,and to think that it came out in the 1980s.anything frank frazetta rules.the second disc contains a documentary on franks life,to be honest i wasnt relly too excited about it(i have his books so i already knew about his life).but it really is a great dvd,well done with interviews from some great artists.this dvd is essential to any fan........mj
The way fantasy films (and animation DVD's) should be!
Hey folks, before I begin take a look at the front cover. See the big guy on top, big muscles, menacing grin, huge axe? His name's Dark Wolf, and he is awesome. More on him later.
"Fire and Ice" is a film by Ralph Bakshi, known for films like "Fritz the Cat," "Wizards," and other animated classics that never seem to get their worthy repute. This film came out shortly after "American Pop" and unfortunately did not make too much money at the box office. Watching the film, I really can't see why. This was one of the most enjoyable fantasy films I've seen in years. The film was a co-creation of Ralph Bakshi and Frank Frazetta, one of the most famous illustrators in the 20th century. As Bakshi says in commentaries and interviews on the DVD, making a film completely like a Frazetta painting would have been impossible, but he wanted to capture that atmosphere as best he could. In fact Frazetta fans will notice many easily recognizable homages in the film, particularly "The Death Bringer." The plot is simple enough - evil wizard Nekron (who is basically Emperor Palpatine in his teen days) is moving a mighty glacier across the land, conquering and destroying anything in his path. As he approaches Firekeep, last bastion of resistance, his mother kidnaps the Princess Tygra to give Nekron a mate and bring Firekeep to the discussion table. Mixed into this plot are Larn, lone survivor of a village destroyed by Nekron's glacier who falls for Tygra, and Dark Wolf, a mysterious figure following Parn who is after Nekron and is also awesome.
Now, "Fire and Ice" was rotoscoped, and if you've seen Bakshi's "Lord of the Rings" you're probably cringing. However, do not fear - the tinted live-action orcs are long gone. This is a complete animated film, and every one is fully animated. I might also add that they are very well animated, and even though live action was used to assist in keeping things like a Frank Frazetta painting it was not relied upon. Many creatures, such as the dragons (animated by a young Peter Cheung) and the giant lizard were animated normally. Plus, looking at the real life actors can clue you in on just how many liberties the animators took in moderating character designs. You think Tygra was that well endowed in real life? Think again! And the neanderthals were in fact normal guys moving about with their characteristics added later. (remembering the cheap outfits of the orcs in "Lord of the Rings," I think we can be thankful for that) As an additional note, guess who did all the background artwork? Two young guys fresh out of college known as...James Gurney and Thomas Kinkade. That's right, the guys who went on to do "Dinotopia" and uh...lighthouses...got their start doing this film.
It's far from a completely perfect film - some of the dialogue is a tad campy. You thought those scenes between Padme and Anakin on the balcony in Episode III were bad? Take a look at the scenes between Tygra and Parn in the ruins. But listen, this is everything a fantasy film SHOULD be. Giant lizards, sword fights, buff guys, ugly guys, lesbian witches, gorgeous women in bikinis, gorgeous women in bikinis being kidnapped by ugly guys, buff guys killing ugly guys, ugly guys getting trampled by giant lizards...this film has it all. It also has a great cast, particularly Nekron and Dark Wolf. Nekron is a dirty bastard incarnate, who has unlimited powers and knows it, smugly ticking off other characters he knows he can easily beat up. For example, when haughty Prince Taro of Firekeep goes with an entourage to speak with him and get Tygra back, Nekron grins and states...
Nekron: "I must admit that at first the idea of mating with your sister filled me with revulsion. Perhaps I should reconsider...she is, after all, not entirely unattractive, as lesser beings go."
This is followed by the Prince Taro trying to kill Nekron, only to be forced by Nekron to kill his own men and then himself. Didn't I say he was evil?
But now this brings me to the absolute hands down best character of the whole film: Dark Wolf. As previously stated, Dark Wolf is awesome. Neanderthals in this movie should really be called "Dark Wolf fodder" as he takes out about half of Nekron's army during the course of the film. Lurking in the fog, tossing two rocks at once, using their own weapons against them, nothing can stop this guy. Although Larn is technically the hero, Dark Wolf is definately the true man of action, embodying the Death Dealer. He also has one of the best lines in the movie when Larn won't go after Tygra while Dark Wolf distracts the neanderthals.
Dark Wolf: "Go!"
Larn: "No!"
Dark Wolf: *menacing scowl* "THE HELL YOU WON'T!" *tosses Larn off a cliff*
The DVD itself is equally impressive. It's a two-DVD set, with the first DVD the film along with documentaries about the film, pictures of the live action sequences and animation techniques, and a commentary by Ralph Bakshi. The second DVD is an hour and a half documentary on the life of Frank Frazetta and the influence of his artwork, and is a worthy watch for any one interested in art.
This was well worth the buy. Even if you're not an avid Ralph Bakshi or Frank Frazetta fan, definately give this film a check out. Like I said, it's not an animated classic, it's just a lot of fun.
Related DVD's Fire and Ice (2-Disc Limited Edition)
Brutal and breathtaking, Sin City is Robert Rodriguez's stunningly realized vision of Frank Miller's pulpy comic books. In the first of three separate but loosely related stories, Marv (Mickey Rourke in heavy makeup) tries to track down the killers of a woman who ended up dead in his bed. In the second story, Dwight's (Clive Owen) attempt to defend a woman from a brutal abuser goes horribly wrong, and threatens to destroy the uneasy truce among the police, the mob, and the women of Old Town. Finally, an aging cop on his last day on the job (Bruce Willis) rescues a young girl from a kidnapper, but is himself thrown in jail. Years later, he has a chance to save her again.
More Info about this DVD DVD Release Date: Released the 16 August 2005 Usually ships in 24 hours
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The trouble with watching documentaries is similar to watching a mystery. After you've seen it once you already know what will happen and the interest level in repeated watchings drops considerably. The same holds true here - hence the 3 stars.
However this documentary is still worth owning if you are a Frank Frazetta fan. I discovered Frank's art in the mid 60's. I was a fan of Creepy and Eerie Comics and also the Conan series that came out in paperback. I never really was able to finish the novels, but I bought them (at 45 cents a pop) because I dug those covers. Frazetta painted them all. As I got older my interest never went away. I bought his art books and trading cards. But I never knew much about the artist himself. He seemed to be a mysterious human. Well I... More Info about this DVD Director(s): Lance Laspina DVD Release Date: Released the 30 November 2004 Usually ships in 24 hours
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Although it featured songs by Debbie Harry, Lou Reed, Iggy Pop, Cheap Trick, and Earth, Wind & Fire, Rock and Rule (Canada, 1983) never received a general US release. Set in a post-apocalyptic world inhabited by mutants, the underdeveloped story centers on the rock star Mok and his efforts to summon a demon from another dimension. Only the voice of aspiring singer Angel can cross the dimensional barrier and free the monster. Mok pursues Angel through series of chases and concerts that produce complications involving her true love/singing partner Omar and his band. Clive Smith's direction is simply inept: the story plods along listlessly; the characters change motivation on a dime; the crude CG special effects are squandered in minor scenes, rather than used to punch up the... More Info about this DVD Director(s): Clive A. Smith DVD Release Date: Released the 07 June 2005 Usually ships in 24 hours
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Far from the masterful treatment that groundbreaking animator Ralph Bakshi gave the similarly themed The Lord of the Rings just a year later, Wizards feels amateurish. A simplistic distillation of fantasy tropes, the scenario is millions of years after nuclear war wipes out civilization. Middle Earth fairies, elves, and magic emerge from the "good lands," while dimwitted mutants with poor comic timing emerge from the nuclear wastes. In the ultimate confrontation between good and evil, a hippie-ish wizard named Avatar defends his utopia against the technological and neo-Nazi revival of his bad-seed twin, Blackwolf. With volleys of jokes that couldn't hit a barn door, elves with Brooklyn accents, and the dubious climax that sees the kindly old wizard using one of the hated... More Info about this DVD Actor(s): Bob Holt - Jesse Welles Director(s): Ralph Bakshi DVD Release Date: Released the 25 May 2004 Usually ships in 24 hours
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Somewhere underground of a planet where a race of humans are enslaved to dig for a evil baron named "Zygon", a slave named "Orin" discovers a special magic bladeless sword that has the power to create an invisible magic blade to kill enemies as he is the master of the sword, his quest is to dig up to the upper world to find the blade that he must seek. During his mission, he joins up with a smuggler named "Dagg", two robots "Arthur" & fembot " Silica" and a beautiful princess to save his home planet, defeat Zygon and free the people of the mine-world.
Often refered to as a "Star Wars" rip-off, but i think this is a wonderfully animated and nicely made animated Korean/US produced Sci-fi fantasy romp for adults ( not really for kids). For it's time, it contained some... More Info about this DVD Actor(s): Jeffrey Scott DVD Release Date: Released the 21 June 2005 Usually ships in 24 hours
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