Rating: 
Summary: Good Movie for under $3.00
Review: I must say, this isn't the best of Ralph Bakshi. I bet the soundtrack would be worth more then the movie. There is some great songs, however there is no PLOT, there is no Reasoning, and there is no Action. Like Always, great animation by Bakshi, but I know for sure the Bakshi's team could had really done better. 5 stars for the music, 2 stars for the film. I wasn't upset for spending the 3 dollars.
Rating:
Summary: Ralph Bakshi's American Pop
Review: "American Pop" is Ralph Bakshi's best film...that's not saying much considering this man also assaulted us with "Fritz the Cat," the animated "The Lord of the Rings," "Wizards," and the really awful "Hey Good Lookin'."The story follows four generations of a Russian immigrant family, and their cosmic involvement in their respective worlds of popular music. Jimmy is a vaudevillian who gets shot in the throat in WWI and must manage the career of his singer wife. He also gets involved with the mob thanks to prohibition. His son, Benny, is a piano genius who is killed is WWII. Benny's son is the misfit Tony, who we follow from the Beat generation to a drug induced 1970's. Tony's one night stand product, Pete, continues the drug trade, but can belt out one mean tune in the punk rock late 1970's. Bakshi's animation still consists of tracing live action onto film as animated subjects. This makes for some really jerky scenes, although not on the headache inducing level of his earlier work. There are a few places where the work is downright interesting, like Tony's acid trip and eventual fall from a stage, and Pete's dancelike movements as he delivers his drugs to his customers. Bakshi's biggest mistake is using well known songs in the soundtrack, and attributing them to cartoon characters. Pete writes "Night Moves." Benny comes up with "As Time Goes By" after stealing the riff from a hobo. Tony wrote "Somebody to Love." I found this angle of the film irritating. It is not like no one has ever heard of these songs, and would be fooled. It just seems as if the film makers were too lazy to come up with their own material, and the songwriters and publishing houses were too eager to sell their stuff for a quick buck. Since the entire film consists of this one family coming up with all the great songs of the last eighty years, toss any suspense out the window as to what each generation is going to accomplish. Bakshi is also obsessed with the illegal drug culture in the final half of the film. What is this, "Panic in Needle Park"? Watching cartoon characters shooting heroin is bizarre, but pointless. I ask the same question I ask of some of Bakshi's other work, specifically "Hey Good Lookin'," why did he animate this? Why didn't he shoot this with live actors? The animation, while interesting, is completely unwarranted. In the end, "American Pop" is as homogenized and half baked as much of the music coming out today. Then again, I'd rather watch Britney Spears cavort in low riding jeans than sit through this music mondo mockumentary again. "American Pop" has left the building, don't bring it back next year. This is animated, but rated (R) for physical violence, strong gun violence, gore, profanity, brief female nudity, sexual references, strong drug abuse, and strong drug references.
Rating: 
Summary: Ranks with "the wall" and "heavy metal".
Review: A masterful portrayal of the duality of music both as an influence on and a reflection of the culture and events of the century. From prohibition to punk rock and everything in between, you watch this movie and you can feel the times changing to the beat of American music.
Rating:
Summary: very much enjoy this one
Review: Along with Fritz The Cat and Heavy Traffic this is one of my favorites Bakshi has put out. Purposly historically inaccurate , but thats not the point of the film..it's a film that uses music to tell the story of a family's 4 generations from ragtime and ending with Bob Seger's "Night Moves". Being not a fan of most of the music in this film I still find it a very interesting film , and even I laughed at the mocking of punk using the Sex Pistol's "Pretty Vacant" in a laughable manner. Definitly check this one out
Rating:
Summary: Awe-inspiring!
Review: American Pop portrays the lives of four musically-inclined individuals from a perspective you yourself cannot view. The story line is excellent and the animation is like no other animated movie you'd see today. The music in the movie gives it the right touch that makes it so great.
Rating:
Summary: Once you "Pop" You Can't Stop
Review: American Pop, an animated movie, is based on the lives of four musicians. As the timeline progresses, so does the style of music which stretches anywhere from the early 80's to the early 60's. The most prominent figure in the movie is Tony, the third musician seen. The movie follow the life and times of Tony as he ventures to California looking for musical "adventure." The plot is very interesting, the animation is smooth and follows the film to a T, and the soundtrack is perfect. Nowhere will one find a better compilation of music than in this movie. This is a must see for movie fans and music fans alike.
Rating:
Summary: Beautifully done!
Review: As an artist and animation buff, I must say this film is a work of art. I'm not a big Bakshi fan either, I simply can't ignore the truth. There are definitely things about his style that annoy me, like his attraction to larger women, so much that they are practically all he uses. His, ugly yet honest style and his grim though realistic view of society. Honestly, what makes this film look so good is the rotoscoping. Now, I'm not saying every animation studio should take it up, but since most non-Disney animated films are so badly animated maybe it would be for the best. Anyway, the dialogue is great, though some of the protagonists could have been a lot more likable. I'm not saying that storywise this film is pleasant to watch, it's a pretty sad story, and even the victorius ending doesn't alter that. But speaking as someone who has seen tons and tons of animated films, this movie is so beautifully done that you can't take your eyes away from it no matter how depressing and sometimes annoying the story might get. Now I noticed one reviewer calling this film a failure because it was supposed to be a history of music and yet it had a few flaws here and there in its facts. This movie was in no way a failure as to what it set out to do. It was about perseverence, and destiny, and it's lesson about the evolution of music in America was beautifully executed. Don't believe those other reviewers. If you love beautiful animation, dialogue, and dramatic scenes, you'll appreciate this film. Don't buy it as a cartoon babysitter for your little kids though...
Rating: 
Summary: The music is the story
Review: Bakshi attemtps to capture and chronicle the essence of American popular music's evolution in a mere hour and a half. The story is pieced together only loose enough to connect the eras of changing times and music. Most viewers will find the early scenes droll and boring unless they have some grasp of the music of the roaring twenties. By the time the sixties roll in, the audience may need to roust themselves for what proves to be the high point of the film. With creative visual effects that reflect the music and the era, Bakshi reveals his target demographic - the boomer-Woodstock-hippie-turned consumer. The film ends as we progress into the era of Album Oriented Rock and an excellent treatment of Bob Seger's "Night Moves". American Pop may be one man's tribute, but again to end with Seger, "...Rock & Roll never forgets."
Rating:
Summary: Bakshi's Best
Review: Even when viewed next to other Bakshi classics like "Wizards," "Lord Of The Rings," or even "Fritz The Cat," "American Pop" is arguably the master animator's crowning achievement. Pic is the remarkable tale of several generations of musicians beginning with escapees from the Russian Revolution, and culminating in the 80's with a punked-out, James Dean-esque street kid who becomes a drug lord, only to parlay that power position into his own bid for the success that had so narrowly eluded his forefathers. Bakshi imbues each generation with the unique flavor of its era without ever falling into the realm of cliche'. A must see!
Rating:
Summary: The Easiest Music Lesson You'll Ever Have
Review: Every once in awhile a movie comes along and perfectly manages to capture a moment in time. This movie, through the incredible soundtrack and storyline, manages to capture about 80 years worth of these moments. This a great movie for many occaisions and people. Specifically, there are huge amounts of people out there that could use a great intro to American popular music. The movie also helps people to understand the inherent connection between songs and genres, between different kinds of music and the influences that go into the music that we all know and love - or should.
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