In early 1970’s New York City, Michael Corleone (Joseph Kaufmann) is a half Italian/half Jewish kid who dreams of being a successful cartoonist or animator. At the moment, he’s unemployed and living with his father Angelo “Angie” Corleone (Frank DeKova)—a small time Mafioso with a bimbo on the side—and mother Ida (Terri Haven). Michael’s parents argue constantly. They are both very violent, and regularly threaten to kill each other with household appliances.
Using this difficult environment as inspiration, Michael sketches several cartoons, catching the attention of a black barmaid named Carole (Beverly Hope Atkinson) who gives him free drinks in exchange for his drawings. Michael finds himself attracted to her street smarts and no-nonsense attitude. While Carole initially considers legitimate avenues to sell Michael’s artwork, she eventually gets Michael involved in several criminal enterprises. At the same time, Michael’s life is in danger after his father puts a contract out on his life for “disgracing the family” by dating a woman of color.
Initially given an X-Rating, and unafraid to show nudity, Bakshi apparently had a lot of problems bringing Heavy Traffic to the screen. Bakshi got into a bitter battle with producer Steven Krantz over finances, which eventually led to Bakshi getting locked out of the set. Eventually, Krantz was forced to let Bakshi retake the reigns, but completing the film was a struggle.
A strange tale of life in the inner city, Heavy Traffic is full of eccentric and seedy characters. Largely animated, Heavy Traffic begins and ends with live action sequences—there are a few others throughout. Most of the film is seen through shots of a pinball machine, an obvious metaphor. Michael thinks he has the upper hand, but always finds himself on the losing end. Pinball will often let you get a high score, but in the end, everyone loses.
Bakshi’s films are definitely not for everyone. A mix of over-the-top animation and live action (which includes clips from old black and white movies and color footage of New York City), is all seamlessly blended together to create what is definitely a unique, adult tale.
Presented in the 1.66:1 aspect ratio, Shout! Factory’s 1080p transfer is very good looking. Colors are sharp and bold. The animation pops pretty impressively, and the overall presentation is clean. The live action scenes have a nice sense of depth, though color looks a bit flat.
The English DTS-HD Master Audio mono mix provides a satisfying experience, with crisp clean dialogue, music and sound effects. While this mix won’t blow anyone away, it does the job.
No subtitles are available.
There are no special features.
