Allegro Non Troppo (1976)

Sadly Over-hyped

Best movie ever!

There is, somehow, an interesting story here, as well as some good acting. There are also some good scenes

By the time the dramatic fireworks start popping off, each one feels earned.

We all remember Disney's Fantasia as a beautifully crafted visual masterpiece that presented gorgeous imagery in tuned to classical music scores. From Mickey Mouse as a sorcerer's apprentice, to the evolution of life in The Rite of Spring, to the legendary Night on Bald Mountain, Fantasia is forever regarded as one of the greatest films of all time for how technically innovative and haunting it is. As for today's film, Allegro non troppo comes from the creatively humorous mind of beloved Italian animator Bruno Bozzeto and his team of animators as a clever parody and tribute to the classic, and it delivers in flying colors.The film is a collection of six animated shorts (two of which actually feature scores that appeared in the original Fantasia), and while all different in tone and style, they all deliver the necessary emotions when needed. Some will make you laugh, some will make you cry, and others will even make you think. The styles also differ between the shorts, but they work in their favor to fit in context to the musical piece, whether cartoony, or abstract or even pseudo realistic.Also, the film is tied together with black & white live-action sequences that feature a substitute orchestra of elderly women being led by a pompous and stubborn conductor while an imprisoned animator is forced to think up cartoons to match the music, whilst an annoying and often bumbling presenter tries to keep the show together and a lovely young charwoman cleans up after everyone. Although often too silly and over the top at times, the skits are very funny as they actually spoof Disney more than the animated skits. The orchestra of imprisoned women and the animator as well are brilliant albeit brutal jabs at Disney's worker unions at the time.And then there's the finale, which is a pure embodiment of the best word that describes this whole film, outrageous, as it's a series of rapid-fire "finales," which are pretty much blackout gags that are ludicrous albeit disorderly. Really, the whole film is outrageous, from abstract nudity, to unpredictable gags, to even the ending, the whole movie embraces the art of music, animation and even comedy to such an outlandish level that it's impossible not to love. So even though Allegro Non Troppo doesn't have the highly detailed animation or legendary visual techniques of the Disney masterpiece, it is in every way funny, creative and looney as it needs to be. If you're looking for a parody of a Disney film that both mocks and admires the film while also letting its hysterical imagination run wild, definitely seek this one out, just don't show your kids, it ain't for them.

Back in the 40's, Walt Disney, gave us "Fantasia" which was a series of animated sketches set to classical music. It was received poorly and critics called it too high brow for the normal viewer. And it was known, for a while, to be Disney's worst movie.Until something miraculous happened, namely the 60's. Hippies and the young crowd loved it and was on it's way to becoming the classic that it is considered today.So in 1976, some Italian filmmaker decided to revisit this concept and made his own move, "Allegro non Troppo" meaning, "to play fast and lively but not too much." The animated sketches, which are supposedly being drawn in real time, are interspaced with real life actors. There's the director, the artist, an orchestra made entirely of old women, and the conductor. The real standout scene is set to Ravel's "Bolero" and shows the remaining contents of a bottle of Coca Cola coming to life and rapidly undergoing evolution. As it's set, a bit like a march, the one Coca Cola creature gives rise to more complex creatures until you have a whole menagerie walking along to the beat. It's been said that anybody wanting to go into animation to look at this section because it's absolutely beautiful.There are numerous other sketches of different styles. Some good, some not so good. There is a bit of cartoon nudity in it so it's really not for young children.

Some people describe it, as an Italian rip-off of Walt Disney classic: Fantasia. Okay, that might be true in. But what if, the "plagium" is WAY better, than the original???? Becuose that is true again. Disney released Fantasia in 1940, when it was a really big hit, and a revolutionary attempt to queue up these dialogue-less, and sometimes totally abstract flicks into a whole movie. A very good movie, and a surprisingly successful attempt it was indeed. Fantasia had a GREAT influence on the young Bozzetti back then, who decided, to make a film like that once, as a revelation of his crush on music and animation. 37 years later, "Allegro non Troppo" has been made. Again it was a great success, only this time the place was Italy, instead of the USA... But everyone should be aware for another all-time classic of animation masterwork's been born. The film starts with a pronouncer talking about that its not a Fantasia rip-off, he never even seen that Disney-stuff, and this is going to be much more fun anyway (yes, i agree). There's a live-action film that puts the animations in a frame, which is about a live production with orchestra (a bunch of old ladies, and their conductor), and a cartoonist, who designs the movie real-time onto the musical base. These parts are black and white, and since its an Italian film, its a series of hilarious jokes, and total chaos between them. The musical pieces running under animations, are Bozzettis personal favorites, and is a widely variated set, from Ravel's "Bolero", to Debussey's "The Fauns's afternoon". In this move you don't have to sit through several minutes of non-figurative mayhem (which is interesting for a limited period, but afterward...), which you had to do on fantasia, those tasteless, finicking centaurs been replaced by a sexy story of a faun, and the forever-marching dinos, with the famous "evolution from the coke-bottle" scene. This move is full of LIFE. Sometimes calm, other times teeming, but It is always funny and lyric, and things it has to say, it says them VERY loud. One of the greatest classics for you, who love animation and music.

I was introduced to this obscure gem by my mom when I was 9 years old. I have not seen it since, but I have looked for it since then, and now found it on DVD from Netflix. Reading the reviews of some more recent viewers has brought back many memories. I never forgot the "Bolero" evolution, and the poor kitty DID make me cry so...I didn't understand everything, and our TV was too old and small to let us see the subtitles at all, so no wonder I couldn't get it all. My favorite part was the little man that outsmarted the evil dictator. That still makes me laugh, although it's been so long (17 years!) I eagerly await the little red envelope to bring back some memories and strange fun! Please give this one a chance..I'm proof that it will stay in your heart for a long time.