Think before you act

January 11, 2008 4:49 AM

Allegro Non Troppo is an animated film written and directed by Bruno Bozzetto [previously]. Now the wonder of the youtubes enjoy Ravel's Bolero [Part 2] [Part 3], Debussy’s Prélude à l'après-midi d'un faune, Dvorak's Slavonic Dance # 7, Sibelius' Valse Triste, Vivaldi's Concerto in C major, and Stravinsky's Firebird.

The film also has wonderful comedy moments between the animation sequences featuring an orchestra of imprisoned geriatric women, an evil conductor, a romantic artist and his lover.

A final animated finale also wonderful.

posted by mattoxic (21 comments total)

You forgot the guy in the ape costume.

This movie works on so many levels: a parody of "Fantasia", a sequel to same in its own right, a comedy and tragedy, and some great music. Its a true classic.
posted by dragonmage at 5:45 AM on January 11, 2008

Woah. Talk about dark. Just watched "Bolero".
posted by honest knave at 6:00 AM on January 11, 2008

That was swimmingly.
posted by Mblue at 6:06 AM on January 11, 2008

Why watch crappy YouTube clips when you can just buy the whole thing on DVD?
posted by briank at 6:30 AM on January 11, 2008

Yes, very dark, especially the Sibelius. THAT POOR KITTY!
posted by waraw at 6:49 AM on January 11, 2008

One of my favorites. It was the first time I encountered animation beyond what was on the TV. It changed my perception of cartoons... it opened the door for me. Thanks for this post.

"Yes/No" is a funny flash that Bozetto created; it takes a look at traffic. [Warning: Turn Volume DOWN before loading]

And plenty of gems on Bozetto's home page, too.
posted by not_on_display at 6:54 AM on January 11, 2008

D'oh - just realized the things I linked to were on the "previously" FPP.
posted by not_on_display at 7:16 AM on January 11, 2008

I still mutter 'Finale' under my breath occasionally. Great stuff.
posted by Kinbote at 7:28 AM on January 11, 2008

AnT is one of my favorite movies - i even have an original cel from the movie. And it spurred my life-long love of Dvorak' Slavonic Dances.
posted by nightwood at 7:42 AM on January 11, 2008

I saw Valse Triste on tv years ago, early one morning while flipping channels and awaiting my turn in the bathroom. It disturbed me so much that I can no longer stand to hear that piece of music. But I had no idea what the cartoon was from until now. I won't fail to miss the rest.
posted by JanetLand at 8:00 AM on January 11, 2008

Valse Triste is really sad. One of my favorite pieces of animation ever is Bolero.

I highly recommend the DVD. In addition to Allegro non Troppo, it has a plethora (a whole plethora!) of Bozetto's short films that were originally released on a separate tape back in the VHS days, and you MUST see them, you simply must.

And if you ever get a chance to see this in a theater, do it.
posted by louche mustachio at 9:08 AM on January 11, 2008

Before Rocky Horror got so popular in D.C. Allegro was the best Midnight Movie there was
at the time.
posted by doctorschlock at 10:00 AM on January 11, 2008

Yeah, that kitty and Sibelius' "Sad Symphony" get me every freakin' time.

*sniffle*
posted by Aquaman at 10:03 AM on January 11, 2008

I just realized that I spelled 'Bozzetto' wrong in the tag of my earlier Bozzetto post. Fixed.
posted by painquale at 10:43 AM on January 11, 2008

> Why watch crappy YouTube clips when you can just buy the whole thing on DVD?

The animations aren't long enough to make a feature length movie, so they're padded out with many, many, many segments of a really dreadful looooong live-actor running gag about an orchestra of little old ladies and an abusive conductor. Unwatchable. People who clip out and post just the animations are performing a public service.
posted by jfuller at 1:15 PM on January 11, 2008

First saw this as a college frosh in '79 in the student services building. A first date. The students all sat or lay on the floor, watching. By the time Bolero reached its climax, I was holding hands with my date. Don't think that would have happened with "10," the next widespread public use of Bolero.

Good memories.
posted by bigskyguy at 1:24 PM on January 11, 2008

Yes. I love this movie. If you like it, you might also enjoy Zbigniew Rybczy's "The Orchestra," which is a great companion piece.
posted by mynameisluka at 2:08 PM on January 11, 2008

I saw this first as a uni student and was blown away. Valse Triste makes me so sad that I can't bear to watch it now. I fast forward through that bit.

The Dvorak is my favourite piece followed closely by the Bolero.
posted by andraste at 4:21 PM on January 11, 2008

The animations aren't long enough to make a feature length movie, so they're padded out with many, many, many segments of a really dreadful looooong live-actor running gag about an orchestra of little old ladies and an abusive conductor. Unwatchable. People who clip out and post just the animations are performing a public service.

I love the live action bits... I also suggest buying the DVD. Wonderful movie.
posted by Huck500 at 5:00 PM on January 11, 2008

The live action pieces have a wonderful chaotic quality.

I also note that I wrote "final animated finale", and for that I appologise.
posted by mattoxic at 5:53 PM on January 11, 2008

Thanks for posting this, I've been wanting to see Allegro since I was a kid. The arthouse cinema in my hometown had Allegro playing with Autobahn (mild cartoon nudity and old German electronica) for an opener. I was already a ten-year-old animation junkie and asked my dad if we could see it, but he told me that it wasn't a movie for kids. Of course, I've been looking for it ever since, but Allegro was damned difficult to track down in the pre-internet world.
posted by lekvar at 10:42 AM on January 12, 2008