by Crossing between “Fritz the Cat” by Ralph Bakshi and Heavy Metal, the animated film for adults “Rock & Rule”, populated by a gallery of animal singers, was released in general indifference. However, he was the first to use the CGIs.
The sometimes tragic galaxy of cinema is unfortunately constellated by works not, or so little, met their audiences. And largely fell into complete anonymity. This observation is even sadder when it comes to work that played a pioneering role in the history of techniques. In this case, in the field of visual effects. From this perspective, the Rock & Rule animated film, a Canadian production released in 1983, is the perfect prototype.
An UFO with an absolutely improbable and psychedelic visual style; Sort of crossing between the Fritz The Cat of Ralph Bakshi who would have met Heavy Metal, directed by a certain Clive A. Smith, who essentially worked on animated series in the 80s and 90s. Like that devoted to Star Wars Ewoks in 1985-1986 for 26 episodes, or the adventures of Tintin in 1991-1992, on nearly 40 episodes.
Mutant animals singing in a post-apo New York
Rock & Rule? This is the story of Angel, a member of a punk rock group in a future apocalyptic. One day, she is kidnapped by a man named Mok, a legendary rocker. Obsessed with a dark experience, Mok plans to use Angel's voice to invoke a demon of another dimension. The rest of the group follows Mok in Nuke York (yes yes, not New York, admire the word game …) to try to save Angel …
We pinch ourselves a little when we look at the list of musical collaborations of this animated film: Iggy Pop, Lou Reed, Debbie Harry, Earth, Wind & Firethe Cheap Trick group … What does it look like? To that!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JU3MFF8A0QC
Populated by a gallery of characters with the appearance of animals that have mutated because of radiation, between dogs, cats and rats, Rock & Rule was the first English -speaking animated feature entirely made in Canada.
The animation called on a wide variety of special effects, ranging from models to paintings, including synthetic images; Used in an obviously very limited and simple way for some images of the film. Nevertheless: this is the first animated film to use CGIs. Twelve years before a certain Toy Story, which will be the first animated feature film to be 100% in summary images.
Anaguel Films
Unfortunately, Rock & Rule was not exactly recognized at the time for his pioneer technique. Very little distributed, he logically released laminated from his indoor career. While he had been budgeted by $ 8 million Canadian, he only reported … $ 30,379 at the national box office. That is to say the violence of the slap.
The film seems to be released in France until five years later, in December 1988. But there too, no one, or almost, remembers it … The fact remains that this work remains completely unprecedented on physical support in our countries.
