Watch American Pop

Revolutionary animator and director Ralph Bakshi helms this 1981 animated feature for an adult, music-loving audience. Drawing from his childhood as an immigrant child in 1950s Washington, DC, Bakshi lets his love of American popular songs run wild and free. After securing the rights to many original songs (including those by Bob Dylan, Lou Reed, Herbie Hancock and The Doors), Bakshi hired Lee Holdridge to compose an original score. American Pop follows four generations of a single Russian immigrant family as they explore and expand on their current era's pop music styles. Without shying away from the historical ideas of the eras, including world war, poverty, hard drug use and the changing of the family unit, Bakshi tells the family's stories with song and animation. The film cleverly weaves other media, including old footage of performances and watercolor into the story. Some say this movie is the beginning of the "rotoscope" style. Heartbreak, redemption, family ties and fantastic music all are blended together in this groundbreaking film.