Allegro Non Troppo

Gifted Italian animator Bruno Bozzetto grew up loving Disney. His highly imaginative Allegro Non Troppo, a great favourite of animation enthusiasts, is both an affectionate parody of and creative challenge to Disney Studio’s famous animated feature Fantasia and its use of classical music. (Fantasia screens in Cinema Sunday in March). The film mixes a series of slapstick live-action sequences – involving a beleaguered animator and his struggles with the comically difficult orchestra conductor he has hired to score his film – with a variety of dazzling animated segments conceived by different Italian animators and set to popular classic pieces (by Debussy, Dvorak, Ravel, Sibelius, Vivaldi, and Stravinksy). The diversity and inventiveness on display, including a celebrated sequence involving a Coke bottle and the origins of life, delight and amaze. Allegro Non Troppo, with its mix of fantastical creatures, dreamy landscapes, and wonderful humour, showcases the myriad creative possibilities inherent in the animation medium. Making a cameo appearance is Mr. Rossi, the hapless comic character who is Bozzetto’s most famous creation and has appeared in many of his films. Bozzetto, an animator since the late 1950s, is still active in digital animation. Don’t miss this rare big-screen presentation of his inspired classic! Colour, Digital restoration (DVD). 85 mins.