RALPH BAKSHI

Ralph Bakshi (Haifa, 29 October 1938) is an American director and animator.
Ralph Bakshi was born in Haifa in Israel (at that time in Palestine) in 1938. He emigrated with his family to New York and spent his childhood and adolescence in the Bronx.
He began his career as a handyman at Studio Terrytoons, became an inker, then an animator and, occasionally, directed animated shows for the company. He then moved to Studio Famous in 1967, before opening his own studio in 1968. Here he produced, in 1972, his first work Fritz the cat, the first cartoon to be banned for minors. Heavy Traffic and Coonskin followed this film. The three films were considered extremely controversial for the contents and the animation approach. The cartoon for adults was born.
In the late seventies Bakshi became the spokesman for this new way of animation with the films Wizards, The Lord of the Rings, American Pop and Fire and Ice
In his films, cartoons are often superimposed on live-action movies (ie with actors in the flesh). Another trademark is a great use of the rotoscope, from which it obtains extremely suggestive effects.
Bakshi is fiercely satirical in his work: Nazism, racism, fashion, pop culture are constantly being targeted.