We, fans of animation and film sign this petition demanding the library of Congress consider inducting Ralph Bakshi's Fritz The Cat, for the 2019 national film registry, for it’s historical and aesthetic achievements in animation.

 

 Aesthetic reasons for induction

Fritz the Cat is one of the most visionary and revolutionary animated movies ever made. Seeing is how the film was made for an incredibly low budget, Bashki had to think outside the box and did techniques never done in an animation project, some never done since.

Bashski wanted the environments meant to feel real. So as an artistic choice and cost saver he took pictures of real environments and traced them over for the backgrounds of the film.

But perhaps the most unique artistic choice is the film's use of dialogue. Most of the film's dialogue came from strangers  Bakshi would meet on the street. He would pay strangers $50 to record their conversation and use it in the film. This was made to make the film feel more natural and added atmosphere to the world.

Another commendable aesthetic choice was the films use of symbolic imagery. For example, the opening shot is a black crow snapping his fingers in a black background, as time passes the background zooms in revealing it’s a ghetto. This symbolizes what ghettoes are, lost parts of urban cities.

Another is when Duke the Crow (a pool player)is shot. Bashki represents slowing of his heartbeat, with 8 ball pool shots.

Fritz the Cat definitely has an artistic edge that has inspired many animators  

 

Historical reasons for  induction

Fritz the cat came out at a time when animation was practically dead. Animation was becoming less profitable. Even Disney was losing its touch, making nothing but flops. Many people were starting to view cartoons as “kids stuff”. So Fritz was a breath of fresh air, being the first adult animated project in the USA. Not only was it a breath of fresh air for the world of animation, but it was also financially successful, it being the 8th highest grossing movie of that year, and to this day still being the most successful independent animation.

Fritz the Cat is also a look into the culture of the time. Fritz The Cat brilliantly satirizes the youth culture of the late 60s and 70s with its dialogue and visuals. It’s Drug and sex-obsessed style of the film is almost satire of the drug-sex obsessed youth culture of the time.  

Conclusion  

Fritz the Cat is one of the most unique, financially successful and important American animated movies ever made, As iconic cartoons like The Simpsons and South Park. Fritz edition is more than deserving of this honour of preservation. and would also help diversify the films in the registry, with all the animated movies being Disney. We hope you take our consideration to heart.