Seventies animation classics

Wizards (USA, 1977, Twentieth Century Fox), a classic Ralph Bakshi film, mixes animation and rotoscoping. At the time it was to save money and time but it resulted in a unique effect. The story is a fantasy of technology versus magic, good versus evil. It was pulled out of theaters to make way for the original Star Wars. It’s best known as a midnight cult film. One of my favorite animated films of all time. Available on YouTube and iTunes.

The Black Hole (USA, 1979, Walt Disney) was Disney’s first serious attempt at sci-fi and its first PG film. Today the movie may seem cheesy, but as a kid in 1979 I loved it and still do. Effects are outdated and robots look like life-size toys but still a fun movie to watch. The dialog is corny and silly but the ending’s dark and weird and keeps the audience wondering what just happened. This movie will always have a special place in my heart. Available on Vudu and Google Play.

— Shawn Alexander Mullen, movie fan