I just finished watching this film, and I couldn't be more in awe. It's definitely one of the most bizarre pieces of true Art that I have seen in recent years, and yet the naked honesty is instantly resonant on a very deep level. This a a very dark look at one short period in a young artist's life in what seems to be New York. Ralph is not afraid to show the extreme in the ordinary, the sublime in the tragic, the sparkling filth that charges the air with horror and magic. This is our world, and his, with all the petty bitterness and hope that goes with it. I am saddened by those who say this film is garbage; I was at times horrified, laughing, moved, angered, and yet I emerged from the experience hopeful. I have rarely ever seen such a pure and rich depth of feeling as with this film. Ralph Bakshi is indeed a Master of our time, and the fact that he is still fairly obscure is a terrible waste. See this film, but keep the kids far away, it's rated R for a reason.
Review of Heavy Traffic
