Benny was awesome because it feels like he knew his character was part of a bigger story. He accepted the world around him for what it was and never tried to fight the tide of life. This is what made him seem more one-dimensional and boring than the other characters, but to me it makes him more meditative. He doesn’t experience the same pratfalls of life that the other characters face, there’s no apex to his story because he didn’t fight the world around him, just lived in it and accepted it. Beautiful.

You can see it on that Nazi’s face… the music touched his soul and reminded him of his humanity, before he killed him.

I'd say almost all of Ralph Bakshi's movies are underrated. He was pigeonholed as just a guy making dirty adult cartoons because of Fritz the Cat but immediately after he gained fame from that he went off and did his own work and made some remarkable films. Not all are great and not all are nice to look at, but they feel "real" in a sense. I think what captivates me the most is how focused he was on portraying the outsiders and lowlifes of the world. His gritty take on 60's, 70's, and 80's New York is memorizing. When I visited NYC back in 2008 it certainly was not like that anymore...

The way he stops playing the piano at 1:46 and his neutral expression is unforgettable. He knew he was going to die, but gave zero shits about it. Made Benny Belinsky's death all the more haunting. Hell...listen to how he plays the song...basically the lyrics being cut off at the 4th line really does signify, if one's already listened to Lili Marlene. "Outside the barracks, by the corner light I'll always stand and wait for you at night We will create a world for two I'll wait--" He created a world for two...but not in that lifetime.

I saw this when I was 9. [This] is the scariest scene in my life. Quentin Tarantino has nothing on a man being vulnerable and shooting some-one anyway.

The german enjoyed the piano as an escape from war, but realized he had to go back to reality and do what he had to do. Would have been cool if they made the German walk away because he appreciated the music. In war, people become monsters but in peace, people are artisans.

Man Benny is calm in every situation.....even when his mom was killed......

I remember a close friend of mine introducing me to this film, and when this happened. 1:23 And as he started playing a tune for the man about to shoot him he said "The balls on this man".

Recognizing death, he decides to meet it with a gesture of kindness.

Very beautiful. It looks a little funny, the way the "German" was rotoscoped from someone carrying a BAR and wearing an American helmet. And in war, in situations like these both soldiers would kind of wordlessly agree to go their separate ways, especially if they make a human connection of some kind. Like, "not today, but if I see you tomorrow..."

I remember I found this VHS in my parents' collection this really wasnt their type of movie and I don't know why they had it. I was about 10-11 when i popped it in because i thought the cover was so cool and was absolutely blown away by the movie and its beauty and also how gritty it was. One of my first adult animation experiences. The only ones I ever caught on HBO, Starz, Cinemax etc were Heavy Metal, Fritz The Cat, Cool World and American Pop. I was far too young to understand them and honestly I just loved the depiction of nudity and women(my god, the Heavy Metal redhead chick that hooks up with the robot on the spaceship) ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°) but as I grew older and rewatched them I fell in love with the stories. This scene in particular stuck with me because the guy just died like an innocent lamb he didnt fight he just wanted to play his piano. Honestly I was hoping he'd turn around and open fire on the German but no, he just played a tune for him and was blasted. I remember being shocked and sad at that moment but as the movie progressed I learned what it was all about.

This made me cry and I dont know why.

probably my favourite movie scene ever

Danke

“Lo que el mundo necesita son más músicos y menos soldados, mas instrumentos y menos armas; que la música sea el alimento del alma"... -Raúl Merlos. es perfecto...

I remember watching this as a kid on a local TV thinking it was a kids cartoon, and boy did it leave an impact on me.

One of my favorite movies of all time. Highly recommended.

Rick Singer is the actor who played Benny. The actors were filmed then “rotoscoped” or traced. Walt Disney employed the same technique decades earlier for fluid movements of the characters. Ron Thompson played duel roles as Tony and Pete. Excellent acting for this feature!

For one brief moment, neither of them were soldiers.

Wow. Just wow.

I was so sad and mad.

Beatiful film, my favourite animation movie ever. This scene is the more touching. Benny playing Lili Marlene just a moment before dying is carved forever in my memory and in my hearth since 1981, when I saw this movie at the cinema.

God this movie is so fucking underrated

Te pueden matar pero no pueden destruir ese anelo por crear o producir belleza.

KZfaq started recommending these movie shots after I started tenting the movie. Neat. When the rental expires, I get to review the scenes here and there.

Le pianiste . De polanski. Merci magnifique

Excelente video!, refleja lo que quise dar a entender en mi pensamiento.

Si ese hombre hubiese tocado completamente sin olvidar el tema de "Lily Marlene", probablemente se hubiese salvado... ☹️😢

Se parecio a la escena de la pelicula el pianista :O!! Genial♡

you see if youve finished the song the german wouldve spared your life lili marleen has some powers that warms the soul to a peaceful mood and nostalgic

Danke!

For a sec there every thing human showed and they where just men one playing the other listening in admiration.

This gives me goosebumps

1:35 there's a moment the Nazi almost was swept away by the music.

Beautiful Piano play Music was his life & death & still is after his passing.

amazing rotoscoping

I actually yelled “no!” at this scene

Как крик из бездны прошлых лет, Войны мы видим отголоски, Когда народы шли на бой, За жизнь родных и за свободу. Когда страдали от ранений, И голод жизни отнимал, Когда рыдал парнишка малый, Когда могилу он копал. Теперь зажрались мы ужасно, Не видим мы каким стал мир . И все деньгами измеряя, Себя в зверье переродим, Не то зверье что по лесам, У тех инстинкты,нет пороков, А в то зверье что по ночам Идет с дубиной на природу.

This movie had to be animated, it would not work live action. But as animated it would not be recognized for the piece of art that it is. (sorry for the odd phraseology)

He was a good man and somehow, he play his last song on a piano and then he got kill by a nazi and somehow he died right by a piano and that sad, is that sound right or wrong 😞

Donde la encontraste en tan buena calidad y subtitulada??

Algún link para ver la película??

Bakshi ❤

That's what happens when you don't have a battle buddy

polish video - " pianista "

zoowoman.website/wp/movies/american-pop/ aqui la pueden ver subtitulada y completa

Excelente película. Sabes cuál es el nombre de ese tema musical? Gracias!!

I saw this scene changing channels at random in the television, when I was 9 or something like that. I always had an affinity with music, always that that thing that got straight into my gut, that me laugh or stroke my throat into complete silence. This scene stroke my throat. I just wanted to know why, why to kill someone playing music, one of the few moments in life that emanates real peace or the splendor of emotion, that of sadness, joy or rage. Even in the emergence of war and hate, the precious seconds of music coming from a piano isn't a time for violence, less a time for killing. One second of silence, and the only response he got was a "danke" and a barrage of bullets. That cruelty, almost a casual one, is the moment that I almost can see pure evil, almost a complete disdain a thing we could name sacred, one the few gift that God -if something like that exists- gave us. And in that persisting thought I saw that violence, hate or rage aren't moments of wickedness, in fact, is the disregard of humanity, in this case the humanity and its sacredness manifesting itself through music. I still play my bass and guitar sometimes. Mainly because of university and the dedication I must maintain towards my career. But is nice grabbing one of my instruments and play some tunes, improvise a little melody, make a little song and remember that I'm flesh and bone, that music is universal and we all feel it nonetheless.

They defo would get bumped with some bell and playing a Harmonica

What is the name of the music piece benny plays?

I have some mixed feelings but nothing for this scene. But are we gonna ignore that they were drying cigarettes.

What did the nazi say in German right before he shot Benny? I be thinking he said "Dunkirk" in English but I'm probably wrong haha.

damn

Alguien sabe El nombre de la pieza que toca en El piano ? Plss

Benny smokes "Fatima" with the yellow cigarette pack. Just like "Dragnet" on the radio...."

Alguien sabe cómo se llama la melodía que toca

Donde puedo ver la peli?

Pretty based of the German to let him play and even say thanks

Where’s a good version on this song that sounds similar to on the movie.

"Mann, you lousy"

Bakshi clearly had a way of portraying the National Socialists in his films. I wonder if he was jewish.

Why does the German hold his gun like that?

1:15

Life lesson here: stay focused on your mission. Don't waste your life on side projects.

A man with a death wish

Copia de Soul Pixar.

The animation is so janky and the lip syncing is something out of a kung fu movie

Because a Nazi is still a Nazi

tolol duanana