Originally
budgeted at $1.2 million, the original 1983, PG-rated animated "Fire And Ice", available on Blu-ray, was a unique collaboration between director Bakshi ("Fritz The Cat", "New Adventures Of Mighty Mouse") and illustrator Frazetta.
Based on characters Bakshi and Frazetta co-created, the film made use of 'rotoscoping', shooting live action traced onto animation
cels, embellished by the unmistakable style of Frazetta, regarded as the finest fantasy illustrator in the field.
The original
screenplay was by Marvel Comics' "Conan" writers Gerry Conway and Roy Thomas, with backgrounds by James Gurney, author/artist of the "Dinotopia" novels, and illustrator Thomas Kinkade.
"...From their stronghold in 'Icepeak', the
evil 'Queen Juliana' and her son 'Nekron' send forth a wave of glaciers, forcing humanity to retreat south towards the equator.
Nekron sends a delegation to 'King Jarol' in 'Firekeep' to request his surrender, but this is a ruse orchestrated by Queen
Juliana for Nekron’s sub-humans to kidnap Jarol’s daughter, 'Princess Teegra'...."Producer Frazetta was heavily involved in the film's live-action sequences, from casting sessions to the final shoot, ensuring
that the depictions of women, heroes, villains and fantasy creatures stayed faithful to his style.
