Heavy Traffic
“More Spice from the makers of Fritz the Cat!”
Synopsis
A white dropout struggles to become a cartoonist and filmmaker, drawing inspiration from the harsh, gritty world around him. Still sharing his rundown apartment with his middle-aged parents, an oafish slob of an Italian father and a ditzy nutcase of a Jewish mother, he's ridiculed and looked down upon by his friends, hypocrites who run with violent gangs and the Italian Mafia, and a shallow Black girl who makes her living downtown with the pimps and pushers. The cartoonist gets a chance to pitch a film idea to a movie mogul, but the story proves too outrageous: a far-future Earth, depleted by war and pollution, where a mutant antihero challenges and kills God.
Trailers, Teasers & Extra Featurettes
Official promotional previews, behind-the-scenes footage, and exclusive clips.
Larry Karaszewski on HEAVY TRAFFIC
Type: Featurette • Published 2013-11-20
Top Cast
Explore Star Directory →Joseph Kaufmann
Michael Corleone
Beverly Hope Atkinson
Carole
Frank De Kova
Angelo "Angie" Corleone (voice)
Terry Haven
Ida Corleone (voice)
Mary Dean Lauria
Molly (voice)
Jacqueline Mills
Rosalyn Schecter (voice)
Lillian Adams
Rosa (voice)
Jamie Farr
Arcade Owner
Robert Easton
Charles Gordone
Crazy Moe (voice)
Michael Brandon
(voice)
Morton Lewis
(voice)
Bill Striglos
(voice)
Jay Lawrence
(voice)
Lee Weaver
(voice)
Phyllis Thompson
(voice)
Kim Hamilton
(voice)
Carol Graham
(voice)
Release History & Theatrical Window
August 8, 1973
Wide Cinema Exhibition
Financials & Box Office Performance
Production Budget
$950K
Filming & production cost
Worldwide Gross
$1.5M
Total global ticket sales
Box Office Return
1.58x
+$550K net gain
Theatrical Status
Budget Return
Box office tier
Key Information & Fast Facts
- Director
- Ralph Bakshi
- Screenplay & Story
- Ralph Bakshi
- Original Score
- Ray Shanklin, Ed Bogas
- Original Title
- Heavy Traffic
- Country of Origin
- United States of America
- Spoken Languages
- English, Italian, Yiddish
- Runtime
- 1h 17m
- Production Budget
- $950K
- Worldwide Gross
- $1.5M
- Production Studios
- Steve Krantz Productions, Cine Camera, American International Pictures
Creative Leadership & Key Crew
Ralph Bakshi
Ralph Bakshi
Ray Shanklin, Ed Bogas
Ted C. Bemiller, Gregg Heschong
Donald W. Ernst
Samuel Z. Arkoff, Steve Krantz
Department Leadership Roster
Ralph Bakshi
Director
Ralph Bakshi
Screenplay
Donald W. Ernst
Editor
Ray Shanklin
Original Music Composer
Ed Bogas
Original Music Composer
Ted C. Bemiller
Director of Photography
Gregg Heschong
Director of Photography
Samuel Z. Arkoff
Producer
Steve Krantz
Producer
Age Classification & Content Advisories
Official viewer rating standards and content warnings across international classification boards.
NC-17: Adults Only — No one 17 and under admitted.
International Certification Matrix
FSK 18 — Restricted to adults 18 and older.
Adults Only — No one 17 and under admitted.
Production Stills & Gallery
Official cinematic photography and background stills for Heavy Traffic.
Featured In Curated Collections
Editorial lists, community rankings, and cinematic collections featuring Heavy Traffic.
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Frequently Asked Questions About Heavy Traffic
Quick factual answers about cast, synopsis, director, box office, and release information.
What is Heavy Traffic about?
A white dropout struggles to become a cartoonist and filmmaker, drawing inspiration from the harsh, gritty world around him. Still sharing his rundown apartment with his middle-aged parents, an oafish slob of an Italian father and a ditzy nutcase of a Jewish mother, he's ridiculed and looked down upon by his friends, hypocrites who run with violent gangs and the Italian Mafia, and a shallow Black girl who makes her living downtown with the pimps and pushers. The cartoonist gets a chance to pitch a film idea to a movie mogul, but the story proves too outrageous: a far-future Earth, depleted by war and pollution, where a mutant antihero challenges and kills God.
Who directed Heavy Traffic?
Heavy Traffic was directed by Ralph Bakshi.
Who stars in Heavy Traffic?
The principal cast of Heavy Traffic includes Joseph Kaufmann, Beverly Hope Atkinson, Frank De Kova, Terry Haven, Mary Dean Lauria.
When was Heavy Traffic released and how long is it?
Heavy Traffic was released in 1973 with a total runtime of 1h 17m.
What was the box office and production budget of Heavy Traffic?
Heavy Traffic had a reported production budget of $950K and grossed $1.5M at the worldwide box office (1.58 return on budget, classified as a budget recovered).
Who composed the musical score for Heavy Traffic?
The original motion picture soundtrack for Heavy Traffic was composed by Ray Shanklin, Ed Bogas.
What is the age rating and content advisory for Heavy Traffic?
Heavy Traffic holds official age classifications: DE: 18 (FSK 18 — Restricted to adults 18 and older.); US: NC-17 (Adults Only — No one 17 and under admitted.).