From Jeffrey Long at the Telegram & Gazette Reviewer (quoted in italics): Innovative movie animation can catapult into fantasy ("Avatar"), sting with social criticism ("Waltz with Bashir"), or, as with "Sita Sings the Blues," delightfully enliven an ancient folktale from halfway around the world. This quirky, vibrant film has won awards at more than two dozen film festivals and has spawned a mushrooming cult following, both online and at cinemas. Nina Paley, whose creative talents outnumber Vishnu's arms, drew, wrote, and produced nearly every aspect of this feature-length cartoon, which is an imaginative retelling of the epic Hindu love story known as the Ramayana. With its tagline "The Greatest Break-Up Story Ever Told," this free-wheeling adaptation focuses upon the fortunes and misfortunes of the goddess Sita, whose patience and virtue face severe tests in the face of the wrongful treatment accorded her by her husband, Lord Rama. Paley tweaks the traditional structure of the "Ramayana" narrative with entertaining cross-cultural devices. She has morphed the story into a bluesy musical that incorporates several soulful jazz tunes sung by the noted 1920s performer Annette Hanshaw. Poignant and lilting jazz strains thus punctuate the story.
Paley has been a fixture in the alternative press for years and tried, earlier in this decade, to get syndicated with a comic strip about a lusting and loving young couple, The Hots, written by Stephen Hersh; but, alas, to no avail. It ran only about a year in the public prints although it continues to lurk in the alternative venues. So it’s a delight to see her achieve a measure of success and acclaim with “Sita Sings the Blues.” You can watch the film at sitasingstheblues.com — for free; although a donation would be nice.
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