1001 Movies You Must See Before You Die- Who Framed Roger Rabbit

#818- Who Framed Roger Rabbit (1987)
Starring: Bob Hoskins, Charles Fleischer, Christopher Lloyd
Directed by: Robert Zemeckis


Plot Summary: In 1947, detective Eddie Valiant is asked by R.K. Maroon, the owner of Maroon Cartoons, to investigate Jessica Rabbit, the wife of Maroon's star performer Roger Rabbit. Despite a falling out with the toon community, Eddie reluctantly takes the job and finds Jessica playing patty-cake with Marvin Acme, the owner of Toontown and the Acme Corporation. Distraught over the news of Jessica and Acme, Roger goes missing and Acme is found murdered the next morning. Acme's will, which was going to leave Toontown in possession of the toons, has also mysteriously disappeared. If the will is not found by midnight, Toontown will be sold to Cloverleaf Industries to prepare making room for the newest invention in transportation: the freeway. But trouble stands in front of Eddie and Roger in the form of the menacing Judge Doom, who has invented a mixture of Turpentine, Acetone, and Benzene, called the "Dip" and is said to be the only way to kill a toon.


To close out Disney Month 2: The Sequel (NOT the real title), I wanted to look at one of my all-time favorite films: Who Framed Roger Rabbit. Why is it one of my favorite films? On top of having some of the best pacing and storytelling I've seen on film, it also features one of my favorite character actors as the villain, is directed by Robert Zemeckis (director of my favorite film, Back to the Future), and celebrates the classic cartoons of the past. And these aren't generic, uninspired character designs, but rather Disney characters, Looney Tunes, and many other iconic cartoon characters from the early days of animation. Like Back to the Future, Who Framed Roger Rabbit is one of those films that I really enjoy and find myself loving it more with every repeated viewing.

Roger Rabbit, voiced by Charles Fleischer, is in all definitions of the word an annoying character. He gets on everyone's nerves in the movie, but for the audience there's a very odd and lovable quality about him. I'm not sure if it's the design, his voice, the slapstick (probably the slapstick), his comedic timing (that too), or his embodiment of the early days of cartoons, but whenever Roger is on screen, hilarity ensues. There's not much else to be said about Roger, however, since what you see is pretty much what you get and that's not a bad thing at all.

Even if Roger's name is in the title, the REAL main character of the film is Eddie Valiant, played by Bob Hoskins (who passed away earlier this year.  Because of that, I would like to dedicate this review in his memory). Here's what you need to know about Eddie right off the bat: Eddie used to be happy until his brother was killed by a cartoon, and now he drinks the pain away. The fact that he's an alcoholic and that he has a no-nonsense attitude is his shtick for most of the film, but the audience does not fault him. The audience is able to fully empathize with Eddie and understand why he does not want to work with Roger. Eddie is a great detective character and the viewers are rooting for him and want him to solve the case, while also hoping he finds his sense of humor. Bravo Bob Hoskins, may he Rest in Peace.

Roger's alleged adulterous wife is Jessica Rabbit, voiced by Kathleen Turner. Based on Eddie's expectations, the audience is expecting a rabbit, but instead Jessica is a "sultry and seductive" woman that has every man's attention in the film, even Eddie's. Of course, there's the big controversy surrounding the flashing of Jessica's private parts in the original release of the film. Those cheeky animators wanted to see Jessica naked as much as some of the men in the film (and the audience) did. Apart from that, her design, and the line "I'm not bad, I'm just drawn that way," Jessica doesn't add too much else to the film. In a lot of ways, she's a plot point. Because she is accused of having an affair, Eddie is hired to investigate. When he comes back with some very strange evidence, the murder mystery begins. She she's more of a catalyst for the plot than anything else, while also making sporadic appearances to help Eddie and Roger.

What did Robert Zemeckis do when he knew he needed a memorable villain for the film? He cast Christopher Lloyd as Judge Doom. Just look at that name, THAT's a name that lets you know he's up to no good. His all black clothing, including trench coat, sunglasses, and hat, his cold demeanor, and his never ending quest to kill every tune in his path (specifically Roger), are what make him a memorable villain. Later on in the film (*SPOILERS*), Judge Doom is revealed to be the toon that killed Eddie's brother, and his transformation (Boss Mode as some would call it) is horrifying. His colored eyes and high pitched voice are the things nightmares are made of. It's a very effective way to make sure viewers remember Judge Doom for the rest of their lives, whether awake or not.

The most memorable part of Who Framed Roger Rabbit revolves around Eddie going into Toontown. Featuring some of the best crossover work between live action and animation, the scene is an absolute joy to watch for fans of cartoons (and most of the effects still hold up). Speaking of crossovers, this is the ONLY film where you will see Bugs Bunny and Mickey Mouse on the screen at the same time (trust me when I say it's surreal). There's also a piano duel early in the film between Daffy Duck and Donald Duck which is really fun as well. Along with cameos from Goofy, Dumbo, Betty Boop, Droopy, Woody Woodpecker, Porky Pig, and many more, the film serves as a tribute to some of the most legendary cartoon characters of all-time. And given the release date of the film (1987), it was released around the time Disney was about to begin their Renaissance by producing classic animated films in the late '80s and early '90s, including The Little Mermaid, Beauty and the Beast, Aladdin, and The Lion King, so it serves as a great time capsule of animation all around.

And since October is around the corner, and I begin another batch of horror movie reviews, let the above image haunt your dreams tonight...


Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

Who Framed Roger Rabbit is a must see for all fans of cartoons. The cameos are off the charts and the performances from the main cast are all well-acted. This is one I just recently added to my DVD collection. I'm glad I did and I strongly recommend everyone adds it to their collection as well.

Who Framed Roger Rabbit and movie images are copyrighted by Touchstone Pictures