Who Framed Roger Rabbit?
(A- or 3.5/4 stars)
'Who Framed Roger Rabbit?' (directed by Robert Zemeckis) is an astonishing movie to watch. It's enchanting, it's entertaining - and yet - the real marvel is how it blends live action actors with incredible animated craftsmanship. Real actors & animated cartoon characters inhabit the same space and it's all made to look sooo real. The film takes place in Hollywood in 1947 in a world where human beings & 'Toons' coexist. 2 new characters for the main plot include Roger Rabbit & his incredibly sexy, vivacious wife, Jessica (voiced by Kathleen Turner, can you get a sexier voice?). But also established in the story are famed cartoon stars such as: Bugs Bunny, Donald & Daffy Duck, Mickey Mouse, Betty Boop (loved her), Dumbo, & many more.
The 'Toons' live in, well, Toontown - a completely animated world where the climax of this film takes place (and boy is it a doozy!). But most of the time, the Toons hang out in a version of Hollywood that looks exactly as you'd think it would look back in the day. The main plot revolves around the murder of a gag-gift mogul, & when Roger Rabbit (a Toon star at Maroon Toons) is framed with said murder, washed-up, alcoholic private eye Eddie Valiant (a wonderfully pungent Bob Hoskins) gets caught in the middle of the drama. Eddie hates Toons, but is forced to help Roger who's hiding in his apartment. As the story goes, a lot of the same 1940's-esque crime movie elements ensue (shoot-outs, double identities, the private eye longing for the wife of the framed criminal he's trying to help, etc.). It's up to Eddie to clear Roger's name & sniff out the real killer before the power-hungry Judge Doom (Christopher Lloyd) brings Roger to justice.
The plot is standard order 'crime movie'. But integrating the charismatic live-action characters with the goofball cartoon characters makes it special; along with trademark Zemeckis filmmaking (clever dialogue, sight gags, superior cinematography, stylish 1940's sets, an animated wonderland, & fun musical score). Now, when I say that the real actors & the cartoons look like they inhabit the same space ... I mean it. Both cast real shadows. Both look like they're interacting at the same time. Everything is scaled correctly. The camera move freely around each character (real or not). I was just in awe at the ambition & execution of this technological wizardry. I also appreciated the tone that is struck btwn. the live actors & the toons. This is a family film (make no mistake), but the script never plays down to the cartoonery. Eddie talks to Roger in serious, realistic, matter-of-fact ways; because humans & Toons have always done so, here.
My 3 favorite scenes include: 1) the opening animated segment involving a baby (which could qualify as an animated short, as they call them). 2) A completely transfixing scene where we're introduced to the buxom Jessica Rabbit, a club singer, who sings, vamps, & struts around the stage in a shimmering red evening gown. My mouth was agape in this scene. You'll walk away remembering her the most. And 3) the aforementioned climax. Judge Doom is one scary-ass character. In fact, several moments in the film could really scare little children. Overall, I just can't talk highly enough about 'WFRR'. It's a blast from start to finish. Some may find its energy to be a little loud & manic (and I'd know what they mean). But this movie is an example of brilliant mainstream entertainment.
The 'Toons' live in, well, Toontown - a completely animated world where the climax of this film takes place (and boy is it a doozy!). But most of the time, the Toons hang out in a version of Hollywood that looks exactly as you'd think it would look back in the day. The main plot revolves around the murder of a gag-gift mogul, & when Roger Rabbit (a Toon star at Maroon Toons) is framed with said murder, washed-up, alcoholic private eye Eddie Valiant (a wonderfully pungent Bob Hoskins) gets caught in the middle of the drama. Eddie hates Toons, but is forced to help Roger who's hiding in his apartment. As the story goes, a lot of the same 1940's-esque crime movie elements ensue (shoot-outs, double identities, the private eye longing for the wife of the framed criminal he's trying to help, etc.). It's up to Eddie to clear Roger's name & sniff out the real killer before the power-hungry Judge Doom (Christopher Lloyd) brings Roger to justice.
The plot is standard order 'crime movie'. But integrating the charismatic live-action characters with the goofball cartoon characters makes it special; along with trademark Zemeckis filmmaking (clever dialogue, sight gags, superior cinematography, stylish 1940's sets, an animated wonderland, & fun musical score). Now, when I say that the real actors & the cartoons look like they inhabit the same space ... I mean it. Both cast real shadows. Both look like they're interacting at the same time. Everything is scaled correctly. The camera move freely around each character (real or not). I was just in awe at the ambition & execution of this technological wizardry. I also appreciated the tone that is struck btwn. the live actors & the toons. This is a family film (make no mistake), but the script never plays down to the cartoonery. Eddie talks to Roger in serious, realistic, matter-of-fact ways; because humans & Toons have always done so, here.
My 3 favorite scenes include: 1) the opening animated segment involving a baby (which could qualify as an animated short, as they call them). 2) A completely transfixing scene where we're introduced to the buxom Jessica Rabbit, a club singer, who sings, vamps, & struts around the stage in a shimmering red evening gown. My mouth was agape in this scene. You'll walk away remembering her the most. And 3) the aforementioned climax. Judge Doom is one scary-ass character. In fact, several moments in the film could really scare little children. Overall, I just can't talk highly enough about 'WFRR'. It's a blast from start to finish. Some may find its energy to be a little loud & manic (and I'd know what they mean). But this movie is an example of brilliant mainstream entertainment.