By Kim Hollis

April 22, 2003

A landmark special effects film that revitalized the animated film industry, Who Framed Roger Rabbit is an ingenious cartoon noir that is a delight for all ages, and the movie from which this column draws its title. Since Disney just recently released the film on an outstanding, feature-packed Vista Edition DVD, it seemed a perfect time to revisit this neo-classic.

(Loosely) based on a book by Gary K. Wolf, the film languished in development for several years before a concerted combined effort from the likes of Steven Spielberg, Disney, and director Robert Zemeckis set the wheels in motion for a dynamic and original creation that would eventually become the top-grossing movie of 1988, not to mention the winner of three Academy Awards.

Most people are aware of the fact that Who Framed Roger Rabbit is a movie that combined live-action and animation in a goofy mystery, but a closer examination of the film reveals a depth both in the writing and in the artistic expertise that remains unmatched even to this day. Though other movies like Song of the South, Bedknobs and Broomsticks and Mary Poppins had utilized the pairing of real, live actors with cartoon compatriots as a gimmick, in Who Framed Roger Rabbit this blend of reality and “toon” is integral to the story and character development. As such, the film’s creators paid special attention to visual effects with an eye toward ensuring that the interaction between live-action and animation was as seamless and effortlessly believable as possible.

To that end, the cartoon characters required an unusual amount of time and attention, with elements of each one having to be drawn at least four times to cover all of the dimensions present in the film. If you watch closely, you’ll notice that each toon actually has a shadow, not to mention that light affects them just the same as it does the human characters. The scene that introduces Jessica Rabbit (Roger’s wife) is such a thing of beauty and involved such complicated animation that the numerous individuals involved in the production of this segment realized that it could only be maintained for that small amount of screen time. While her dress shimmers and sparkles in almost a 3D fashion during her performance at the nightclub, her attire is a bit more “normal” throughout the remainder of the film. One interesting tidbit about Jessica’s character is that her body moves in a manner opposite to that of a real human woman, and this effect was consciously done to make her appear more “cartoonish” because the creators were afraid it might appear that they had simply rotoscoped her animated form over a live actress.

Another important effect used to tie the toons to the real world is the animated characters’ use of real props. For example, Baby Herman smokes an actual cigar, while the waiter penguins at the local jazz club carry genuine trays with food and beverage. And that’s just the tip of the iceberg. Roger, obviously, is required to interact with any number of “human world” items, from the paper on which he writes his love poem to Jessica to the sink in Eddie Valiant’s office. This intertwining of the real/toon world is so well done, in fact, that even the small occasional flaw is completely forgivable (how do you make a cartoon rabbit realistically splash down a double bourbon, anyway?).

Of course, none of this intricate design and technical virtuosity would work if the human actors were awful. Fortunately, the two primary actors in Who Framed Roger Rabbit, Bob Hoskins and Christopher Lloyd, are nothing short of exemplary here. In fact, Hoskins may be the best blue screen/imaginary object actor ever. Totally committed to his role as private investigator Eddie Valiant, he studied his children as they played with imaginary friends to understand how best to make his character’s movements and interactions with the toons believable. Since the bulk of the film relies on Hoskins, requiring even his character to be cartoon-ish at times, the movie is enormously successful in this regard. That’s not to discount the performance of Christopher Lloyd as Judge Doom, a stiff, creepy, menacing character who is out to bring justice to toons gone bad (pay close attention and you’ll notice that he never blinks –a distinct quirk of the character). Also important to the natural rapport between human actor and cartoon character is the fact that director Zemeckis made a conscientious effort to be certain that his actors had a practice run of each scene – with “life-size” rubber molds of the animated characters.

Ultimately, though, the cumulative success of the movie would be impossible without a good story and sympathetic characters, and Who Framed Roger Rabbit certainly makes the grade in this regard. A comedy/mystery that gives numerous tips of the cap to noir films such as The Maltese Falcon, The Big Sleep and Chinatown (some references are even direct lifts from these classics), Who Framed Roger Rabbit tells the story of a cartoon rabbit who is apparently framed for the murder of his wife’s supposed paramour, Marvin Acme. He goes to private detective Eddie Valiant for assistance, but learns that Eddie has a drinking problem and a severe hatred of toons – primarily because Eddie’s brother and former partner was killed by a toon that is still on the loose.

Lots of goofiness and sinister subplots ensue, but the depth of the characters is the important thing, ultimately. Roger Rabbit, voiced by stand-up comedian Charles Fleischer, is drawn in eye-catching primary colors and has elements of both Warner Bros. and Disney styled cartoons. He’s noisy and annoying, but earnest in his desire to make people laugh and his devotion to his wife. The curvaceous Jessica is a bit of an enigma – is she up to no good or is it possible that she truly cares for the rabbit? Eddie is an irascible, somewhat down-on-his luck P.I., but it’s obvious that deep inside lurks a great heart.

But what’s truly remarkable about the characters in Who Framed Roger Rabbit is that the film marks the first time (and probably the last) that classic cartoon characters from Disney and Warner Bros. appear onscreen together. A dueling piano scene with Donald Duck and Daffy Duck is a thing of pure joy (they play a staple used in animated shorts of the ‘30s and ‘40s, Franz Liszt’s Hungarian Rhapsody No. 2), and an early scene where Dumbo is seen through Venetian blinds is breathtaking. The cameos from the various characters are too numerous to count, but among the most noteworthy are Mickey Mouse and Bugs Bunny (who appear onscreen together for a scene), Yosemite Sam, Tweety Bird, Goofy, Droopy Dog, Porky Pig and Betty Boop.

Tying it all together is an exemplary score from Alan Silvestri, who had previously worked with director Zemeckis on Romancing the Stone and Back to the Future. The composer was able to successfully combine elements of cartoon and noir as well as drama and comedy to near-flawless effect.

All in all, Who Framed Roger Rabbit holds up remarkably well, in part because it’s actually a period piece, but also because the characters are enduring and memorable. Add in the fact that there is truly something new to see with each viewing of the film, and you have a treasure that is well worth watching over and over again. The new Vista Edition DVD is a terrific opportunity to revisit the film, too, with fantastic features that include commentary from a number of the show’s creators and tons of behind-the-scenes footage. The obvious joy taken in the making of the film is worth the price of admission.

View other columns by Kim Hollis