**Spoilers**
If you have not yet watched this film, please go and do so before proceeding.
Ladies and gentlemen, this is it. The film noire of all film noires. The perfect marriage of animation and live action. The only official product in existence where you will see Bugs Bunny and Mickey Mouse on screen together. This is Who Framed Roger Rabbit?
| I'm still mad that The Lorax abomination stole this scene |
Bob Hoskins, beloved character actor and the star of Roger Rabbit, passed away April 29 of 2014. So, in honor of him, I am going to review two films that have my favorite roles that he starred in. Who Framed Roger Rabbit and Hook. Today we're tackling the rabbit.
This film was created in 1988 by Walt Disney studios. It is classed as an action-mystery-fantasy story and combines traditional 2D animation with live action performances. The plot? In 1947, cartoon characters, commonly called "toons", are living beings who act out cartoons in the same way that human actors make live-action production. They primarily live in a section of Los Angeles (not far from Hollywood) called 'Toontown', but they interact freely and often with the humans. One of the biggest stars out of all the toons is a rabbit named Roger. One day the head of the studio he works for hires private investigator Eddie Valient (Hoskins) to look into Roger's wife, Jessica Rabbit, who is a singer at a local nightclub and may be having an affair with Mr. Acme.
What ensues from there are hijinks, kidnappings, bar brawls, killer tune hybrids, and a gang of weasels that can laugh themselves to death. It's a gloriously goofy, surprisingly touching story about self-discovery and redemption. And the Los Angeles transportation renovation. And Christopher Llyod with cartoon eyes. And a whole lot of other things.
Favorite Moments & Random Thoughts:
- One of the fun things to do with this movie is to play Spot The Cartoon Cameo. It's basically like the world's biggest mashup with characters from just about every major cartoon in existence...perfect for a good old round of I Spy.
- It's interesting how in this world toons come into being by being drawn (not born) but then they proceed to get jobs and get married and act out their cartoon gigs like live action actors would. It doesn't exactly make sense...but it's Roger Rabbit. Just enjoy the ride.
- Working as a toon is hard!
Roger: Pplpllllease Raoul. I can give you stars. Just drop the refrigerator on my head one more time.
Raoul: Roger! I've dropped that on your head 23 times already.
Roger: I can take it though. Don't worry about me.
Raoul: I'm not worried about you I'm worried about the refrigerator.
- Not that it hurts them. They just bounce back. They can't be hurt, can't get sick, and they can't be killed, (well, except for via Dip)...but that begs the question of can they be erased?
- The Ink & Paint Club. Staffed by toons. I like the name.
- I love the part where Eddie asks for a drink 'on the rocks' and those ridiculous penguins follow that instruction. Literally. They bring him a glass with literal pebbles in it. Too funny!
- The Donald Duck vs. Daffy Duck piano duel is priceless. Word has it that Warner Bros. would only let Disney use their characters if Bugs, Daffy, and the rest got an equal amount of screen time as the Disney characters. The result? One of the funniest piano routines ever put to film where Donald and Daffy make fun of each other's speech impediments. Neither of them has room to talk...so to speak. (Both puns intended)
- And Eddie gets the pictures of Jessica playing hanky-panky with Mr. Acme. Or, to be more accurate, playing patty-cake. Apparently a clapping game equals an affair in the toon world. Huh.
- Roger is understandably distressed when confronted with this evidence and storms off into the night, lurking about the back of Jessica's nightclub and sobbing over his lost love while looking at what I'm assuming are honeymoon pictures. It's a surprisingly touching and deeply depressing scene, given the fact that the person delivering it is a rabbit who looks and sounds like he failed Alice in Wonderland auditions.
- Just then (of course) Eddie's sort-of girlfriend Dolores comes by and catches him. Could this scene be any more awkward?
- Apparently yes as not long after Jessica leaves, Roger shows up and pleads desperately to Eddie to help save him from the slammer. Through a series of frankly hilarious slapstick and shenanigans, the two unlikely accomplices end up handcuffed together just as a band of bounty hunter weasels come knocking at Eddie's door.
- One thing I really love about Roger is his character. Not only is he sappily, ridiculously, and totally in love with Jessica (after the whole pictures debacle he writes her a love letter instead of divorce papers) but he has made it his one mission in life to make people laugh. Even Eddie Valiant, who pulls Roger's ears and threatens to turn him into the police, Roger sees as someone that he just must make laugh. He's actually very sweet.
- And have I mentioned that his reaction to alcohol is HILARIOUS?- This is why you shouldn't buy a toon a drink...they'll demolish the bar before you can say 'It's Wabbit Season'.
- All of the toon in-jokes and puns are very funny too. Like Judge Doom tricking Roger out of hiding simply by starting the 'Shave & A Hair Cut' sequence and leaving it unfinished.
- Also, I will forever be traumatized by the cruel, unusual, and totally needless murder of that adorable, innocent little shoe. RIP, squeaky.
- The wise-cracking weasels who can laugh themselves to death are a nice touch too. I knew how they were going to be defeated in the end the moment that character trait was introduced. It didn't ruin the experience for me, though, and it gave us a Bob Hoskins song and dance routine.
- Judge Doom is played by Christopher Lloyd. Already that's a recipe for something awesome. Add in black clothes, sunglasses, and the dreaded Dip and you've got one intimidating villain.
- I love the way Jessica explains her relationship with Roger. It's very unusual, but sweet. And I enjoy them as a couple a lot. They're very devoted to each other and you get the feeling that they're old friends and partners as well as lovers.- It also explains why Betty Boop said that Jessica was such a lucky girl for landing Roger of all people. Aside from the fact that he's a star and she's just a nightclub singer who happens to be drawn with rather large, erm, assets, they also honestly respect and have fun with each other. It's a match made in...whatever toons have for Heaven.
- I'm pretty sure that Toon Town, bright and colorful as it is, is actually representing one of the circles of Hell. At least for humans it is. I haven't read Dante in a while, but I'm sure a place with talking buildings, elevators that drop and leave your eyeballs at the top, and Tweetie Bird is in there somewhere.
- It did give us Bugs Bunny and Mickey Mouse amiably skydiving together. What other film are you ever going to see that in?- Judge Doom still kind of scares me to this day whenever he gets flattened by the roller and reveals himself as the one who killed Eddie's brother by dropping a piano on his head.
- The eyes...the voice!
- I like that he was impaled on his own sword and doused in Dip at the end of it all. Eddie saves Jessica and Roger and they all parade into Toon Town merrily together, having saved the animated village from being erased for the Los Angeles public transport system.
Who Framed Roger Rabbit is just a fun little romp down the lane of utter absurdity films. It's kooky, it's corny, it's surprisingly touching, and it teaches some valuable lessons about looking beyond the outside appearance and about moving on from the past. It has a great story, great characters, a memorable villain, and a wonderful climax. I give it a 5/5.
What did you think? Do you agree with my rating? If not - what would you say differently?
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