Who Framed Roger Rabbit (1988)

A toon hating detective is a cartoon rabbit's only hope to prove his innocence when he is accused of murder.

Director:

Robert Zemeckis

Writers:

Gary K. Wolf (novel), Jeffrey Price (screenplay),

Stars:

Bob Hoskins, Christopher Lloyd, Joanna Cassidy

Won 3 Oscars. Another 18 wins & 21 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Bob Hoskins	...	Eddie Valiant
Christopher Lloyd	...	Judge Doom
Joanna Cassidy	...	Dolores
Charles Fleischer	...	Roger Rabbit / Benny The Cab / Greasy / Psycho (voice)
Stubby Kaye	...	Marvin Acme
Alan Tilvern	...	R.K. Maroon
Richard LeParmentier	...	Lt. Santino (as Richard Le Parmentier)
Lou Hirsch	...	Baby Herman (voice)
Betsy Brantley	...	Jessica's Performance Model
Joel Silver	...	Raoul
Paul Springer	...	Augie
Richard Ridings	...	Angelo
Edwin Craig	...	Arthritic Cowboy
Lindsay Holiday	...	Soldier
Mike Edmonds	...	Stretch

Storyline

'Toon star Roger is worried that his wife Jessica is playing pattycake with someone else, so the studio hires detective Eddie Valiant to snoop on her. But the stakes are quickly raised when Marvin Acme is found dead and Roger is the prime suspect. Groundbreaking interaction between the live and animated characters, and lots of references to classic animation.

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Plot Keywords:

rabbit | detective | roger rabbit | murder | maroon cartoon | 

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Taglines:

It's the story of a man, a woman, and a rabbit in a triangle of trouble.

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Genres:

Animation | Comedy | Crime | Family | Fantasy

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Certificate:

PG

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

22 June 1988 (USA)

Also Known As:

Dead Toons Don't Pay Bills

Filming Locations:

USA

Box Office

Budget:

$70,000,000 (estimated)

Gross:

$154,222,492 (USA)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Touchstone Pictures, Amblin Entertainment, Silver Screen Partners III

Technical Specs

Runtime:

104 min

Sound Mix:

70 mm 6-Track (70 mm prints) Dolby (35 mm prints)

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

A brief sequence was prepared to test the techniques used to combine live-action with animation. The footage, which showed Eddie Valiant (played by Joe Pantoliano) walking in an alley with Roger Rabbit, touched on all the challenges expected of the production - shading on the cartoon characters, interaction with the live-action actors and environment, matching with the constantly moving camera, etc. The brief, one-minute film, budgeted at $100,000, convinced the filmmakers that the effects could create the illusion of cartoons and live actors occupying the same reality.

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Goofs

A bar patron introduces Judge Doom to his invisible rabbit friend, Harvey. While the movie was not produced by 1947, it was already a play in 1944.

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Quotes

[first lines]
Mrs. Herman: Mommy's going to the beauty parlor, darling, but I'm leaving you with your favorite friend, Roger. He's going to take very, very good care of you, because if he doesn't... HE'S GOING BACK TO THE SCIENCE LAB.

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Crazy Credits

At the end of the credits: "Daffy Duck, Yosemite Sam, Tweetie Bird, Bugs Bunny, Sylvester, Porky Pig, Acme, and all other Warner Bros. characters are trademark of Warner Brothers Inc. Copyright 1988 Warner Bros. Inc. used by permission."

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Connections

Referenced in Animaniacs: Video Review/When Mice Ruled the Earth (1993)

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Soundtracks

"Smile, Darn Ya, Smile"
Written by Jack Meskill, Charles O'Flynn, and Max Rich

User Reviews

Nothing short of miraculous

Stop and think about this movie for a minute, and you realize that we are unbelievably fortunate that it even exists.

Think about all the different cartoon characters who have cameos here. Think about how their respective owners had to put aside decades of competing against each other for gags that would last a few seconds of screen time. Realise that, before this movie, the idea of combining fully rendered animated characters with live action footage was considered impossible. And how the hell do you market a movie that includes both murder plots and fuzzy little cartoons?

This movie is a miracle.

I absolutely loved it as a kid, and although parts of it flew over my head I really did not care. I did know that this is what animation can do when all the "rules" are totally ignored. And why shouldn't they be?

Now, as an adult, I appreciate "Roger Rabbit" for its gutsyness. There is absolutely *nothing* like this anywhere. It gets a solid Ten.