Who Framed Roger Rabbit (Exclusive Series) (Disney Plus)

Initial release date: June 22, 1988

Studios: Touchstone Pictures/Amblin Entertainment/Silver Screen Partners

Plot: Down on his luck private eye Eddie Valiant gets hired by cartoon producer R.K. Maroon to investigate an adultery scandal involving Jessica Rabbit, the sultry wife of Maroon's biggest star, Roger Rabbit. But when Marvin Acme, Jessica's alleged paramour and the owner of Toontown, is found killed, the villainous Judge Doom vows to catch and destroy Roger.

Cast

Bob Hoskins - Eddie Valiant

Christopher Lloyd - Judge Doom

Joanna Cassidy - Dolores

Charles Fleischer - Roger Rabbit/Benny the Cab

Stubby Kaye - Marvin Acme

Alvin Tilvern - R.K. Maroon

Richard Le Parmentier - Lt. Santino

Lou Hirsch - Baby Herman

Writer(s): Jeffrey Price (Shrek the Third)

Peter S. Seaman (Shrek the Third)

Gary K. Wolfe (novel)

Director: Robert Zemeckis (Pinocchio; The Witches)

Rated PG (104 min)

The 1988 classic 'Who Framed Roger Rabbit' has always been a favorite of mine since I was a little kid. During that time, the concept of animated characters blending in with live-action characters in the real world and vice versa is just ground-breaking and unique. It sometimes can be still unique today if done right.

The animation still holds up today and just seeing several cartoon characters come together from numerous eras is still fun to watch. I still get a nostalgic feeling every time I watch this film. All the actors did a great job, especially Christopher Lloyd, portraying the film's villain. It's rare to see him play a villain but you can tell that the actor had an absolute blast making this film.

Overall, this 1980s classic is a great film to watch! You can stream 'Who Framed Roger Rabbit' on Disney Plus!

Here are SEVERAL interesting tidbits for 'Who Framed Roger Rabbit':

• This movie is the first (and only, as of 2022) time cartoon characters from Disney and Warner Bros. have appeared on-screen together.

• With an estimated production budget of $70 million, this was the most expensive film produced in the 80s, and had the longest on-screen credits for the film.

• Hoskins said that, for two weeks after seeing the movie, his young son wouldn't talk to him. When he finally asked why, his son said he couldn't believe his father would work with cartoon characters and not let him meet them.

• The first test audience was mostly 18 to 19 years old, who hated it. After almost the entire audience walked out of the screening, Zemeckis, who had say to the final cut, said he wasn't changing a thing.

• 326 animators worked full time on the film. In total, 82,080 frames of animation were drawn, including storyboards and concept art. Animation director Richard Williams estimates that well over one million drawings were done for the movie.

• There are over forty drafts of the script, including drafts that had either Jessica Rabbit or Baby Herman as the villain.

• Road Runner and Wile E. Coyote, who briefly appeared in the final "roll call" shot, actually hadn't been created at the time the movie was set (1947). The characters were given a small cameo anyway at the insistence of Spielberg.

• Robin Williams was considered for either Judge Doom and Eddie Valiant.

• This film and 'Nightmare Before Christmas' are the only films under the Touchstone label that are considered official Disney film.

• In one of the early versions of the script, Doom was revealed to be the one who killed Bambi's mother.

• Walt Disney Productions purchased the film rights to Gary K. Wolf's novel 'Who Censored Roger Rabbit' shortly after its publication in 1981.

• Tim Curry originally auditioned for the role of Judge Doom but was rejected because the producers found him too terrifying. Robin Williams, Chevy Chase, Robert Redford, Jack Nicholson, Ed Harris and Charles Grodin were also considered for the role.

• Michael Eisner, then -CEO, and Roy E. Disney, vice chairman of The Walt Disney Co., felt the film was too risque with adult themes and sexual references. Eisner and Zemeckis disagreed over various elements of it but since Zemeckis had final cut privilege, he refused to make any alterations.

• The studio felt it was appropriate to release the film under the studio's adult-oriented Touchstone Pictures banner (inactive) instead of the flagship Disney banner.

• The film opened in the US on June 22, 1988, grossing $11.2 million in 1,045 theaters during its opening weekend, ranking No. 1 at the US box office. It was Disney's biggest opening weekend over at the time of its release. Overall, the film earned $156.4 million domestic and $329 million worldwide.

• The critical and commercial success of the film rekindled an interest in the Golden Age of American animation, and sparked the modern animation scene, as well as the Disney Renaissance.

• In December 2016, the film was selected for preservation in the US National Film Registry by the Library of Congress.

• The 2022 film, 'Chip n' Dale', was created as a spiritual sequel, through combining several different techniques that have come about since this movie. Roger also appears in a cameo in the 'Chip n Dale' film.

https://youtu.be/tYkZNPBxZyk