Imaginative fantasy setting

Rating: 8/10 (2 March 2000)

In 1988 I waited in anticipation for this film to come out when I heard that Bugs Bunny and Daffy Duck were going to be on screen with Mickey Mouse and Donald Duck. A truly historic meeting. So when the movie started and we enter the Ink and Paint club right behind Valiant to see the ducks in the Lizst piano duel--I literally had goose bumps! The whole idea of Toontown was brilliant-like a cinematic mythology-and the story worked well. I dont think of it as a comedy however---the jokes were rather few and far between. I found it to be more of a dark fantasy--as exhibited by the disturbing scene where the peaceful toon shoe gets "dipped." I realize that last line must sound ludicrous to those who havent seen it--if you havent, you should! By today's fx standards the film's special effects seem flat(in most scenes)--but unlike say, Jurassic Park, it has a decent story to fall back on.
Joe Dante is said to have been among the candidates to direct it. Although Zemeckis did a fine job, i think Dante would have brought more humour to it(and Terry Gilliam, more depth).
A couple of points of interest: one--the novel has a VASTLY different storyline and conclusion. Second--although Felix the cat could not be enlisted for the movie(he wanted too much money), if you look closely above the entrance to the Toontown tunnel--you can see a face marking it that looks very familiar.
Overall i think WFRR created a cartoon mythology that was quite inspired--if only some more non-Disney and Warners toon stars could have been included!