Product: Who Framed Roger Rabbit [VHS] (1988)
Rating: 4.0
A Classic
(4 1/2 stars). WHO FRAMED ROGER RABBIT belongs on the same pedestal as BACK TO THE FUTURE, STAR WARS and SUPERMAN: THE MOVIE as movies that don't nessecarily change your life but ARE astonishingly fun to watch. I suppose no review of this movie can get away without mentioning the groundbreaking special effects -- there is never ANY doubt during the entire film that the toons and the human characters are interacting with one another. Most of this is sold by the fact that the "toons" interact with actual props -- one of the problems with earlier films that combined live action and animation -- say, PETE'S DRAGON -- was that the animated characters were almost never shown interacting with any actual props, and therefore just looked like pictures pasted onto the top of the frame rather than actual characters in the film.Also worthy of mention, and sadly underrated, are the film's performances AND script. Bob Hoskins perfectly portrays the alcoholic, '40s noir detective (after seeing this film, I can easily visualize him in the part of Dashiell Hammett's middleaged, overweight Continental Op.) Christopher Lloyd is unforgettable both in appearance and performance as the main villain, Judge Doom, who is perhaps the looniest incarnation of evil ever vestiged on the movie screen. Charles Fleischer and Kathleen Turner both give great performances as Roger and Jessica Rabbit, and Johanna Cassidy gives a wonderful Rossalind Russel feel to her role as Delores.As for the script, I honestly don't understand why it's so vastly underrated. I guess this is somewhat embarassing to say, but this film has some of my all time favorite lines. Everyone, of course, remembers, "I'm not bad -- I'm just drawn that way." I also love, "Didn't you used to be Eddie Valiant? -- or did you change your name to Jack Daniels?" Roger, talking about Eddie's deceased brother, "He looks like a sensitive and SOBER fellow." And, of course, Judge Doom's classic, "That's alright Lieutenant -- from the smell of him I'd say it was the BOOZE talking."Basically, if you're looking for a movie you can watch OVER and OVER again and never get tired of, check this one out. Especially recommended for people who like classic Looney Toons/Tex Avery cartoons and '40s Film Noir.