Hollywood has practically built an entire industry around hybrid films in which live-action actors play opposing animated characters. “The Smurfs,” “Detective Pikachu” and the “Sonic” films are all variations on the collision of two worlds, but it’s unimaginable to think of a film beyond the scope of 1988’s “Who Framed Roger Rabbit”? The dark adventure comedy directed by Robert Zemeckis is a titanic achievement in the history of the medium, as it seamlessly envisioned an alternate history Hollywood where toons and humans coexist with each other. At the center is Bob Hoskins as Eddie Valiant, a private detective who finds himself embroiled in a case surrounding the titular toon (Charles Fleischer) being, well, accused of a murder he didn’t commit.
Hoskins not only gave the most compelling performance of any actor working against something that doesn’t even exist, but he also invented the modern blockbuster performance as we know it. He breathes real dignity into this unique project, and the results speak for themselves. Seeing the adults take this seriously is a big factor in helping the younger audience believe that the two are occupying the same space, almost to the detriment of Hoskins. In a 1992 interview with the Los Angeles Times, Hoskins explained that his son would not talk to him because he had never orchestrated a personal meeting with his supposed cartoon pals:
“After we did ‘Roger Rabbit,’ my youngest son wouldn’t talk to me anymore. It took me about two weeks to figure out that he felt that any dad who had friends like Bugs Bunny, Yosemite Sam, Daffy Duck and didn’t bring them home to meet him, well, his dad was a total (idiot). The basic premise of this whole thing is that everyone is completely crazy. They are. They are completely crazy. And it’s wonderful. “
Bob Hoskins didn’t bring his cartoon friends home to meet his kid
The fact that Hoskins’ child believed his father was actually in the company of two of the greatest cartoon icons of all time is a testament to the success of this entire project. Hoskins was so deeply involved in the process that he hallucinated his cartoon co-stars. You’d almost be forced to do so upon learning that part of your on-screen legacy will involve being on the receiving end of a tire gag co-orchestrated by Bugs Bunny (Mel Blanc) and Mickey Mouse (Wayne Allwine). More than three decades since the release of “Who Framed Roger Rabbit,” this duet is a truly singular moment in cinema history. This would have been crucial even if the crossover between Disney and Warner Bros. had only culminated in the dueling piano battle between Donald Duck (Tony Anselmo) and Daffy Duck (Mel Blanc).
Steven Spielberg was able to use some of his power as the film’s producer to get the animation teams to license their portrayals. The stipulation on Warner Bros. However, each of their characters had to share equal screen time with Disney’s roster. It’s a pretty fair compromise to make. The whole appeal is in seeing two rival companies put aside their egos and allow their animated mascots to mingle. In “Who Framed Roger Rabbit”, they all live together in harmony within the confines of Toontown, without the contracts and backroom negotiations of businessmen dictating when, where and how they appear. I can’t imagine this playing out the same way from a contemporary perspective, in part because Warner Bros. CEO David Zaslav frustratingly doesn’t see the value in Looney Tunes to begin with. What a brown.
“Who Framed Roger Rabbit” is currently streaming on Disney+.
