Chances are the first time you saw this trailblazing film you were around the age your kids are now. Not since Dick Van Dyke danced with a bunch of cartoon penguins were audiences mesmerized with the amalgamation of live action and animation. ‘Who Framed Rodger Rabbit’ pushed the envelope and presented a film that appealed to both adults and children alike.
The 25th anniversary blu-ray release is packed full of extras that will delight fans. If you don’t have a blu-ray player now is the time to make the upgrade. The picture quality is amazing and soon traditional DVDs will be phasing out of production. Be sure to check consumer reviews on multiple sites so you can read product reviews and find the player that will best suit your needs.
Classic flare
The toons come from a “Cotton Club Roaring 20s” type time frame set in Hollywood and boast the slang and attitude to match. Any cartoon historian will notice some really obscure characters from 1940s animation that pop in and out of this classic film noir style murder mystery. The live action roles are brilliantly played by Bob Hoskins (Eddie Valiant) and Christopher Lloyd (Judge Doom). Though many argue it is a film for adults, this movie only has a PG rating. It seems most parents were not prepared to see mouthy babies smoking stogies or sexually suggestive content between a “Betty-Boop update” and a wacky rabbit.
Special features
The new release blu-ray DVD has some fantastic extras that any Roger Rabbit fan will eat up in a snap. There are some “before and after” narratives on the characters as well as all of the deleted scenes. There are even some clever bonuses that include short mockups of popular TV shows set in context to the film’s characters. These include “Toontown Confidential” and “Behind the Ears: The True Story of Roger Rabbit”.
The bonus features also include some Roger Rabbit shorts titled ‘Tummy Trouble’, ‘Rollercoaster Rabbit’, and ‘Trail Mix-Up’, all digitally remastered. If Eddie Valiant was a favorite you will love ‘The Valiant Files’ that give an in depth look at his life and work. There is also an audio commentary option with all the filmmakers and director.
Finally, the mini-documentary ‘Who Made Roger Rabbit’ hosted by Charles Fleischer (voice of Roger Rabbit) reveals the magical journey soaked in blood, sweat and tears that went into producing this timeless film. If you aren’t too sure about the film’s content being kid-friendly for your little one, you should find no problems with them watching this documentary. It is much tamer and more audience appropriate.
A vital film for your cinema library
This movie is truly one of a kind that paved the way for movie-making advancements in technology. In fact, Roger Ebert’s film review shouted praise, as he had “never seen anything like it before” and praised it up and down for being clever, addicting, funny and shocking all at once.
If you haven’t seen this film yet, it will still wow you. Even though film technology has come a long way in 25 years, this movie still offers a mighty impact with inside-jokes and the whole boot.
I was just a kid when I saw this movie and loved it! Not long after my family visited Disney World and we got to meet some of the characters up close and personal. This movie is a lot of fun. The sexy Jessica Rabbit is a fave famous Ginger as well in case you did not already know.
Have you seen the movie? Who is your fave character?
Image source Disney Movie List
It's hard to believe Who Framed Roger Rabbit is 25 years old! I saw the movie when it first came out and my favourite character is Jessica Rabbit.