PG

Robert Zemeckis

Richard Williams

Frank Marshall

Robert Watts

Jeffrey Price

Peter S. Seaman

Gary K. Wolf (Novel)

Alan Silvestri

Dean Cundey

Walt Disney Studios

Amblin Entertainment

USA

English

Elstree Studios, Borehamwood, Hertfordshire, England, UK - (studio)

Los Angeles, California, USA

Oakland, California, USA

Ren-Mar Studios - 846 N. Cahuenga Blvd., Hollywood, Los Angeles, California, USA - (studio)

State Theatre, George Street, Grays, Essex, England, UK - (Cinema where Eddie and Roger meet)

Vermont Avenue Tunnel, Griffith Park - 4730 Crystal Springs Drive, Los Angeles, California, USA - (Tunnel to Toontown)

Wood Lane Power Station, Shepherd's Bush, London, England, UK - (warehouse scene)

Roger Rabbit 2 (2012)

The Academy Awards


1989 Won Oscar Best Effects, Sound Effects Editing Charles L. Campbell ,Louis L. Edemann

1989 Won Oscar Best Effects, Visual Effects Ken Ralston, Richard Williams, Ed Jones, George Gibbs

1989 Won Oscar Best Film Editing Arthur Schmidt

1989 Special Achievement Award Richard Williams For animation direction and creation of the cartoon characters.

1989 Nominated Oscar Best Art Direction-Set Decoration Elliot Scott , Peter Howitt

1989 Nominated Oscar Best Cinematography Dean Cundey

1989 Nominated Oscar Best Sound Robert Knudson, John Boyd, Don Digirolamo, Tony Dawe


Academy of Science Fiction, Fantasy & Horror Films


1990 Won Saturn Award Best Director Robert Zemeckis

1990 Won Saturn Award Best Fantasy Film

1990 Won Saturn Award Best Special Effects George Gibbs, Ken Ralston, Richard Williams

1990 Nominated Saturn Award Best Actor Bob Hoskins

1990 Nominated Saturn Award Best Music Alan Silvestri

1990 Nominated Saturn Award Best Supporting Actor Christopher Lloyd

1990 Nominated Saturn Award Best Supporting Actress Joanna Cassidy

1990 Nominated Saturn Award Best Writing Jeffrey Price, Peter S. Seaman


American Cinema Editors


1989 Nominated Eddie Best Edited Feature Film Arthur Schmidt


BAFTA Awards


1989 Won BAFTA Film Award Best Special Effects George Gibbs,Richard Williams,Ken Ralston,Ed Jones

1989 Nominated BAFTA Film Award Best Cinematography Dean Cundey

1989 Nominated BAFTA Film Award Best Editing Arthur Schmidt

1989 Nominated BAFTA Film Award Best Production Design Elliot Scott

1989 Nominated BAFTA Film Award Best Screenplay - Adapted Jeffrey Price Peter S. Seaman


BMI Film & TV Awards


1989 Won BMI Film Music Award Alan Silvestri


British Society of Cinematographers


1988 Nominated Best Cinematography Award Dean Cundey


Chicago Film Critics Association Awards


1989 Won CFCA Award Best Director Robert Zemeckis


César Awards, France


1989 Nominated César Best Foreign Film (Meilleur film étranger) Robert Zemeckis


DVD Exclusive Awards


2003 Nominated DVDX Award Best Menu Design John Ross


David di Donatello Awards


1989 Won David Best Producer - Foreign Film (Migliore Produttore Straniero) Robert Watts Frank Marshall


Directors Guild of America


1989 Nominated DGA Award Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Motion Pictures Robert Zemeckis


Evening Standard British Film Awards


1989 Won Evening Standard British Film Award Best Actor Bob Hoskins Also for The Lonely Passion of Judith Hearne (1987).


Golden Globe Awards


1989 Nominated Golden Globe Best Motion Picture - Comedy/Musical

1989 Nominated Golden Globe Best Performance by an Actor in a Motion Picture - Comedy/Musical Bob Hoskins


Golden Screen, Germany


1989 Won Golden Screen


The Grammy Awards


1989 Nominated Grammy Best Album of Original Instrumental Background Score Written for a Motion Picture or Television Alan Silvestri


Hugo Awards


1989 Won Hugo Best Dramatic Presentation


Kids' Choice Awards, USA


1989 Won Kids' Choice Award Favorite Movie


Los Angeles Film Critics Association Awards


1988 Won Special Award Robert Zemeckis


Motion Picture Sound Editors, USA


1989 Won Golden Reel Award Best Sound Editing - ADR


Sant Jordi Awards


1989 Won Audience Award Best Foreign Film (Mejor Película Extranjera) Robert Zemeckis


Venice Film Festival


1988 Won Children and Cinema Award - Special Mention Robert Zemeckis


Writers Guild of America


1989 Nominated WGA Award (Screen) Best Screenplay Based on Material from Another Medium Jeffrey Price, Peter S. Seaman

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The world according to Roger Rabbit can be a very wonderful thing, as this enormous hit for Touchstone / Disney proved. It was one of the cleverest, funniest, happiest films to come along in many a year, a picture Walt himself would have been proud of, to may the least. And no wonder — look who was behind it none other than Disney's self-appointed heir apparent, Steven Spielberg. For the first time, Spielberg's Amblin Entertainment combined forces with the best talents of the Disney factory for what is billed as a "Spielberg Presents" film, directed by Back to the Future's Robert Zemeckis.

The Disney production notes list 11 'pages of names of talent who went into this picture, all of whom should be proud to be associated with this superb film combining animation with live action. The concept isn't new, of course. Walt himself used it in early "Alice" cartoons, and in Song of the South. But modern computer technology made this state-of-the-art live/ animated movie a wonder to behold.

Credit Bob Hoskins for interactive believability. As Eddie Valiant, he had to play to empty space most of the time, or at best to Charles Fleischer, the voice of Roger, who often appeared on the set in a full bunny suit to give Hoskins something to relate to.

The vocalizations were right on, too. Fleischer is the perfect rabbit, while an unbilled Kathleen Turner gives just the right throatiness to the voice of sexy Jessica Rabbit.

The story was based on the Gary K Wolf book, Who Censored Roger Rabbit?, although it was changed a great deal. The plot involves the Toons, stars of cartoons who commute from Toontown, and their interaction with human actors in Hollywood. Roger's honeybunny, Jessica, is photographed with a man who is later murdered, and Roger becomes the prime suspect. Christopher Lloyd as the villainous Judge Doom, plots and schemes against our heroes. It's up to detective Eddie Valiant to set things right for the hapless Roger Rabbit.

There is so much going on here, though, that the story is almost incidental. Second and third viewings were not uncommon for moviegoers, who tried to spot new things and pick up on missed dialogue with each return to the theater. There are tributes and send-ups all over the place. To wit:

Every item is called "Acme" as in the old Chuck Jones “Road Runner” cartoons.

A "cattle call" at the studio has preening cartoon cows standing in line.

Dumbo flutters by a window, and the studio boss mutters, "He works for peanuts."

When Detective Valiant eaters his office, he hangs his baton on a Maltese Falcon.

Then there are the "inside" jokes about Los Angeles:

"Who needs scar in LA.?" asks Eddie. "We've got the best public transportation system in the world."

'What's a freeway?" someone asks. "Eight lanes...smooth, fast, traffic jams will be a thing other past"

In 1989, Disney released a new Roger Rabbit cartoon, Tummy Trouble (the studio's first new cartoon in many years).

With the film's Laserdisc release, Variety first reported in March 1994 that observers uncovered several scenes of subliminal antics from the animators that featured brief nudity of the Jessica Rabbit character. While undetectable when played at the usual rate of 24 film frames per second, the Laserdisc player allowed the viewer to advance frame-by-frame to uncover these visuals.

Many retailers said that within minutes of the Laserdisc debut, their entire inventory was sold out. The run was fueled by media reports about the controversy, including stories on CNN and various newspapers. A Disney exec responded to Variety that "people need to get a life than to notice stuff like that. We were never aware of it, it was just a stupid gimmick the animators pulled on us and we didn't notice it. At the same time, people also need to develop a sense of humor with these things."

A laugh can be a very powerful thing. Why, sometimes in life, it's the only weapon we have.

Mommy's going to the beauty parlor, darling, but I'm leaving you with your favorite friend, Roger. He's going to take very, very good care of you, because if he doesn't... he's going back to the science lab.

No! Not my Jessica! Not pattycake! It can't be! It just can't be! Jessica's my wife! It's absolutely impossible! Jessica's the love of my life. The apple of my eye. The cream in my coffee.

Dear Jessica: How do I love thee? Let me count the ways. One one-thousand. Two one-thousand. Three one-thousand. Four one-thousand. Five...?

Assistant director visible in reflection in trolley car window as Eddie leaves the studio lot after his first visit to Maroon's office.

When Eddie and Roger escape from the weasels in the bar, they run to the weasel's truck. Roger squeezes through the slot to find Benny and the love letter pops out. You can see a crew member's black gloved hand shove the letter through to Eddie.

In the final fight sequence, when Judge Doom is being blown across the room by the canon spraying acid, the black wires pulling him are clearly visible. This was corrected for the 2004 Vista Series DVD, where the wires are no longer visible.