The first Roger Rabbit short is actually used to open the feature "Who Framed Roger Rabbit". First let me say that the action in Roger Rabbit films moves fast. Very fast. If you blink, you will miss so much. I had to reduce the speed of the video just to get screengrabs.
The premise for the films is introduced quickly. Baby Herman's mother leaves the child in the care of Roger, complete with threats of what will happen to the rabbit if any harm should come to Herman.
Baby Herman manages to escape from his crib, in pursuit of the jar of cookies atop the refridgerator. The journey is fraught with peril as the baby crosses over the stove, sink and dangles precariously over the kitchen knives.
It's Roger to the rescue...or not. The rabbit slips on a rolling pin and ends up in the oven. He inadvertantly downs a bottle of hot sauce and has kitchen utensils assault him.
The vaccuum cleaner gag, I believe, is an homage to a scene of Donald Duck's in "Moving Day".
Every frame of a Roger Rabbit cartoon is a work of art. I could post a million of them.
Roger gets the fridge dropped on his head and at that moment the transition out of the cartoon and into the real world begins, as Roger and Baby Herman (who is clearly an adult in a child's body) deal with a frustrated director.
Roger was a very strong influence on myself. When I first saw this film in the theatre, I was blown away.
ReplyDeleteI never really thought that cartoons could have so much energy.
(having grown up with cartoons from the 80s that is....)
It's really a shame that more Roger Rabbit cartoons were not made. They are just hypnotizing to watch.
ReplyDelete