Early unmade version of "Who Framed Roger Rabbit" [Paul Reubens, Darrell Van Citters, Disney 1983]

[@garzapinups]

I love that Jessica turned out the opposite in the film, instead of using Roger to get ahead, she loves him unconditionally in the film.

[@GetToDaChoppa-k5r]

This film would have been fine, but what we got was infinitely better.

[@simonecoleman2828]

Agreed Infinity! However, I still almost wish for an alternative motion picture based more on the book...just out of curiosity

[@mikewolf5367]

I dunno. I would’ve liked hearing Paul Reubens in the final film.

[@WerewolfEnjoyer]

I'm really glad we ended up with a Jessica Rabbit who wasn't bad, just drawn that way.

[@OdaSwifteye]

We almost ended up with a standard femme fatale which is a boring and cliche trope for Noire. The fact that she merely looked like one was a good bit of subversion.

[@RetroGaming-gp2ef]

Fuckin really bro🤦‍♂️

[@-VoDkAsVengeance-]

@@RetroGaming-gp2ef ...what?

[@cadynshanahan]

@@RetroGaming-gp2ef It's a quote from the movie

[@Chickengirl005]

I gotta say Jessica Rabbit's character was far improved in the film we got. She didn't seem like she would have been a very likable character in this version. That animated sequence with her seducing Eddie was great though. I get really geeky over well-animated pencil tests

[@dkupke]

I haven't read the book, but based on all the reviews I have read I would compare it to Jaws; the movie is much better because the plot is less convoluted and the characters are more likable.

[@Cadena94studios]

But that would've been the point, this seems to closely follow the book, and I the book Jessica is a sexy but cold hearted bitch :/

[@DantheToonMan]

@Chickengirl005 I also have a pencil test addiction. I am also an Animaniacs fan, so I am trying to find some well-animated pencil tests from the show or its development. However, I am not having much luck finding any. Could anybody help me out?

[@-VoDkAsVengeance-]

​@@DantheToonMan I love seeing people from years ago using KZbin comments like Reddit

[@bluesfaninc3001]

I bet In early version Jessica would fall love in with Eddie 7:07

[@bobpaul1143]

Roger's early design resembles the Trix rabbit, which kind of relates to Gary Wolf's inspiration from cereal commercials.

[@ElCidStudios]

Paul Reubens!!!

[@Channel-rh7lh]

El Cid pee wee Herman originally voiced Rodger rabbit!

[@ArtemisiaDark]

I've got to say that early design of Roger Rabbit is darn cute ! (Even if I like the final version as well.)

[@Asterra2]

I like how the WIP animation looks just like the style they developed for Jungle Book and then pretty much never fully abandoned until Little Mermaid.

[@IanHollinhead]

Where was this hiding all these years? So good!

[@rz1dog]

Glad they waited on the idea, it wouldn't have seen the same classic if it was this. Let's be honest, it wouldn't have even been a classic.

[@simpsonsfreak23]

I'm so glad they went through with this movie. Boy, Jessica Rabbit had a lot of development.

[@Cazz8203]

martin prince from the simpsons as jessica.....pee wee as roger.....and master splinter as eddie sooooo glad things worked out differently for this masterpiece of a film, but I'd still be curious to see some more footage of what things could have been

[@Kill2Hard101]

The movie made it too simple. The book is like China Town but with toons. Honestly the movie is like diet cola .

[@dariuswrongside5811]

Point Blank I agree with you as the movie was literally turned from a sin city like movie just to be turned into a comedy full force because trust me seeing cartoons in the real world would definitely be something different.

[@CthulhuianBunny]

As someone who grew up with Peter Renaday being _the_ voice of age and wisdom, it's really neat to hear him as a gruff, film noir detective.

[@FireLightning16]

It would be quite awesome to bring cartoon characters into the real world! 6:30 I had no idea Pee Wee Herman was a rabbit!

[@wildroot16]

6:09 - the stuff nightmares are made of

[@mdalsted]

Prrr... While I prefer Jessica as she turned out in the final product, I do like this version's voice and appearance.

[@mitchfletcher2386]

Same. Though I kinda wish at some point in a show or movie, they would lampoon how femme fatale characters in old detective movies had a habit of speaking in whispery voices. That seems like comic gold to me.

[@belleroseelizabethsmith8148]

That russi Taylor

[@-VoDkAsVengeance-]

"Generic woman with exaggerated features" is more attractive than "woman with multiple exaggerated features deliberately added to flesh out her character in a way she even directly talks about onscreen?" Also, pro tip, never ever ever fucking ever say "purr" to something you find hot if you're trying to attract someone/seem cool. You sound like you're a 50 year old in Las Vegas, and likely have the same mentality; "I'm at somewhere I am not immediately responsible for, I can openly shout 'YOWZAH WHOMP WHOMP AWOOGA' at any remotely female form I see," and the heart shape just makes it creepy. This is coming from a dude, by the way.

[@mdalsted]

@@-VoDkAsVengeance- Sorry about the "purring", this was a really old comment. Seven years old.

[@Mesterius1]

Thanks for this share, TheThiefArchive. What a fascinating peek into the original version of the Roger Rabbit movie! :)

[@CharlesMoss091]

well isnt this a pleasant "what if?". It almost reminds me of a Ralph Bakshi film. i guess thats why they scrapped it to make it more family-friendly, but that doesnt stop me from enjoying it.

[@OdaSwifteye]

I don't know about more family friendly, you might need to go back and watch the film again but at the very least they refined the character design and their personalities (they also scrapped a few cliches and replaced it with better material).

[@xX_Thaddeus_Xx]

Very interesting. Seems pretty different from the movie we got in the end, but still well put-together.

[@metimoteo]

I wonder why the producers didn't stick with Paul Ruebens. What about his early work disqualified him from the actual production? I think he would have been a great fit for Roger. Even this early test footage including his voice work sounds good.

[@thenathanhaines]

Nothing disqualified him. It was a temp track for very, very early work in production. You go in, record some lines, get paid, and that's it. Then the animators have *something* to work against while they're figuring everything out. The actual production casting call comes later, and even if you did the temp track, you still audition from scratch. When they finally cast the movie they wanted to go with an unknown because Roger was surrounded by so many other iconic voices. Here's another example. I've heard a story that Rob Paulsen and I think Jim Cummings recorded "Hakuna Matata" (a very late addition to the film) with a couple of ad-libs, so that Disney could send the song to Nathan Lane and Ernie Sabellla on audiotape a couple of weeks before they had to come in and record it. I don't remember if it was Jim Cummings telling the story, but he said the final version in the song is *identical* to what they performed. Phrasing, intonation, even the spoken lines. Which apparently happens all the time in animation.

[@metimoteo]

Nathan Haines Thanks for your informative reply!

[@dkupke]

metimoteo Here's another one for ya: Paul Ruebens was almost Gozer in Ghostbusters. The original script called for the character to appear as a man in a suit and tie, and Ruebens had been cast for the part. But the director decided that having Gozer appear as a woman would be more unexpected.

[@kylekeller3398]

R.I.P. Paul Reubens (1952 - 2023)

[@waltviviers]

What a great find!

[@charlescross4842]

RIP Pee Wee Herman!

[@SpecialOpsTriceratop]

Such a awesome movie. Very interesting to see it's roots.

[@dillonwright13]

Roger Rabbit with early Peewee Herman voice.

[@DaveNoodles]

Cool. Always interesting to see a different take on the same material.

[@Steamer96]

Glad they rewrote Jessica and Roger as the good guys and fixed the plot. You think Eddie loves to drink in the film he nearly lives on the stuff in the novel. Thank you everyone who worked on this this especially the fallen. Russi Taylor, Paul Rubens, Bob Hoskins, and Richard Williams. Tell me if forgot anyone.

[@fredyrodriguez8881]

Seeing and hearing Roger originality like is weird, glad they went to the design and voice we have now

[@BlackPopeye44]

we got saved

[@ottagol1985]

Interesting what if scenario. Strange that this is the same guy who would later create Renegade Animation.

[@walkingcubkid]

Aw man, I really would’ve liked to see the full product :(

[@CPT85]

Gotta say this’s one of those times when the final version turned out bette than the original.

[@princesspeachfan100]

5:12 From a girl's point of view, I Love Jessica's older design and voice like this than in the actual film, I think she was more prettier and beautiful like this honestly, I don't like her mean personality here, but that voice fits her I think a WHOLE lot better than in the final film. (I always felt like her actual voice in the actual film was way too deep for her character and doesn't sound right for her and just didn't fit her design, but it's just me. I feel like a lighter 40's more sweeter sounding voice like this would of fit her so much better.

[@RetroGaming-gp2ef]

Jessica looks like a Disney villain

[@bocachicatoon1945]

So Disney and major Animation Studios must hire a small team to concept the original story and then story re drafts are developed based on what the artists produced. That's all I can come up with based on how drastically different the movie was compared to the book. The original story board seemed to really closely follow the book almost Page by Page. The book was depressingly dark and honestly I don't think the movie would have panned out well at all so it's good they changed it. It's amazing that all that work goes in and then get scrapped, they animated a lot of stuff! Probably a good idea not to use Paul Reubens though, a Peewee rabbit LOL

[@ScreenTalker]

While I am entirely grateful for what was eventually put out, I would love to see those sketches behind glass in Disneyland

[@HimynameisJermHicks]

This was way more like the book, of which they should turn into either a tv show or a movie that would be awesome because although 'Who Framed Roger Rabbit' was good the novel it was loosely based on is way better.

[@fodsaks]

I am just starting it now. It grabs you right from the first page, doesn't it.

[@DavidLawrence1996]

You know? I thought this original version would have been an actual hit animated film rather than the final version.

[@gbeaudette]

I'm just surprised they'd already changed the named from the book at that point.

[@Stiggo629]

Well, Roger was also the victim in the book, hence the title.

[@juliustorre3746]

wow! how they draw the character is very Precise and Fast!

[@CirnoFrost99]

I love how the old version of roger rabbit looks like the rabbit from the cereal Trix LOL

[@VFKAdventureRabbit]

I need to see if I can find a detailed making-of this film.. I went to the original book a few years ago and it was so different from the movie (it's a great story though, I recommend it). The spoiler for that book was that Roger was a villain after all, but I assume Disney probably didn't eliminate that twist from the start, and instead that it was somewhere along the way they decided to change that element of Roger. I'd love to see some documentation on the process of modifying Roger's character and the film like that; it's interesting to see the beginning and end results and then to know how they got from Plot A to Plot B.

[@thelioncub7368]

Roger Rabbit was Killed by Prototype Himself. The Wolves Must Revive him in Peace.

[@bondservant4jesus]

This would have been way different. I didn't even know they had this version in mind.

[@Phishkisses]

Bro's really working in the Back Rooms

[@Blazah99]

awesome video, thanks for sharing. =)

[@nathanielschwartz425]

1:42. What's "Second Banana"?

[@CHirko1]

The fall guy. Someone who always get hurts in a cartoon

[@nathanielschwartz425]

Oh. Because it was in SpongeBob and I've always wondered what that meant. Thanks! :)

[@bobpaul1143]

This is the same role that Roger plays in the original book. He doesn't have his own comic strip (because he is a comic strip character) as he must play the secondary role for another character and their comic strip.

[@erickrosas865]

Can you tell me the soundtrack name? 0:01

[@XAbbeldydooX]

I am getting old.

[@tohopes]

6:40 they did already have the music written.

[@commandernelson1584]

I want that movie poster on the door.

[@Vertigo0Knight]

Was that Paul "Pee-Wee Herman" Reubens as the voice of Roger Rabbit? Wow, very different in comparison to the one that was theatrically released. I would've loved to have seen this version as well.

[@ParadisoPuppets]

This would have been a VERY different movie.

[@kimlechman5856]

This definitely would’ve been an interesting film and the test footage is very impressive, but with that said, the film we have now (which is my favorite movie of all time) is far superior in every way.

[@erikrasmussen369]

That was Awesome

[@mordeled4545]

Who was the actor of Eddie Valiant?

[@Naminski1a]

Peter Renaday.

[@DoctorPhileasFragg]

I really misread that Cpt. Cleaver sketch. I mistook his chin for cleavage.

[@FureonNectarmoon]

Same! :D

[@purpletomatocinema]

Or for a butt crack

[@Dimensioneer88]

I think he has Thanos' chin.

[@mitchfletcher2386]

Close. Thanos has a bunch of clefts on his chin.

[@dkupke]

I've never read the book, but based on every review I have read the movie is definitely head and shoulders above it. The book's plot sounds VERY convoluted, the writing downright hammy, and the characters are all very negative and unlikable. The movie offered a much more direct, easy to follow plot and re-imagined the characters in a far better light. The author himself has even said he prefers the movie.

[@commandernelson1584]

Daniel Ryan the book wouldn't have made a good movie. Very dark and yes no real good guys. Also they were comic strips and only spoke with speech bubbles, except Jessica. Interesting to read but the movie was a grand slam.

[@bocachicatoon1945]

@@commandernelson1584 the book was super dark. One thing it did better than the movie, It really painted how horrifyingly terrible the world can be. Case in point, take the character that had a funeral in the book, literally nobody cared emotionally about the death, they just cared about their careers and not getting blamed for it. I was literally depressed after finishing

[@owRekssjfjxjxuurrpqpqss]

Mike Giaimo went on to be the art director for Frozen

[@RetroGaming-gp2ef]

I think Jessica kinda looks cute

[@jofbeats11]

A real shame no one continues Captain Cleever.

[@melodysafo5437]

I really hate this version of Jessica! I'm glad they changed her character!

[@Ryanchopper12]

wonder how that version would turn out in the final cut...

[@RetroGaming-gp2ef]

Peter Renaday would actually go on to voice master splinter in the 1987 teenage mutant ninja turtles cartoon.

[@mickeymouseandoswaldtheluc8195]

There's some things not changed and some that are

[@janellerussell2930]

Roger rabbit looks a little better 🙂

[@gotdangit1029]

Wow. Look at how badly it could've ended up.

[@nathanielschwartz425]

Because it was in SpongeBob.

[@WarrenWebber]

I don’t know why they thought of a bearded detective in the 40’s-50’s. Beards in urban America were highly out of fashion at that time, except with beatniks.

[@amoru1012]

6:04

[@cavv0667]

Glad this was never made... I love the film they ended up making.

[@Kill2Hard101]

After reading the novel by Gary Wolfe, I cant watch the movie anymore lol. The book is better.

[@OdaSwifteye]

That's weird, the writer of the book thinks the movie is better. Maybe you could just like both?

[@AdamGomez87]

I would have liked Paul Ruben as Roger Rabbit better. I also liked the the animation style of this one because the current one I felt looks too much like a drug addict.

[@daniexists6]

+Adam Gomez Um..... wat?

[@DoctorPhileasFragg]

You mean the art style? They're animated the same way.

[@daniexists6]

DoctorPhileasFragg Don't question it. He has no fucking idea what he's talking about.

[@Yodazzzz-tp8sc]

Wtf did Jessica look like Kim possible

[@Calinks]

Roger looks horrible here. I mean his facial feature. Not our Roger

[@cvcvcvcvcv]

Bueno. Los primeros diseños de un personaje nunca tienen como objetivo llegar al resultado final.

[@smartycom]

R.I.P. Paul Reubens (1952-2023)