Roger Rabbit: Character Exposition Done Right

Who Framed Roger Rabbit's dedication to character is not praised as much as it should be. Director Robert Zemeckis uses several different techniques to present information to the audience that makes this film a master's class in exposition. Rob digs deep into this 1988 classic in another FanScription Editorial.
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Who Framed Roger Rabbit? is a 1988 American live-action/animated mystery comedy film directed by Robert Zemeckis, produced by Frank Marshall and Robert Watts and written by Jeffrey Price and Peter S. Seaman. It is based on the 1981 novel Who Censored Roger Rabbit? by Gary K. Wolf, it stars Bob Hoskins, Christopher Lloyd, Charles Fleischer, Stubby Kaye and Joanna Cassidy.
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[@ChannelAwesome]

Enjoy Rob's love letter to Who Framed Roger Rabbit Raiding Indy's Lost Character Arc - kzbin.info/www/bejne/oITVhmCjopiKr80 What If Anna Was The Villain In Frozen 2? - kzbin.info/www/bejne/l4XEcnqGaaeJars We are LIVE on Twitch - www.twitch.tv/channelawesome

[@UnsnappedFilms]

This is funny I just watched this yesterday.

[@srstriker6420]

Channel Awesome what if sabre tooth was in Logan What if the penguin won the election in Batman Returns and then Robin Williams as the Riddler What if the Red Skull was in Captain America civil war where he was hiding in Castle Zemo that is own Baron Helmut Zemo What if Snoke didn’t die and he was Darth Plagueis the wise What if Brainiac was in superman 3 What if there was no cult in Halloween the curse of Michael Myers How would you fixed Tom and Jerry the movie and Ultraviolet 2006 What if abomination was in Age of Ultron?

[@conkerlive101]

I really didn't want to like this but fuck... I definitely did.

[@Nazo-kage]

Here’s a very odd thing to consider, and it’s something hoping Rob might find worth considering. A way to fix the 2011 Three Musketeers movie. The odd thing is with the fantasy element of the flying ship, it was really hard to take the movie any kind of seriously but with an unusual twist it could’ve made the movie a little more interesting. What if instead of the three musketeers it was instead called “final fantasy”? You wouldn’t even need to change much about the movie and most of the characters fall into the original games 6 classes. Instead of da Vinci‘s vault it was Cid,s workshop. (And it would make more sense for them to have flying vessels because that was kind of Cid’s thing) Athos the Fighter Milady the Thief Aramis the White mage Porthos the Fighter And Dartanian as Red mage Sure it doesn’t have enough fantasy elements to be final fantasy completely but it’s a lot closer to that than the three musketeers. You could change the names or keep them as kind of a tribute to the three musketeers and the class names could be like code words they were basically treated like Secret agents in this movie.

[@IlSH2]

Lets praise roger rabbit for doing something that any movie reasonable well written does. Thanks, captain obvious rob, pointing out the basics of character development. I don't read replies *shrugs*

[@kylimichaels8394]

The fact that Eddie and his brother were private detectives that specifically worked with Toons explains why the other cops don't treat Eddie with respect. Toons are second class citizens and having cops/PIs working with them would cause the PIs to have a lower status than a regular cop.

[@billnumber3324]

That's supported when Roger says there's no justice for Toons anymore.

[@screwthenet]

Cops have always looked down upon anyone that comes close to their vaunted stature, let alone how many cops view the average human being. BUt yah, cops are dicks, but P.I.'s are gumshoes. *shrugs * lol

[@jeremysalinas9408]

Never thought of it like that for me the picking on. In my mind Eddie and Teddy were probably great cops. And from clipping were more awesome private Detectives. I think this way cuz after the malite boxing glove part with other cops. The guy says didn't you used to be Eddie Valiant. But u make good points. Sry my spelling sucks

[@jeremysalinas9408]

4got my point. They pick on him cuz he used to be a great detective. And is who he is know

[@AishaVonFossen]

Ooh, that's a really good point! I never thought of that before! I think it's creative that they had the Toons segregated in the movie, but I still have to ask, why were they segregated? I'd think that with how many people love cartoon characters, wouldn't many of them be treated as royalty instead? I just never understood why Toons were looked down on in this world. In our world, we adore them! LOL

[@LeUberTroll]

That moment when Rodger Rabbit respects audience intelligence more than most media

[@JONAH_918]

So true

[@KyleEvra]

Soo true!

[@Nasser851000]

RIP Bob Hoskins. He was such a great actor :(

[@calebjmelendez]

HE DIED?! THAT'S HORRIBLE!!!

[@princessthyemis]

Yeah he was :( even though I only saw him in The Wind in the Willows he was a FANTASTIC Badger!

[@RachelTheVlogger]

I just found out he died from pneumonia in 2014. Rip Bob :(

[@dforman4770]

@@calebjmelendez That's an understatement, his New York accent was so good I had no idea he was British!

[@timothymorris157]

Dream Master Hard to believe that he was also in Super Mario Bros, Hook, Balto, Cotton Club, Enemy At The Gates, Hollywoodland, and Son Of The Mask. Truly he’s a man worth every once of recognition and respect that he deserves as an endearing and prominent actor. 👏🏻😢🌹

[@Absolynth]

A sign of a brilliantly built film and story is when a 5 year old in 1992 can't even understand everything being said, but still understands what everyone is feeling and why and where its going.

[@Nazo-kage]

All that drinking in who framed Roger rabbit had to be real good practice for Bob Hoskins because there was no way he would’ve gotten through the super Mario Brothers movie without it.

[@srstriker6420]

Nazo- kage especially that was offered to play the penguin in Batman Returns and speaking of what if the penguin didn’t die or won the election in Batman Returns?

[@Nazo-kage]

SR Striker you know when you consider how miserable he was in that movie you got to think: Even though son of the mask is a bad movie it probably was a whole lot more tolerable for him to play Oden.

[@TheBoxingCannabyte]

Oh pooh, that's a great movie, the biggest failing is that Keanu Reeves and Nicholas Cage weren't merged together to create Princess Luigi and they made it in the same style as The Rocky Horror Picture show and had it directed by John Waters. (then forced Dick Cheney to watch it 12x a day every day for 20 years)

[@srstriker6420]

Nazo- kage super Mario brothers was a nightmare for everyone especially King Koopa himself

[@Nazo-kage]

SR Striker do you wanna know the weirdest thing I found out about that movie. The couple who were the directors for the movie not only never played super Mario brothers (So they really didn’t know anything about the source material) they wanted to put things in the movie that would’ve raised its rating pretty high. Like no joke they wanted to have a strip club scene with full frontal nudity. In the movie that would’ve brought a lot of kids because it’s “super Mario brothers!”

[@brandonburrows186]

It's amazing that this "kids" movie had more depth and nuance than most flicks today. This is true cinema.

[@bowmaj8666]

I think it's debatable whether this truly is a kid's movie, given it's content!

[@audreym3908]

@@bowmaj8666 Still gonna show this to my future kids

[@overdev1993]

@@bowmaj8666 It's a movie for both. Kids and adults. But a pretty dark movie for kids I think.

[@bowmaj8666]

@@audreym3908 Oh me too, don't get me wrong! It's just got a lot of stuff in it that some would argue is not kid friendly. Fortunately, most of it goes over kid's heads, just like it did when we were kids!

[@sssummmak]

@@audreym3908 I did, my 5 year old daughter loves this movie, I was watching it as a kid as well around the same age as her.

[@catluvr2]

I just realized why the liquor store guy knew where Eddie lived. Oof, right in the feels.

[@ProfesserUniverse]

Care to explain?

[@josephnixon5509]

ProfesserUniverse I’m assuming it’s because Eddie’s an alcoholic?

[@BoosterUM]

@@ProfesserUniverse they boned

[@caliveil1627]

@@ProfesserUniverse the store owner had to carry him back home after one of his drunk episodes

[@michaelwilson5866]

I've watch this as a kid so many times, but with a kids understanding of how the world works. I too just realized it. I wonder what new things I'd see if I watched it again now.

[@allystitcheskurta]

When he smiles for Betty. I mean who would ever hate Betty? She is a total sweetheart

[@jonathanstmartin]

I want to rewatch Roger Rabbit now. Thanks Rob.

[@icantthinkofanything798]

You have the same profile photo as my father.

[@audreym3908]

Same here! Is in on stream somewhere?

[@joeymontgomery1191]

Audrey M I think it’s available on Disney+ right now.

[@tobybartels8426]

@@audreym3908 : Yep, it's on Disney+, at least here in the USA.

[@elsheddars3918]

@@tobybartels8426 and in 4K

[@Alondro77]

So what you're saying about good exposition is: "You didn't see it, but your brain did." ;D

[@TheRpgGuy]

Ahhhh Plinkett-ism 101. :D

[@SqueakingLion]

Oh my God... I never made the Betty Boop connection until just now! I never noticed the Betty Boop doll on Eddie's brother's desk, and suddenly that whole dynamic makes SO MUCH MORE SENSE!!! I always wondered why Eddie smiled at Betty... I kinda figured maybe they had a past together, but I thought maybe the two of them had a fling or something. The idea that it was his brother that had the fling is so much better! Robert Zemeckis has always been one of my favorite directors, and this is just one more reason to love this guy. :)

[@michaelramsey1299]

Squeaking Lion yeah essentially he associates Betty with his brother and so he can’t hate her like he does the other toons.

[@benjackson7872]

This movie’s a classic that’ll never get old.

[@MegaroadProducciones]

10:44 You miss something else: often, when there is an exposition (big or small) in other films, the other characters already seem to know these facts, which results in the character that performs the exposition, being as something said at random, little credible. But here, we see that all the customers of the bar, who seem to know Eddie, are amazed by this information, so it does make more sense that this information has not been mentioned before. PS: Sorry for my bad english, grettings from Argentina.

[@MadTurnip]

Doug's hated phrase: "As you know..." xD

[@indy_go_blue6048]

Your English is twice gooder then 99% of the peoples pasteing hear.

[@michaelramsey1299]

Which again fits his character as he doesn’t strike me as the kind of guy that would have told any of them about it. In fact when he told Rodger it was probably the first time he’s talked about it since it happened.

[@alexatkin]

@@michaelramsey1299 Indeed, the whole movie is him finally opening up about it and why it feels so natural how its revealed to us.

[@jonathanthomas4327]

I had almost forgotten how good this movie was, not just good but 80’s good. Thanks for the insight.

[@pepito2847]

I can only imagine how crazy kids went back in 1988 when they saw Daffy and Donald together and Bugs and Mickey together.

[@Awesoman]

As an 8-year-old at the time, it was MIND-BLOWING.

[@indy_go_blue6048]

@@Awesoman As a 38 year old it was MIND-BLOWING how smoothly Mr. Hoskins interacted with the animation, plus it would be a gripping story even without the tunes, as it was based on the reality of ending the excellent Red Line bus service LA had in favor of massive freeway systems.

[@starkman78]

I was 10. I’d seen a few examples of merging live action with animation (e.g. Mary Poppins) and anticipated something fun, but not as advanced as it turned out to be. I also wasn’t expecting such a great story nor did I know just how many beloved characters would be in it. It was amazing. And, yes, Donald and Daffy’s dueling pianos RULED!

[@bludysock5298]

I does

[@Awesoman]

@@indy_go_blue6048 That too.

[@skeletonentertainment4201]

They said Infinity war was the most ambitious crossover, well clearly they haven't seen the rinal fight with Mario against Doc Brown

[@BlackCover95]

Try Disney and Warner Bros.

[@IferGanomer]

And the music for both films was composed by Alan Silvestri

[@jeremyallen5974]

Infinity War wasn't a crossover, they just took a bunch of Marvel heroes and shoved em all in. There's zero comic diversity

[@TonberryQueen]

When I was younger I used to rewind that part in the movie over and over. When Eddie was sitting behind his desk looking at pictures and reminiscing about Delores and Theodore, you could feel him. You could sense how he was genuinely both happy and sad looking at those pictures. I also like how the music transitioned to high pitched yet soothing tones of violin when he got to the pictures of him and his brother. It really draws you in and lets you know that this rough slob is actually just a man suffering and deeply missing the happiness of the past. The heart breaking scene was just pure genius. It also made the payoff where he liquidated the judge all the sweeter. I mean, no one liked the judge at all leading up to the big reveal of who he really was, but Eddie's suffering up to that point made the big reveal terrifying, inspiring, and hopeful. Terrifying because this prick is shown to have a huge connection to Eddie in such a horrible way and the stakes have been raised WAY higher. Inspiring because you want to see Eddie settle the score. The reveal completely wiped away any thought of redemption or survivability for the judge. I was all but yelling "Let me at him!" in my movie seat while cracking my knuckles. Fucker had to die. And hopeful because you want to see Eddie take this guy down and move on with his life all the better for it. Though, to be honest, another thing that made me happy was that Eddie was already on track to do that. When he was about to drive into Toon Town and was about to take another drink of alcohol first, he stopped himself, poured the alcohol out of the bottle, and shot it with one of the bullets from his toon gun, signaling he was ready to better himself and leave the booze behind. Heck, just using the toon gun to begin with is a sign that his spirit was starting to heal.

[@MrJJandJim]

The only thing I disliked about it is the Judge guy. No interesting thing about him other than he's a toon that looks like a dude. I kinda want to know more about him and why he killed Eddie's brother.

[@Umbra2012]

@@MrJJandJim He killed his brother because they got in the way of him escaping with the money he planed to use to buy the election. He was a greedy, heartless person willing to slaughter his own people just so he can enter the upper class.

[@MrJJandJim]

@@Umbra2012 Ah, ok. I used to think he came from nowhere, but I forget lots of things usually. Thank you!

[@exxor9108]

@@MrJJandJim It was in the comics, but Judge Doom used to be a toon by the name of Baron von Rotten. He was a toon that did a damn good job at portraying toon villains. However, there was an accident that he was involved in that scrambled his brain and made him believe he truly _was_ a villain. He also learned a certain type of comedy that could allow a toon to kill humans. And his first crime was robbing the First National Bank of Toontown. Using his knowledge of black comedy, he was able to throw Eddie and his brother off his trail by dropping a piano on them. It killed Teddy, and the toon stuck around long enough to revel in Eddie's misery before making his escape. And that leads into this movie right here.

[@jp3813]

Dr. Emmett Brown = exposition dump character done right. Never boring and gets complicated details across efficiently.

[@BugsyFoga]

Eddie backstory was honestly pretty interesting.

[@LucyLioness100]

And it was mostly done with silence & not a massive exposition dump

[@rossdiamondthief6627]

Nathaniel Foga but the character was complete with Bob Hoskins’ stellar performance

[@mckenzie.latham91]

I also loved in terms of world exposition how when Deloris tells the bar that a toon killed eddies brother, all of them turned their heads, indicating to us the audience that toons killing humans is either actually big news or extremely rare.

[@Rokabur]

Always kind wished there could have been a prequel. Would have explored Eddie's life BEFORE the murder of his brother.

[@YouKnowImOnMyPeriodYah]

@@Rokabur It sucks that it’s too late I’m terms of the time (everything feels cash-grabey or unnecessarily woke, it’s like movies aren’t allowed to be fun for fun’s sake anymore). They’d absolutely butcher any kind of prequel or sequel

[@katiebonderman1818]

Who Framed Roger Rabbit was one of those movies that when I was a kid, I just loved it because of all the cartoons I could identify. As an adult, I love the story and visuals how they Perfectly blended humans with the cartoons. How it has that film noir feeling about it. And how expressive every character is. Like you said Rob, they way they tell you about Eddie is right in front of you so your not second guessing, you just have to pay attention and it reveals itself. I wish more movies would do this, rather than "This is *insert name here* this is who they are, don't worry about anything else about them." Let people use what brains they have to figure it out.

[@Adamguy2003]

Another bit of exposition from the scene with Eddie and the streetcar: When one of the kids is desperately running to catch up with the streetcar and his friends on it, Eddie willingly helps grab the kid and safely hoist him up onto the back ledge with the others, without any of the kids asking him to do so. This shows that, despite how grumpy and cynical Eddie has seemed up to that point, deep down he still has a compassionate side to him and a willingness to help those in need, the first real indicator of this we see in the movie. As Willy Wonka famously put it, "So shines a good deed in a weary world." Oh, and there's additional value to Eddie's monologue at the end of Act 2: It has foreshadowing as to Teddy's killer. Eddie points out that all he can remember of what the killer Toon was like were that it had a high squeaky voice and red eyes. Then, when we learn Judge Doom's little secret, after he gives the ominous line of "Not just ANY Toon," he whirls around, and the most prominent traits of him seen are his new RED EYES. The camera then cuts to Eddie, whose face shows an "Oh God, it's HIM" combination of sheer horror and some recognition, the look of someone who's come across an old enemy who scared the crap out of him back in the day. This makes Doom then admitting to being Teddy's killer almost unnecessary, but it is still kept in so the rising pitch of his voice can further confirm it and also just because of the incredible scare- factor the admission brings.

[@firebladetenn6633]

When you brought up situations with bad exposition, I had a ready defense for each of them. I started this out ready to hate it. And then...I agreed with everything you had to say. Who Framed Roger Rabbit? Is one of my favorite movies, and it is incredibly well done. And you did an excellent job of catching details that we often times don’t even notice we notice. Excellent job.

[@louisduarte8763]

What were your defenses for bad exposition?

[@firebladetenn6633]

Louis Duarte I was under the impression that what I said implied that I didn’t think they were examples of bad exposition, but here you go. The Matrix Reloaded: Neo has an encounter with an old, possibly centuries old computer program called the architect, who speaks to Neo in a monotone voice and calmly explains to him that he isn’t here to save Zion, and that Zion’s destruction is ultimately assured. Neo’s cooperation will instead be rewarded with the one and only chance to stop him from exterminating the human race entirely. This is preceded by a hint that the architect has attempted to prevent the one from existing at all, but cannot work his system properly without him, and is succeeded by an addition that he knows Neo won’t take him up on it, meaning that he’s about to destroy the human race, there will be no more matrix, and that he is about to take his entire race back to the dark ages. It is a complex, wordy, and resigned explanation he’s given many times, from a being realizing that he’s now essentially doing so to no avale. A depressing going through the motions when he knows there is no point. It fits character. Star Wars III: this doesn’t really qualify as exposition. Suicide Squad: introducing a room full of people who only respond to immediate threats on their lives, to somebody who might be able to give them a fate worse than death, or at least one really creepy, and may not be the most pleasant fate one can have. In short, it works for narrative purpose in the event that I could believe the character would say it. It doesn’t work well interpreted as something told to us, the audience, which seems to be how Mr. Walker interprets all movies, but they work better in terms of being in character for the people who say it. I have no problem with the architect going through the motions while being resigned to the idea that the world is about to end, I have no problem with Anakin being absolutely awkward while Padme essentially makes fun of him for it, and I have no problem with Captain MURRICA!! I mean, Rick Flagg trying and failing to intimidate a room full of sociopaths, monsters, and baddasses, while they sit there and don’t give a sh*t. So, yeah. I sometimes disagree with Nostalgia Critic. But in terms of proper show don’t tell, I agree with him whole heartedly about Roger Rabbit.

[@1993seanmcg]

I’ve always said this movie is a gift for everyone, especially those who love animation

[@mckenzie.latham91]

The concept is so brilliant it needs to be used more...

[@thedisneynerd7866]

Every live action remake we've gotten doesn't even come close to being as good as this movie is. I think i love this movie so much because, i don't see any one trying to re tell a story we've all seen before. This is a different type of story that is soo perfectly done. So i think its safe to say this is probably in my top ten movies of all time

[@kailyns8159]

Never watched a single fanscription video. So I thought I’d check this out. When I heard you mention mise-en-scene, I said “the desk scene without a doubt” and was surprised that you focused on the first scene instead. I see Eddie’s intro totally different now. Never even thought about the flask in the gun holster. The rest of what you pointed out, I’d already learned to appreciate, shall we say. I thoroughly enjoyed this analysis. Roger Rabbit is an amazing film on so many levels. But I think the artistry of the silent exposition is lost on a lot of people. This film sows so many seeds in Act 1 and most of it is visual expression. Like the cops bullying Eddie with the props, as you mentioned, and the circus family photo, implying our detective might have some hidden skills that will come in handy in Act 3.

[@k.sheahon8858]

That whole opening I was waiting for the Katana scene and I almost thought it wasn't there so when it showed up I got waaaaaaaaay too excited about that 😂

[@youre_doomed_enjoy_the_sin3664]

There were a couple things I never really caught (as many times as I've watched this movie) that you brought my attention. Especially Eddie placing the booze in his holster instead of a gun. It definitely did its job of conveying that Eddie had been without a gun for a while, but I think it was also meant to represent how alcohol had become Eddie's weapon. As in that's what he used to cope with the world around him since the death of his brother.

[@ZombryaTheDark]

Bob hoskins nailed this role. He's so different in real life.

[@sitrepproductionsatlanta8538]

ZombryaTheDark yeah... completely different. In real life, he’s dead. Sorry... too soon. He was a fantastic actor. I would argue he even did great as Mario (given what he had to work with).

[@ZombryaTheDark]

@@sitrepproductionsatlanta8538 he really did do his best with Mario. One of the saving graces of that movie

[@sitrepproductionsatlanta8538]

ZombryaTheDark he had to say, “Trust the fungus,” and be believable. LOL

[@sitrepproductionsatlanta8538]

Allan Tidgwell punched too many floating bricks. LOL

[@Drowmerc]

It's been at least two decades since I've seen this movie, I really should check it out again sometime.

[@brandonprater4613]

I never noticed the Betty Boop doll on his brother's desk before. That's what I love most about this film, despite the *countless* times I've seen it, I always find something new. Thanks, Rob! 😎👍

[@timothymorris157]

Ah yes! The genius of Robert Zemeckis that was only previously demonstrated from the Back To The Future trilogy and would extend itself into the 1994 opus that is Forrest Gump.

[@avgnfandon2]

Still kinda hurt Gump won over Shawshank

[@timothymorris157]

Donald Walker The way i see it, Shawshank is a bonafide classic whereas Forrest Gump is contemporary on the back of the direction, editing, and acting. Tom Hanks more than earned the Oscar for Best Actor.

[@MandleRoss]

@@avgnfandon2 And over Pulp Fiction.

[@timothymorris157]

At least Quentin Tarantino got the Oscar for Best Original Screenplay. 👍🏻🏆

[@avgnfandon2]

Timothy Morris okay…I can agree with that. That is a great way to look at it

[@NL-ws5fv]

My dad and I have a running joke about the Goofy spy charges. Love that touch. Great look over characters. Who Framed Roger Rabbit was, and still is to a point, one of my favorite movies and stories.

[@davidgrinthal3499]

I love fanscription! Please keep making more of it. Keep up the good work!

[@ChannelAwesome]

We will! Thanks for watching!

[@davidgrinthal3499]

@@ChannelAwesome OMG you actually saw it! Long time subscriber 😊

[@srstriker6420]

David Grinthal here’s some ideas what if the mandarin was real in ironman 3 What if penguin didn’t die or won the election in Batman Returns What if Annihilus or the mole man was in 2015 fantastic four

[@willdill4987]

I watched this as an adult for the first time last year. It truly amazed me how well written it is. I caught pretty much none of jokes as a child.

[@silverwings9276]

Why these CA videos are so rare ? This is nice. I mean it's talking about Roger Rabbit, so it kinda has to be good, but beyond the movie itself the video is interesting, the channel could produce more of this.

[@VicenteTorresAliasVits]

The priority has always been the N.C. because those are the ones that get more views.

[@FinalShieldnobi]

I'd actually prefer way more of this. Nostalgia Critic is good and all, but this really makes me look at something in a new light and appreciate it so much more and that stays with me much longer than some laughs.

[@a_grin_without_a_cat]

it is basically fueled by one man's passion, so don't force him to make more, we'll have it when it's done :)

[@silverwings9276]

@@a_grin_without_a_cat Forcing? I was politely asking a question dude

[@Umbra2012]

You just explain why Who Framed Roger Rabbit is a classic in its own right. The line about not needing to be snooty to be deep is so true, and I hope future film crews remember this lesson you provided.

[@invaderdrey8563]

Even the author of the book this movie was based on loved it so much he made it Canon in the second book.

[@Rokabur]

I read about that somewhere. He made it where the book he wrote turned out to be a nightmare Jessica was having (especially since in the novel Jessica is quite bad to Roger).

[@littlesparrow303]

Invader Drey wait there’s a sequel but in book form?! Oh heck yeah I’m down to read that

[@ShaytheFae]

I LITERALLY just watched this movie again last week! It's such a classic! Everything about this movie holds up. Plot, character and effects. It's brilliant.

[@keirchallinor9273]

This was great I’m interested in other film theories you have. Another thing I noticed in this movie is when the drunk at the bar, before he gets an egg stuffed in his mouth, laughs in Eddies face. The camera zooms in on Eddie as this is the thing to push him over the edge. We then hears Eddies story about how the toon that killed his brother laughed away when he was running.

[@Engineer_Who]

Rob, buddy, I love ya. So I’m gonna correct you on something. “Mise-en-scéne” is pronounced “meez on sehn,” which rhymes with “bees on Ben.” This is a fantastic analysis! I never actively noticed many of the little things you pointed out like Eddie eating the carrot or the Betty Boop figurine. But it’s a testament to Zemeckis’ filmmaking that I absorbed these bits and applied them to the character anyway. Brilliant!

[@jenniferschillig3768]

One of my favorite details in that montage is the fact that Eddie and Ted's dad was a circus clown. That shows that laughter and silliness were once a very important part of the boys' life, and the movie's about how Eddie rediscovers it. It also explains why the boys specialized in working for Toons at first. (And the clown noses at their police academy graduation. I like to think that either their dad was in the audience watching them with a grin on his face, or that he'd passed away by then and they were doing it as a tribute to him.)

[@mattmc5069]

I wore a roger rabbit bookbag in 1989 for first grade man I feel old lol

[@tytheaniman497]

When I was a little kid I just liked it because of how fun it was. But now I completely understand what makes this movie so great and phenomenal. Even with the cartoons it still has depth, drama, and heart. This is a movie for all generations.

[@Krokodilius]

to be fair: most mystery movies are like this. everything is questions and answers.

[@angelsinthewindow]

Ah, but are they questions and answers about the main character or is the main character thrust into finding those answers to questions about other people around them? Not many of them actually seem to dive into the Detective unless the mystery was also a background mystery from his/her past or a friends past who knew them.

[@DylanSimmonspercussion97]

to be fayaahhhh

[@shindean]

If you're talking about film noire, it definitely borrows a majority of the themes. However, what they're trying to point out in this video is that the exposition wasn't even meant to be this deep. It's a kid's film, it has appeal to adults but you can't have a cast filled with the images of a child's nursery and say that the intent was always to make such complex content. They even mention that those scenes were rewrites.

[@lodle2919]

I'm glad that people like you are bringing more attention to this movie.

[@gianinabadami5341]

Me too

[@danbam3411]

Lodle A lot of people gush over Space Jam (which is fine) but I feel like lately, Who Framed Roger Rabbit hasn’t been getting the recognition it truly deserves. It’s obviously the superior movie and it has aged extremely fine like wine.

[@lodle2919]

@@danbam3411 Yes you are right. Who Framed Roger Rabbit is the, by far and away, the superior movie.

[@ConaRikan2]

I remember watching this movie when I was younger, and the scene showing Valient's office always struck me as brilliant. Showing an entire life story so quickly and simply.

[@LucyLioness100]

The acting in this film is beyond brilliant since Bob Hoskins, Joanne Cassidy & Christopher Lloyd (among others) had to mostly act with empty air until the animation was added in during post-production. The movie is marvelous and well written; never too dopey or childish, but humorous in the right moments and proper serious scenes like Eddie seeing the pics with his brother

[@Pend3rlab]

Great stuff, Who Framed Roger Rabbit is a masterpiece. I was 11 when this movie came out...the magic and artistry is second to none, and left a huge impact on my life...i grew up to be an animator.

[@acdckiss100]

Yeah rewatching with this perspective totally made the movie better plus I picked up on alot of little things that I missed on previous viewing (and I’ve watched this movie alot since I was a kid). Also just to show how awesome this move is, even though I know how it ends, I was still on the edge of my seat during the climax. I felt just as tense as the first time I saw it and Bob Hoskins and Christopher Lloyd’s performances are amazing. Thanks Rob for the trip down memory lane and back to toon town!

[@lostbutfreesoul]

Never caught the whole dedicated 'toon detective' angle. So many questions... there is mini-series level of questions right there!

[@beingilluminous]

I have enjoyed this thoroughly. I struggle to understand the "pieces" of story telling in many mediums, and having someone share their passion, clear examples, and bring the experience into a new perspective shift, is a true gift. Thank you!

[@vindobonaification]

Roger Rabbit is one of those master pieces I never ever get tired to watch. Seen it a dozen times and still brings joy to my heart. And it's such a perfect jewel of story telling and characters.

[@M.W.K6996]

FanScription: "How Could Have COOL WORLD Been Done Better?"

[@SpaceCase132]

Simple: Use Ralph Bakshi’s original script.

[@pedropapel-dx4dh]

@@SpaceCase132 yes the original script was amazing

[@benjackson7872]

It was

[@PTDuckie]

Oh I hope they do! Cool World could have been so much better if they had just let Ralph do what he wanted to do!

[@snakedaemonart676]

Use the original script

[@tobybartels8426]

2:10 : That genius in the lower right corner was an executive producer on _Roger Rabbit,_ so you're not really dissing him.

[@danbam3411]

Toby Bartels and billed under that classic “Steven Spielberg Presents...” too 😉 Spielberg is OG

[@shainewhite2781]

I love Roger Rabbit! It's a fun action Comedy fantasy film from director Robert Zemeckis. It's one of my favorites from my childhood. My dad taped this, Honey I Shrunk The Kids and Predator on the same VHS tape.

[@rednemo9634]

Sounds like a plan for a weird movie night...

[@ValnorSith]

One of these things is not like the others.

[@rednemo9634]

@@ValnorSith mashup Idea. Honey Roger Rabbit shrunk the Predator

[@danielwatson2701]

Please do more of these! Rob is such an intelligent reviewer and I'm already inspired to do similar things with my own writing.

[@legend_of_gecko5052]

Wow. This was an amazing video Rob. I am 34 years of age and a HUGE film buff and I still didn't notice half of the plot devices that you pointed out. I've always liked your style of reviews and will definitely be watching more of these.

[@fugithegreat]

This video is actually really helpful for me. I have been trying to write a story and having a tough time making character exposition less forced, and this gives me a few ideas. Thanks!

[@watchmyshows5]

This movie is also AMAZING at having you feel like a detective, mostly for the reasons you mentioned, but still, I think that's another piece that makes this puzzle perfect. Big fan of all your work, keep being awesome and hope everyone on the team is safe and healthy.

[@Cassadinegirlaz]

When he said “It’s Easter time and that’s got me thinking about...” was I the only one who kind of wanted him to say “Santachrist” even though he’s talking about Roger Rabbit? Anyone? Just me?

[@ianlorenc]

I think everyone did, we all love Santachrist.

[@TIGER-xk4gk]

I already saw all of this beautifully crafted exposition before you examined it and it's one of the reasons this one of my favorite movies

[@XPator]

There's a level of commitment to that sort of project you might never see again, sadly. I cherish Who Framed Roger Rabbit ever since I was a kid, it's basically what made me so enamored with animation to begin with.

[@BlazerK1914]

I’m glad this video exists, and hopefully, I would take these lessons lightly in case I feel like making my own fictional story.

[@ianlorenc]

I love Doom's freeway monologue. Not sure why, I just do.

[@matthewstarkie4254]

On and off. Off and on. As far as the eye can see. My god .... it will be beautiful!

[@613aristocrat]

"This is Katana" is a pretty awesome scene, filling me with wonder, joy, and fear.

[@Alphanubilus1]

What is so funny is that I literally had just watched this movie a few days ago. The last time I saw it was when I was a kid, and now seeing as an adult made me realize that this film could be taught in a masterclass as to how to reveal your main character without lengthy monologues (*cough*liveaction Last Airbender *cough*).

[@aidanredding8058]

One of my top 5 favorite movies

[@TheHero136]

The LEGO movie comes to mind as a great example of handling exposition.

[@briandaaranda9735]

I especially love the part where Emmett is listing off the things that the Big Company makes and just goes like "hold on..." at the end.

[@BlackCover95]

That’s less exposition done right, and more exposition parodied.

[@bluebellcookie]

Show-dont-tell 'Tis somthing to learn for anything story wise Especialy for film animated or not One of the best lesson I've ever learned

[@thedisneynerd7866]

I think the reason why i love this movie so much because, i don't see any one trying to re tell a story that we've seen so many times now in the live action remakes. This is just its own story that is done just so perfectly, its hard to resist it. So i think its safe to say that this movie is probably in my top ten of all time

[@TheBattlechicken]

Who framed Rodger rabbit is one of my favorite movies of all time. I really appreciated this evaluation of the film.

[@sweeney60]

That scene with Betty Boop chokes me up. You mention it’s a nostalgic moment for a Eddie and the fact that it’s with quite possibly the most nostalgic cartoon character ever voiced by one of the original actresses just hits that home.

[@ToriArti1]

“WAS GOOFY A COMMUNIST?!” Weeeeeeell...fun fact: If you’re a die-heart Disney fan, then you might already know that Walt was...VERY anti-Union and a supporter of McCarthyisum. (Aka Blacklisting anyone remotely suspicious of being a communist or Communist sympathy) When cartooning unions started, Pinto Colvig, the man who basically helped make Goofy the way we all know and love, was a big supporter of Unions and help start the protest for WaltDisney Studios to join the cartooning union. That resulted in Colvig "leaving" for some time. He would eventually come back to work at Disney in 1940. Soooooooo maybe THAT is why they decided to do a newspaper clip about Goofy getting his name cleared, because Disney Studios pulled the McCarthyisum card on him!

[@cabronmalisimo]

Now, that's the info dump I like...

[@theruoc147]

I love this movie and realize something new just about every time I watch it. Also I want a series of Valiant and Valiant toon crime detective novels.

[@synaesthesia2010]

love Roger Rabbit, been one of my favourite films since i saw it when i was 5 back in '88. and i thought the Architects's exposition was clear as day

[@DuelScreen]

Rob is really stepping up his videos and writing. Great job!

[@micahcaraballo5917]

Who Framed Roger Rabbit is one of my all time favorite movies, and Eddie’s character arc and exposition is one of the reasons why it is 👍🏻

[@zakaryjewell4978]

Rob, if I weren't already subbed to channel awesome, I would just for your vids. The depth you go into and the inflection in your voice show so much care and it draws me in like crazy. Keep up the amazing work.

[@WhatAGeekProductions]

15:49 The reveal of Eddie’s past time in the circus also explains how adept he was when he was juggling and fooling around with the Acme props at the end of the movie when he was trying to get the Weasels to laugh. Fantastic analysis!

[@endrankluvsda4loko172]

I love videos like this! Explain what works and what doesn't work and why.

[@Supahdave1000]

Who framed Roger Rabbit is an absolute masterpiece of a movie and is flawless from beginning to end.

[@randomsanctum]

I'm 36 and WFRR has been my favorite film since I first saw it in 1989. THANK YOU for this.

[@sitrepproductionsatlanta8538]

Don’t know if I appreciated it as much when I was a kid, but that scene transition was so brilliant that even at a young age I understood PERFECTLY what everything was trying to tell me... and as you said, Not. A. WORD! Brilliant and still one of my favorite films of all time!

[@mattyluvspokemon08]

Completely agree with this, Everytime I rewatch this beautiful film I notice little details and clues peppered in throughout the story, it's one of my favourite movies and it just gets better Everytime I see it

[@urbobne2254]

This video is incredible! It's well thought out, well written, expertly delivered, and in my opinion completely correct. Thanks Rob and Channel Awesome!

[@JoseMorales-lw5nt]

Mr. Walker, I and the rest of the animated film fans in this crazy, mixed-up world during Coronavirus thank you immensely for a great analysis of my all-time favorite childhood film. And you're right, such fan service can overwhelm weaker scripts. Yet the combination of great writing, acting, and visual effects collided perfectly in this one film. So many details that make cartoon and film fans in general want to rewatch this gem. I'll even throw in an old time visual cue Zemeckis used for film buffs. Did you ever notice a costume trick used whenever The Judge appeared in full body shots? Be it indoors or out, his cape always seemed to be flapping due to an ominous wind. Zemeckis purposefully had a small fan out of shot blowing up towards Christopher Lloyd's costume. Even while interacting with other characters, The Judge was the only one to have his clothes wipping in it's own wind. That was a visual cue from the old cartoon days indicating who was to be the villain. Brilliantly, this ominous wind also serves as a clue to The Judge's true identity! Check out his scenes again and see for yourself....🇵🇷😊🇺🇸

[@jamesdarcy666]

Thank Rob! Amazing job

[@zarachastellaris9016]

I totally agree with you, and it's wonderful to hear you speak positively

[@bust2007]

Happy you got your own segment . Your doing a great job keep it up

[@pronounjow]

I never really thought about any of this stuff whenever I watched this movie, and yet it STILL is and always has been a legendary masterpiece, only now I appreciate it even more! Great video.

[@icantthinkofanything798]

Ive only ever seen Rob in first viewing, it's really weird hearing him talk normally.

[@wf1218]

This is an amazing breakdown, keep up the goof work Rob!!!

[@frameratereel8531]

my favorite movie of all time

[@zeeenno]

I really enjoyed this and look forward to more videos in this series!!

[@natalieramrattan1684]

More like this please Rob 👏🏽

[@louisduarte8763]

1:13 WHAT NIck Cage movie is that still from?! 19:50 Oh, Christ, that shoe-melting scene with the DIP! I will never get used to that. Another excellent analysis of things we might have missed in our old favorite movies! I knew that pan-over-important-looking-things was an old trick Zemeckis likes, but I didn't know the name of it, or how far back in film history it went! More of THIS, please!

[@IceBearfor]

Nick Cage movie: Vampire's Kiss

[@GabrielEscobarBlack]

do more of this man; I love movies a lot, but not in the matter to look or search this kind of stuff... I'm very thankful that you do. THANKS!

[@angelbaby05]

One of the few movies I could always watch again and again

[@shelz333]

I owned this on VHS as a wee lad... Watched it everyday and was able to quote it line by line... Robert Zemeckis was a genius for creating my two cinematic favorites... Thanks Rob(Walker) for that trip down memory lane with introspect.

[@DamianTHallan]

Thank you, for an enlightening and entertaining retrospective and expositional review of a True Classic.