Who Framed Roger Rabbit

In 1988 when classic animated films were going down the tubes and other more exciting films were being produced, one film beat the odds.  That movie was Who Framed Roger Rabbit.  Directed by director Robert Zemeckis, executive produced by Spielberg and animation directed by Richard Williams.  The movie was a financial risk at $70 million which still concerned Disney, despite having two hit makers as the leaders of the production.  The movie starred Bob Hoskins, Christopher Lloyd and Charles Fleischer as the voice of Roger.  The film is about the murder of Marvin Acme who is the inventor of all those Acme inventions that are in Warner Bros. cartoons.  Roger Rabbit is framed for murder and with help from cartoon hater Eddie Valiant (Hoskins) they set out to discover the truth.

The movie took about 3 years to make with some animation being done before shooting started.  With over 300 animators working very long hours the film was finished on time and made over $300,000,000.  The movie also garnered 6 Academy Award Nominations and won in 3 of those categories.

That all sounds nice but the real achievement is that this movie was the sparked that started the Disney Renaissance and the great animated features that came from it.  So if Roger hadn't been framed then Simba wouldn't have ever become king.