Innovative in terms of animation and historic in its gathering of cartoon icons, old and new, “Who Frame Roger Rabbit” was a new classic when it debuted in theaters in 1988. The LC’s own Alexis Ainsworth said of the film:
“Roger Ebert described ‘Who Framed Roger Rabbit’ as a film in the same cinematic league as ‘2001: A Space Odyssey,’ ‘Close Encounters of the Third Kind,’ and ‘E.T.’ – it was ‘that rare film that was both a technical breakthrough and a lot of fun at the same time.’ Roger Rabbit provides an enjoyable ride through the history of animation packaged in an intriguing comedy film noir. In the 1988 film, director Robert Zemeckis attempted to mix live action and animation in new and inventive ways that had never been seen in motion pictures. With high caliber actors like Bob Hoskins and Christopher Lloyd, and iconic voice actors returning to voice their famous characters, it’s no surprise that Who Framed Roger Rabbit was added to the National Film Registry in 2016.”
Read more about “Roger” (PDF).
Title: “Who Framed Roger Rabbit”
Year of Release: 1988
Year Added to the National Film Registry: 2016 (See all films added to the Registry in 2016.)
Trivia: “Roger Rabbit’s” director, Robert Zemeckis, has another film on the National Registry–“Forrest Gump.”
This blog post is the 28th in our “30 Years of the National Film Registry” series which was launched to celebrate the 30th anniversary of the Registry. The National Film Registry selects 25 films each year showcasing the range and diversity of American film heritage to increase awareness for its preservation. The 30th National Film Registry selections will be announced on December 12, 2018.