Le Lapin Looping

Rollercoasters are an ideal inclusion in animated films because they possess the ability to be devices for high-flying, gravity-defying, unapologetically ridiculous situations for the story's characters. Consider Bébé's Kids and its emphasis on misadventures at a local theme park involving a slew of toddlers. Roller Coaster Rabbit looks to have that same kind of emphasis, but its end result is a messy and fairly uninteresting blend of visual gags and routine silliness that shouldn't be so casually accepted by fans of the once-visceral and original Roger Rabbit character.

The film revolves around Roger Rabbit (voiced by Charles Fleischer), Baby Herman, and Mrs. Herman (April Winchell), all of whom are spending their day at a fair. When Baby Herman winds up losing his red balloon, Roger goes to fetch him a new one, but not before Baby Herman attempts to get another one; here is what sets the film's plot into motion. Baby Herman escapes the company of his mother, which sends Roger into a panic and various desperate attempts to recover both Herman and the balloon. At one point, the two end up provoking a bull in a bull-riding arena, in addition to climbing aboard a roller coaster for a frightening ride, all while Roger tries to rescue Baby Herman and Baby Herman continues to escape danger just as easily as he found it, leaving Roger to bear all the battle wounds.

There is one truly great scene in Roller Coaster Rabbit and it comes when Roger leaps onto a roller coaster in order to fetch Baby Herman. During this time, for about five seconds, we see a point-of-view shot of the roller coaster's path, which sends us into a dizzying, almost hallucinatory, trance as it shows the cars of the roller coaster essentially eating up the track at the speed of light. It's a phenomenally executed scene in a short that unfortunately finds the need to settle for rather perfunctory sight gags that make this a monotonous and foreseeable Tom & Jerry skit done without any of the flair and less remarkable excitement.

Voiced by: Charles Fleischer and April Winchell. Directed by: Rob Minkoff and Frank Marshall.

I saw this back in 1990 before "Dick Tracy" started. I must tell you, "Roller Coaster Rabbit" is the best of the shorts. If your lucky, you can find the video Disney released over five years ago on eBay containing all three shorts starring are famous hare and Baby Herman.

I like this one the most because of the risks Rob Minkoff and crew took with the sight gags and risque humor. I mean how can you not laugh at dear Roger when he makes an orthodontist joke. My only problem with this short is the rating. PG? C'mon MPAA, if you start censoring cartoons what's next - more mindless action films getting safe ratings when they deserve the R? Anyway, check it out. And Disney, if your reading this: greenlight more Roger Rabbit shorts, or better yet, a sequel to his film. The fans deserve it.

"Roller Coaster Rabbit" is my favorite of the three Roger Rabbit shorts. I thought that many of the gags throughout the cartoon were very clever and funny. Those that I found most memorable included the chase through the carnie games, Roger and Baby Herman riding off the film reel, and Jessica Rabbit making a cameo with Droopy on the railroad tracks with Jessica yelling a coarse "SAVE ME!!!" when Roger asked what she was saying. There's just something funny about Jessica having to switch from her sexy, sultry voice to one where she yells and criticizes Roger. It's just a striking difference!

There were also moments in the cartoon that kind of took me back, like when Roger falls into the bull's "droppings." Yeah, that was kinda gross! And I wasn't entirely sure what Baby Herman was reaching into when he tried to get his balloon. Despite these quasi-shocking moments, "Roller Coaster Rabbit" is quite inventive and has some good laughs from beginning to end. It's just a great cartoon short all around!

My IMDb Rating: 9/10

I thought that the characters were really funny and all had great personalities. The animation in My opinion was crisp, clean, and really clear. Not to mention beautiful! Most of the characters in this show are hilarious Looney Tunes characters that we all love. in My opinion these characters are the funnies and talented ever seen. In fact, The things that goes on in this series' cartoons are in My opinion nuts which that is what makes them hilarious! There are so many to like and laugh at and the silly things they do! If you like the original Looney Tunes and animated films then I strongly recommend that you watch this movie today!

Having recently got one of my all-time favourite films 'Who Framed Roger Rabbit' on DVD, all three Roger Rabbit shorts were included as bonuses. And what great bonuses they were, thoroughly enjoyable in their own way, go perfectly with the film and almost as good.

Following on from the very good 'Tummy Trouble', the second cartoon 'Roller Coaster Rabbit' is even better. It is closer in spirit to the wild manic energy of 'Who Framed Roger Rabbit' and has a more imaginative setting, this time set in an amusement park. The basic story is not that special, if you remember the hilarious made-up short that started 'Who Framed Roger Rabbit' you have the basic story structure for all three Roger Rabbit cartoons except in different settings.

What stops things from being predictable, repetitive and tired is the increasingly intensely frenetic physical comedy/violence (Roger always getting the worst of it), the wonderfully relentlessly madcap pacing that reminds one of a slightly faster paced Tex Avery cartoon (while occasionally feeling a touch rushed) and writing that's never less than very amusing and at its best hysterical (the roller coaster scene in particular in phenomenal in its execution).

Anybody familiar with 'Animaniacs', 'Pinky and the Brain' and 'Tiny Toons', or who grew up with them, and only saw the Roger Rabbit cartoons recently like me, will love the vibrancy of the colours, the detail of the backgrounds and fluidity of the movements in 'Tummy Trouble'. The live-action sequence at the end like in tribute to 'Who Framed Roger Rabbit' was an inspired touch. The music is rousing and energetically orchestrated, Roger and Baby Herman work wonders together and the voice acting is fine.

All in all, brilliant. 10/10 Bethany Cox