Who Framed Roger Rabbit opened 35 years ago this month. Even though I was a baby when it came out, that still makes me feel ancient! The movie was a massive box office hit, becoming the highest grossing film of 1988. It was also a critical darling, with reviews praising its mind-blowing special effects. Amazingly, Disney never released a sequel (despite making multiple attempts), but maybe that’s for the best. Roger Rabbit was a truly magical piece of cinema, something that had never been seen before at the time, and there hasn’t really been anything quite like it since then either.
If you went to McDonald’s at the time, sadly, you wouldn’t get any Happy Meal toys (Lord knows the film was already in enough trouble with certain parents for its many lewd jokes). But you could get collector cups with purchase of a Super Size drink and fries (wait, when exactly did McDonald’s make “Super Size” part of their regular menu? I need an official book on the history of fast food promotions!). These are pretty neat, even if they look a bit cheaper than the more elaborate ones McDonald’s had for Jurassic Park and Batman Returns. Also, I like how this commercial implies that Roger and Jessica are going to fuck each other’s brains out at the drive-thru (or maybe not, I might just have a really dirty mind)…
This wouldn’t be the only time Mickey D’s joined forces with Toontown, however, as the following year for the VHS release (yes, you read that right; movies used to take a lot longer to come to home video!), a gift certificate promotion was done for Halloween. These could be used for kids to redeem ice cream cones and cups, plus they could get a free Roger Rabbit plush toy if they sent in a proof of purchase from Who Framed Roger Rabbit (wait, was this film aimed at kids or not? Make up your mind, McDonald’s!). Granted, it’s weird to see Roger Rabbit involved in a Halloween marketing campaign anyway given the film has nothing to do with that holiday, but I digress.
Have a great night, y’all! Also, this Night Thread isn’t bad, it’s just drawn that way.