Who Framed Roger Rabbit and Cylons: Difference between pages

Revision as of 20:37, 14 June 2005

Revision as of 10:24, 16 October 2005

Line 1:

The '''Cylons''' are a [[cybernetic]] [[civilization]] at war with the twelve colonies of humanity in the [[science fiction]] movie and television series ''[[Battlestar Galactica (disambiguation)|Battlestar Galactica]]'', in both the original 1978/1980 series and movie and the new "reimagining" of 2003/2004. The word "Cylon" was minted in the original production and is pronounced as /sīlon/. The word could be a combination of "Cy" for cybernetic/cyborg and the Greek suffix "lon" meaning member/structure/unit (as in "pylon"). It may also be an allusion to the German word Zyklon ([[International_Phonetic_Alphabet|tsʏkloː]]), which has an "S" sound at the beginning rather than a "Z" sound. It also may be an alteration of the Greek name "Cyclops," as the Centurions are one-eyed robots.

{{Infobox_Movie |

movie_name = Who Framed Roger Rabbit |

image = [[Image:Movie poster who framed roger rabbit.jpg|220px]] |

director = [[Robert Zemeckis]] |

writer = [[Jeffery Price]],<br>[[Peter S. Seaman]] |

starring = [[Bob Hoskins]],<br>[[Christopher Lloyd]],<br>[[Joanna Cassidy]],<br>[[Charles Fleischer]] |

producer = [[Frank Marshall]],<br>[[Robert Watts]] |

distributor = [[Buena Vista Pictures]] |

release_date = [[June 21]], [[1988]] |

runtime = 103 min. |

movie_language= English |

budget = US$70,000,000 (est.) |

imdb_id = 0096438}}

The nature and origins of Cylons differ greatly between the two ''Galacticas''.

'''''Who Framed Roger Rabbit''''' is a [[1988]] [[motion picture]] produced by [[The Walt Disney Company]] and [[Amblin Entertainment]] that combines [[animation]] and [[live action]], and offers a unique chance to see many cartoons from different studios in a single film. It was one of the last star turns for [[Mel Blanc]] and other [[voice actor]]s of animation's Golden Era. The film is set in a fictionalized [[Los Angeles, California|Los Angeles]] in [[1947]], where animated characters (derogatorily referred to as "toons") are real beings who live alongside humans in the real world, most of them working as actors in cartoons. One of the most expensive films ever at the time of its release, the $70 million film eventually brought in over $150 million during its original theatrical release.

{{spoiler}}

==Cast, crew, and studio==

The live action sequences were [[film director|directed]] by [[Robert Zemeckis]], and the animated sequences were directed by [[Richard Williams]] and produced at his [[London]] animation studio. The film stars [[Bob Hoskins]], [[Christopher Lloyd]], [[Joanna Cassidy]] and the voice of [[Charles Fleischer]]. The screenplay was adapted by [[screenwriter]]s [[Jeffrey Price]] and [[Peter S. Seaman]] from the [[1981]] [[novel]] ''[[Who Censored Roger Rabbit?]]'' by [[Gary K. Wolf]], and the music was composed by perennial Zemeckis film composer [[Alan Silvestri]] and performed by the [[London Symphony Orchestra]]. It was released by [[Buena Vista Distribution]] under its [[Touchstone Pictures]] division

==Battlestar Galactica (1978) & Galactica 1980==

==Plot==

===Cylon models===

In the [[Battlestar Galactica (1978)|1978 Galactica movie and series]] and the [[Galactica 1980|1980 spin-off]], the Cylons were created to serve the reptilian race of the Cylon Alliance. Somehow, just prior to the start of [[The Thousand Yahren War]], the android Cylons made a deal with the mysterious Count Iblis (meaning "Satan" in the [[Arabic language]]) and destroyed their biological masters. Only the higher ranking Cylons retain the physical appearence of their creators.

At the beginning of the series the Cylons are singularly devoted to the destruction of humanity. The war between the two species is stated in the episode "the Lords of Kobol" as being started when the Cylon empire sought to expand into the territory of a species allied with the colonies, so their original intentions may not have been genocidal. This may seem a quixotic mission but is reinforced in the same two part episode when Baltar, the betrayer of humanity, is spared and brought before the new Imperious leader. This leader gives him command of several Basestars and tells him that he wishes Baltar to be a peace envoy sent to seek reconciliation. He states that this is because he is a newer model than the previous leader and has room for wider thinking on the subject of "lesser" species. Baltar takes the position but is clearly confused by the act. There is never peace with the Cylons, but they do drop out of sight for about ten episodes.

{{spoiler}}

Cylon society is composed of five models, four of which have been well-documented:

* '''Imperious Leader''': The leader of the Cylon Alliance and highest Cylon model. The Imperious Leader is an IL-Series Cylon with some extra augmentation, including a third brain and a body shell resembling the reptilian Cylons. One was killed at the Battle of Carillon and another was likely killed during the Battle of Gamoray. The voice of the Imperious Leader is identical to that of [[Count Iblis]] (both were voiced by [[Patrick Macnee]]).

* '''IL-Series''': Acts as a commander for the military and governor for civilians of the Alliance. They have two brains, a humanoid face and wear shimmering cloaks. They are almost feudal in nature and bicker among themselves frequently. This could be a tactic to help the most skilled IL-Series ascend the throne and receive a third brain. IL-series Cylons have an effete human-sounding voice, unlike the flat mechanical tones of Centurions. They pride themselves on having two brains, as opposed to the single brains of Centurions.

** Lucifer - Baltar's second in command. Presumably led pursuit of the ''Galactica'' after Baltar's capture. (voiced by [[Jonathan Harris]])

** Spectre - Commander on the planet Atilla in ''The Young Lords''. Enemy of Lucifer.

* '''Command Centurion''': Centurions with gold armor. These are the lower commanders for individual military units. At least one, Vulpa of ''Gun on Ice Planet Zero'', has a name. Voices are slightly different (lower pitched) than regular Centurions.

* '''Centurion''': Military androids with silver armor. Basic centurions make up the ground forces and pilots of the Alliance military. Centurions are armed with a powerful [[energy weapon]], often referred to as a blaster rifle. They also have [[bayonet]]s and [[sword]]s for close combat and execution of prisoners. (Although Earth's [[Roman]] [[Centurion]]s commanded a unit of one hundred men, Cylon Centurions form the rank and file of the Cylon forces.)

* '''Android''': A Cylon android was featured on the Halloween episode of Galactica 1980. This model had a superficial human appearance, a condescending/superior attitude toward Centurions, and was believed to be entirely electromechanical.

There is also a unique Cylon with glittering robes, with what looks like a mask attached to its face. They are seen in the Imperious Leader's delegation to Gamoray in ''The Living Legend''. All Cylons from the IL-series on down, typically repeat the phrase "By Your Command" when responding to an order.

The Cylon Centurions &ndash; the type most often depicted in the original ''Battlestar Galactica'' &ndash; were strikingly similar to the [[Imperial Stormtroopers]] of ''[[Star Wars]]''. The similarities were noted by many at the time and may have been one of the factors that prompted [[20th Century Fox]]'s lawsuit for copyright infringement against [[Universal Studios]], the owners of ''Battlestar Galactica''.

===Cylon spacecraft===

Marvin Acme, the owner of the Acme Company and of Toontown, has been murdered. All signs point to [[Roger Rabbit]], a toon star at [[Maroon Cartoons]], who had recently been shown evidence that Acme and Roger's wife [[Jessica Rabbit]] a sexy toon ''[[femme fatale]]'' (voiced by [[Kathleen Turner]] except for a song sung by [[Amy Irving]]), had been playing [[Pat A Cake, Pat A Cake Bakers Man|pattycake]] together (literally, not figuratively).

* '''[[Basestar]]''': A large warship mounting two pulsars, many laser turrets, and carrying 300 Raiders.

* '''Cylon Raider''': A heavy fighter with a crew of 3, two pilots and a commander. They are armed with dual-firing weapons.

* '''Cylon Freighter''': A cargo ship referenced in the Battlestar Galactica soundtrack [http://www.lurexlounge.com/bsg/audio.htm]

* '''Cylon Tanker''': A ship for transporting the fuel ''tylium'' [http://www.firedragon.com/~cfleets/gallery/gallery-shipcyl.htm]

===Cylon Government===

The only person who can help clear Roger's name is Eddie Valiant ([[Bob Hoskins]]), a washed-up, alcoholic detective who hates toons because his brother, Teddy, was murdered by a toon during a routine criminal investigation in Toontown years before (a piano was dropped on his head). Eddie reluctantly decides to help, and soon is shielding Roger from Judge Doom of the [[Toontown]] District Superior Court ([[Christopher Lloyd]]) and his "Toon Patrol" henchmen, the weasels.

Cylons are led by the Imperious Leader, an IL-Series Cylon elevated to a supreme leadership position over all Cylons. The Cylon Empire is also responsible for tributary powers under the aegis of the Cylon Alliance. The Ovions are the only known member of the Cylon Alliance shown onscreen, other than the Cylons themselves. This may be due to the fact that the Cylons rarely maintain alliances for longer than is necessary for efficiency; they regularly turn on and exterminate their living allies when it suits them. Cylon society is almost exclusively military - until the discovery of Gamoray, which the Colonial fleet had targeted for its rich fuel reserves, no civilian Cylon outpost has ever been seen by anyone.

This all occurs while the giant [[cloverleaf interchange|Cloverleaf]] Corporation, owned by Judge Doom, is plotting to buy out the [[Light rail|interurban railway]], the [[Pacific Electric Railway|Pacific-Electric Red Car]], and replace it with [[freeway]]s (''See also:'' [[General Motors streetcar conspiracy]]; [[National City Lines]]). With Acme dead and no will having been found, Toontown is in danger of being bulldozed in order to make way for the freeway.

[[Image:Cylon.PNG|150px|thumb|The updated Centurion model]]

Eddie and Roger are also trying to find the will of the late Marvin Acme, which purportedly gives ownership of Toontown to the toons. Judge Doom is also trying to find the will in order to dispose of it, so he can destroy Toontown and build his freeway, and make himself profit out of the deal. If any toons happen to get in his way, Judge Doom feels no qualms about subjecting them to the "dip": a mixture he concocted of acetone, benzene, and turpentine, and the only sure way to kill a toon outside of making them laugh to death.

==Battlestar Galactica (2003/2004)==

In the 2003 miniseries and 2004 full-length series which [[Battlestar Galactica (2003)|"reimagined" ''Battlestar Galactica'']], the Cylons are fundamentally different. They were created by humans as robotic workers and soldiers; executive producer [[Ronald D. Moore]] has hinted that they were used in wars between the human Colonies. Eventually they gained sentience, rebelled and fought the humans in a major conflict that devastated both sides. An armistice was agreed, following which the Cylons disappeared for over forty years. They returned en masse, launching a sneak attack with [[nuclear weapon]]s which eliminated most of the colonies (similar to the original ''Galactica''). This is the starting point of the 2003 ''Battlestar Galactica'' miniseries.

Another fascinating divergence from the old series is that the Cylons now have a monotheistic religion of their own devising, in contrast to the polytheistic beliefs of the human colonists, who worship a pantheon of gods including Zeus, Artemis, Apollo, and Aphrodite. Despite their artificial origin the Cylons believe they are part of a divine plan, and destroying or decimating humanity is a part of that plan. Cylons do consider themselves to be divinely chosen.

Eddie goes to the studios of Maroon Cartoons, Roger's employer, to help clear the rabbit's name. There he speaks to R.K. Maroon, who gets shot in the confrontation. Thinking the shooter is Jessica Rabbit, playing Roger as a [[patsy]], Eddie chases the assassin all the way into Toontown, despite his trepidation after the death of his brother there years before. While in Toontown, Eddie discovers that the assassin was Judge Doom, who manages to kidnap Jessica, and later Roger so he can "dip" them.

Some fans believe that the Cylons actually have a greater plan for mankind and allowed the Galactica fleet to escape the destruction of the Colonies on purpose in order to facilitate this 'plan.' The first season finale also suggests that a union of the Human and Humanoid Cylon species is a goal.

In the film's climax, set in the Acme Warehouse, Judge Doom has a huge machine that spews "dip" and is trying to eradicate Roger and his wife Jessica with it. He plans to then use his "dip" vehicle to erase Toontown. To combat Doom's weasel henchmen, Eddie, the typically hard-nosed detective, plays a clown (not unexpected, as the audience has been shown a photo of him and his brother working for [[Ringling Brothers and Barnum and Bailey Circus|Ringling Brothers]] earlier in the film) causing the weasels to die of laughter. After the weasels are out of the way and during the final battle with Eddie, Judge Doom is revealed to be a toon after a [[steam-roller]] rolls over him and he reinflates himself. To Eddie's horror, Doom then reveals himself to be the toon that murdered Teddy. Just when it seems that Judge Doom will get the upper hand, Eddie uses a scissor-spring-loaded punch-glove mallet to knock open the drain valve on the "dip" machine, causing Judge Doom to be drenched with "dip" and melt away.

[[Image:Numbersix2.png|thumb|Number Six.]]

===Cylon models===

Alongside the Cylon Centurions that resemble "walking chrome toasters" (from which they gain the racial epithet of "toaster" from the Colonials), the miniseries also introduces [[humanoid]] Cylons, appearing both externally and internally identical to humans. It is established that there are twelve models of Cylon, with multiple copies of each model in existence. The humanoid Cylons seem to serve as leaders to the lesser types of Cylon. There is no clearly established hierarchy among the humanoid Cylon models, even though individual Cylons are variously placed within certain hierarchies.

The humanoid Cylons look exactly like humans. They are specialized models which are used for infiltration, and the revelation that Cylon infiltrators can perfectly mimic human form, even down to the [[Organ (anatomy)|internal organs]] and [[lymphatic system]], creates a wave of fear and paranoia among the humans. Some Infiltrator-model Cylons are "sleeper" agents, and like the humanoids in [[Ridley Scott]]'s ''[[Blade Runner]]'', they have been implanted with false memories so they think they are human. They can interact with humans very convincingly, even being capable of intimate emotional and sexual relationships, although spines of female humanoid Cylons pulse with a red glow during intercourse. It's also been suggested that Human/Cylon hybrids are also possible.

The police soon arrive, and realize that Judge Doom was responsible for the murders of both Maroon and Acme, though no one knows for sure who he was. Marvin Acme's will is found, and Toontown is handed over to the control of the toons, who all cheer and sing a chorus of "Smile, Darn Ya, Smile."

Apparent weaknesses in the Infiltrators include heightened susceptibility to radiation and a perhaps too-close duplication of human frailties, such as fear, jealousy, pride, lust, wrath and zealotry. Their superior strength and endurance is an additional, although likely necessary, deviation from human norms which could "give away" a stealth unit. Boomer's copies shows suspicious endurance on Galactica and Caprica, which is noticed by their human counterparts. The humanoid Cylons are not merely biological clones of humans: they are synthetic bio-chemical machines (hinted to be partially but not completely based on human DNA samples). They have several differences, possessing "silica pathways" or "silica relays" &mdash; both terms are used in the miniseries &mdash; in the body's nervous system and brain. The exact nature of this network is unclear, but in the second season episode ''Flight of the Phoenix'', the prisoner Valerii uses her network to send a "power down" signal to a Cylon attack group through the Galactica's communication system. "Silica Pathways" may be a remnant mechanical aspect of the Cylons' biomechanical technology. Another difference is the increased vulnerability to radiation of Cylon cellular structures.

==Acclaim==

Although test screenings proved disastrous, ''Roger Rabbit'' opened to generally positive reviews on [[June 21]] [[1988]]. Both [[Gene Siskel|Siskel]] and [[Roger Ebert|Ebert]] included the film as one of their ten favorite films of 1988, with Ebert calling it "sheer, enchanted entertainment from the first frame to the last - a joyous, giddy, goofy celebration" [[http://rogerebert.suntimes.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/19880622/REVIEWS/806220301/1023]].

Another defect of the humanoid Cylons is that they are normally not capable of sexual reproduction with other humanoid Cylons. As such, they were limited to asexual reproduction under laboratory conditions. However, a central tenet of the Cylon religion is God's commandment to procreate, "be fruitful and multiply", so the Cylons searched for any way possible for the humanoid Cylons to produce offspring. As a result, the Cylons began a program to create a hybrid Human/Cylon offspring (which was deemed the most feasible way to produce ''some'' form of child of a humanoid Cylon). After the 12 Colonies of Kobol fell to the Cylons, they began keeping the handful of surviving human women as prisoners on breeding farms and artificially impregnating them to produce Cylon offspring. However, this process also met with very little success.

The movie won four [[Academy Awards]] for [[Academy Award for Sound|Best Effects, Sound Effects Editing]], [[Academy Award for Visual Effects|Best Effects, Visual Effects]], [[Academy Award for Film Editing|Best Film Editing]] and a Special Award for [[Richard Williams]] for "animation direction and creation of the cartoon characters". It was nominated for [[Academy Award for Best Art Direction|Best Art Direction-Set Decoration]], [[Academy Award for Best Cinematography|Best Cinematography]] and [[Academy Award for Sound|Best Sound]].

Analyzing their failure, the Cylons theorized that what their breeding experiments had been lacking was love. Thus, they set up the Colonial pilot Lt. Agathon to fall in love and have sex with a "Sharon" copy of humanoid Cylon while he was stranded on Caprica (at the time he was unaware of the existence of humanoid Cylons). The Caprica-Boomer's unborn child is the first Human/Cylon hybrid conceived in love, and as a result it is the only Cylon pregnancy to survive as long as it has (over two months). As a result it is of vital importance to the Cylons, but unfortunately for them the Caprica-Boomer has defected to the Colonials.

==Significance==

''Who Framed Roger Rabbit'' is seen as a landmark film that sparked a [[Hollywood Animation: The Renaissance|renaissance in the animation industry]]. The field of American animation had become lackluster and worn-out during the [[1960s]] and [[1970s]], to the point where even giants in the field such as [[The Walt Disney Company]] were considering giving up on major animated productions. This expensive film (production cost of $50 million - a staggering amount for the time) was a major risk for the company...one that paid off handsomely. It inspired other studios to dive back into the field of animation; it also made animation acceptable with the moviegoing public. After ''Roger Rabbit,'' interest in the history of animation exploded, and such legends in the field as [[Tex Avery]], [[Chuck Jones]], and even [[Ralph Bakshi]] were seen in a new light, receiving much-deserved credit and acclaim from audiences worldwide.

Unlike many sci-fi robotic races, including the original Cylons, these re-envisioned Cylons are not ignorant or naive about human emotions, and some even seem to have a mastery of the subject beyond that of the average human. One Cylon on Caprica is heard expressing doubt and apparent regret about the extermination of the humans. Playing mind games with their human enemies appears to be a common tactic of the Cylons, and they often are seen manipulating the emotions of humans in order to destroy or control them, most notably Baltar. The Leoben Conoy model in particular was described by Adama as a master manipulator who mixes lies with truth.

Also interesting was despite ''Roger Rabbit'' being produced by Disney's [[Touchstone Pictures]] division (in association with [[Steven Spielberg]]'s [[Amblin Entertainment]]), it also marked the first (and to date, the only) time that characters from several animation studios (from [[Universal Pictures|Universal]] to [[Republic Pictures|Republic]], and from [[Turner Entertainment]] to [[Warner Bros.]]) appeared in one film, most notably [[Bugs Bunny]] and [[Daffy Duck]] making their animation/live-action hybrid debut many years before ''[[Space Jam]]'', and obviously, the first-ever meetings between Bugs and [[Mickey Mouse]] and between Daffy and [[Donald Duck]].

When an infiltrator's body dies, its consciousness is supposedly transmitted to another empty shell of the same model. The process is not perfect, however; the radiation in Ragnar Anchorage stops the first "Leoben Conoy"'s consciousness from transferring, and the second saboteur copy of "Conoy" claims that his actions have been prompted by a fear that the transmission process has a finite range and that he is too far away.

Fans have noted that there are twelve Cylon models and twelve Colonies, which may have significance within the BSG universe.

The movie opens with a ''Roger Rabbit'' short subject. Eventually, several additional independent animated shorts featuring Roger Rabbit, Jessica Rabbit, and Baby Herman would be released. These shorts were presented in front of various Touchstone/Disney features in an attempt to revive short subject animation as a part of the moviegoing experience. These shorts include ''[[Tummy Trouble]]'' released in front of ''[[Honey, I Shrunk The Kids]]'' (this was included on the original video release of the film), ''[[Roller Coaster Rabbit]]'' shown in front of ''[[Dick Tracy (movie)|Dick Tracy]]'' and ''[[Trail Mix-Up]]'' shown in front of ''[[A Far Off Place]]''. They were all released on video in 1996 on a tape called ''[[The Best of Roger Rabbit]]'', and in [[2003]] on a special edition DVD of ''Who Framed Roger Rabbit''. ''Tummy Trouble'' was produced at the main [[Walt Disney Feature Animation]] studio in [[Burbank, California]]; the other two shorts were produced at the satellite studio located at [[Disney-MGM Studios]] in [[Orlando, Florida]].

The known Cylon models are as follows:

==Criticism==

While ''Who Framed Roger Rabbit'' is considered a modern film classic, the film has also had its share of criticism. Much of the criticism revolves around the inconsistent tone of the film: the juxtaposition of the zany cartoon characters and the rough [[film noir]] story they appear in. While a blend between the two was the intended result of the producers, some people feel that the tone of the film deviates too much to properly identify it as either a film for children or a film for adults. While sex and violence were very prominent in Golden Age animation, the more blatant and saturated usage of such elements in this film, particularly in the characters of Jessica Rabbit (sex) and Judge Doom (violence), make many parents uncomfortable with allowing children to watch the film and cause discord among those who grew up watching (edited) versions of classic-era cartoons on [[television]] and wanted the film to evoke the same tone as the cartoons they grew up with, and those who felt that the death of a minor but harmless character violated the spirit of the original, unedited cartoons (that is, a deathless fantasy world of slapstick humor).

====Centurions====

The film's finale, during which its main characters are essentially tied to a rope waiting to be sprayed by a hose, was cited as being weak and unimaginative (Gray).

The new Centurion models have a more streamlined look, retaining the silver appearance, robotic body, helmet-like head and oscillating red bar eye. They are larger, stronger, and more agile than the originals. They also have retractable weapons in their lower arms. This model is the successor to the original Centurion, a replica of which is seen very briefly in the miniseries as an homage to the 1978 series.

The film's animation is also accused of using too much superfluous movement. Held cels are very rarely used in ''Roger Rabbit'', and most of the animation is on "ones" (each frame is animated, as opposed to the cheaper, more familiar method of animating every other frame, i.e. "twos"). Even when characters are standing still, they continue to move (particularly Roger, whose ear movements were based upon [[ballet]] patterns), and some [[animator]]s and animation artists have cited the extra movement as unnecessary and distracting.

==Trivia==Humanoid Cylons====

In the miniseries, Commander Adama discovered a note in his quarters that read "There are 12 models of Cylons." It is unclear whether there are 12 different models of humanoid Cylons or twelve total models, including the mechanical Cylons. There are many copies of each model. The six humanoid models revealed so far include:

* '''"Aaron Doral"''' &ndash; Three copies have been shown so far. The first is as a public relations worker for the abortive ''Battlestar Galactica'' museum, who is revealed to be a Cylon in the miniseries and is stranded at Ragnar Anchorage by Adama. The second is a [[suicide bomber]] who narrowly misses killing Adama and Tigh. The third is one of the 'controllers' who monitors the progress of Helo and the duplicate Boomer on Cylon-occupied Caprica, working alongside one of the duplicate Number Sixes.

* Several [[easter egg (virtual)|Easter egg]]s were hidden into the film by its animators. Tape-based analog video such as [[VHS]] did not reveal these, but better image quality delivering technologies such as the [[laserdisc]] were said to reveal amongst others the phone number of Disney CEO [[Michael Eisner]]. Also, when Bennie the Cab wrecks at night and Eddie and Jessica roll out, there is a frame that shows a blurry shot of her private area (near her crotch). Disney recalled the Laserdisc and issued another disc, later claiming that it was an incorrectly painted cel. Oddly, they also stated that the cel in question could be seen on the new disc and on the VHS version, raising the question "if it's on the VHS version too, why was only the laserdisc recalled, and if the new discs were reissued with the same flawed cel, why did they go through the trouble in the first place?"

[[Image:Boomernew.jpg|thumb|Lt. Sharon "Boomer" Valerii, a Cylon sleeper agent aboard ''Galactica'']]

* A brief scene consisting of the toon Baby Herman giving a sexual gesture to a female (human) extra on the set of the opening cartoon was edited out of the DVD edition of the movie, though it can be found on earlier editions of the [[VHS]] and [[laserdisc]] issues.

* '''[[Sharon Valerii|Lieutenant Junior Grade Sharon "Boomer" Valerii]]''' &ndash; Numerous copies have been seen although only two have been featured regularly. One was a sleeper agent aboard ''Battlestar Galactica'' who did not know that she was a Cylon, although she suspected it. Another Boomer is fully aware she is a Cylon and accompanies ''Galactica'' crewmember [[Karl Agathon|Lt. Karl "Helo" Agathon]] who met her while he was stranded on Cylon-occupied Caprica.

:The Boomer aboard ''Galactica'' performed a number of involuntary actions due to her Cylon programming, including bombing the ships water tanks and shooting [[William Adama|Commander Adama]]. Despite taking these actions, Boomer has no recollection of them after they happen and often seems confused.After the failed assasination attempt, Boomer was thrown in the brig. While being escorted to another cell she was shot and killed by [[Specialist Cally]].

* Much of the cinematography and several scenes of the film are an homage to [[Roman Polanski]]'s ''[[Chinatown (1974 movie)|Chinatown]]''.

:The Boomer on Caprica originally served the other Cylons faithfully, attempting to make Lt. Agathon fall in love with her. However Boomer ended up falling in love with him and the two [[Fertilization|conceived]] a child together. Boomer then effectively [[Defector|defected]] to the humans, helping Helo escape Cylon patrols and to liberate Starbuck from a Cylon breeding facility. Boomer also stole a Cylon Heavy Raider ship which the trio used to return to Galactica. Upon reaching the ''Galactica'' she was immediately incarcerated, as another Boomer had shot Commander Adama. Even in the brig she aided the crew in removing a Cylon computer virus from the ship's systems, then broadcasted another virus to a massive Cylon strike force attacking ''Galactica'', resulting in the destruction of hundreds of Raiders. Since the defection of Caprica-Boomer, a third Boomer has been seen along with Number Six and Aaron Doral (on Cylon-occupied Caprica), discussing the future direction of the Cylon fleet.

* The credits go on for nearly ten minutes, a record at the time the movie was made.

* '''"Leoben Conoy"''' &ndash; Two copies have been shown so far, the first claiming to be a smuggler upon being discovered in the munitions depot at Ragnar Anchorage. Adama kills this copy and has the body taken back to the ''Galactica''. The second is an ''agent provocateur'', an apparently unsuccessful saboteur who is captured aboard a passenger ship, claiming to have planted a nuclear warhead somwhere in the fleet. Commander Adama, having spent time with the first copy, knows how dangerous this Cylon model is. Conoy is adept at [[psychology]], mixing lies with truth making him very difficult to believe or to ignore. He is tortured for information by the strong-willed Starbuck on Adama's orders, but the result is the remaining human fleet is even more vunerable to attack. The president [[Laura Roslin]] realizes nothing he says can be trusted and has him thrown out the [[airlock]], but not before Conoy tells her that Adama is a Cylon.

* The lack of question mark in the title is allegedly due to a [[superstition]] that films with a question mark in the title do badly at the [[box office]].

* '''"Simon"''' &ndash; Two copies have been shown so far, both at a Cylon breeding facility on Caprica. Simon appears to be a tall, slender, dark-skinned male with close cropped or balding hair, approximately 35 years old. The first copy posed as a human physician treating Lt. Thrace for a gunshot wound in what was supposedly a hospital on Caprica, but he was also performing invasive tests on her reproductive organs. He accidently revealed himself as a Cylon when he called Lt. Thrace "Starbuck", even though she hadn not told him her callsign. After killing Simon (by jabbing a shard of a broken mirror in his neck), Lt. Thrace encountered another Simon copy while fleeing the breeding facility, before he was killed by Starbuck's rescue party.

* A contract was signed between Disney and Warner, stating that Bugs and Mickey would each receive exactly the same amount of screen time. That is why the script had Bugs, Mickey, and Eddie altogether in one shot falling from a skyscraper, posing problems with the wide-screen format being adapted to the conventional television screen..

* '''"D'Anna Biers"''' &ndash; Two copies have been shown so far. D'Anna appears to be a woman approximately 36 years old, blonde hair, and the copy on the ''Galactica'' has a regional accent. The first copy poses as a reporter for the Fleet News Service, and is asked by President Roslin and Commander Adama to create a documentary to help the fleet relate to the hard-working staff on the Galactica (after they discover she possesses controversial video footage of a friendly fire incident). With full access to the ship, this D'Anna stumbles across Caprica-Boomer and during an incident with two Cylon Raiders manages to relay a transmission of the documentary back to the other Cylons on Caprica. The Cylon copies viewing the documentary are Doral, Valerii, [[Number Six (Battlestar Galactica)|Six]] and D'Anna. The D'Anna on Caprica speaks with an American accent. The Galactica crew is completely unaware that the Galactica-D'Anna is a Cylon, and she is currently still at large in the Fleet. D'Anna is played by actress [[Lucy_Lawless|Lucy Lawless]]. Her role as the D'Anna on ''Galactica'' is the first time she has used her native [[New Zealand]] accent onscreen in many years.

* As many as 100 separate pieces of film were optically combined to incorporate the animated and live-action elements. The animated characters themselves were hand-drawn without [[computer animation]], though CGI technology was used for adding shadows and lighting to the toons to give them a more "realistic," three-dimensional appearance.

* '''[[Number Six (Battlestar Galactica)|Number Six]]''' &ndash; is a beautiful female model evidently designed for seduction. (The name may be a reference to ''[[The Prisoner]]''). In the first episode she is shown having an affair with Baltar (and possibly others) on Caprica, and she was the Cylon "[[Trojan Horse]]" who built vulnerabilities into the Colonial defense system mainframe, allowing the Cylons to annihilate the Colonies and deactivate the automated systems of the Colonial fleet. One of the series' most effective plot devices is that the Number Six on Galactica can ''only'' be seen by Baltar -- in every episode she appears to torment Baltar in disturbing waking visions, as well as making him 'relive' his last hours with her on Caprica. It is not clear whether she is a product of his incipient madness, as he first thinks, or if (as she claims) she is a projection of a chip that she implanted in his brain, or some other form of mental projection. A brain scan of Baltar in the second season episode ''Final Cut'' revealed no chip. She did appear once on ''Galactica'' in physical form, calling herself "Shelley Godfrey". There are also several copies of Number Six on Caprica including the copy working with the third Doral copy observing Helo and Boomer. The Cylon religion appears to be of central importance to her, she refers to "God" in almost every episode, and part of her mission is evidently to convert Baltar to the religion of the Cylons' "one true god." Another of the Number Six model named "Gina" infiltrated the Battlestar ''Pegasus'' but was later captured by its crew. After being taken prisoner she was tortured and gang-[[rape|raped]] by ''Pegasus'' crewmen on a routine basis. By the time Dr. Baltar examined her, after ''Pegasus'' reunited with ''Galactica'', she was in a catatonic state from the trauma of her abuse. The ''Pegasus'' crew kept her shackled to the ground with cuffs on her hands and feet and a collar, which were all connected by a chain that was bolted to the floor. The ''Pegasus'' crew felt that Cylons aren't people, and never considered this as prisoner abuse because they feel the humanoid Cylons are just machines.

* [[Gary Wolf]], author of the original novel ''Who Censored Roger Rabbit?,'' corresponded with many fans of the film through written letters and the [[Internet]], compiling an exhaustive listing of the many hidden "easter eggs" in the film and in the later ''Roger Rabbit'' short films. He has provided copies of this list to anyone who requests it. Wolf also sued Disney in [[2001]] for unpaid earnings related to the film.

It is interesting to note that, just prior to her death, Galactica-Boomer revealed to Dr. Baltar that eight humanoid Cylons remained alive, hidden within the fleet. Known models and obvious clones would likely not remain hidden long in the present state of security. Starbuck probably gave a description of Simon, but it's possible a copy of him may be hiding in the Fleet. The only other person in the fleet known to be a Cylon is the reporter-copy of D'Anna, however none of the Colonials are aware that she is a Cylon. Additionally, there are occasional implications that Colonel Tigh's wife may be a Cylon: initially presumed dead, she miraculously appears unharmed in the fleet, she was "tested" during a period when Dr. Baltar refused to reveal any true Cylons for fear of being exposed himself (whether her test was even completed is unclear), she repeatedly causes Tigh to make poor judgement calls, frequently in opposition to the President or Commander Adama. Baltar, in one episode, says to number Six that she is "only human," but this doesn't necessarily mean she isn't a cylon

* In the scene where Judge Doom comes to the cafe looking for Roger, Angelo speaks up when he hears that there is a reward saying: "Yeah, I've seen a rabbit" turns around and addresses thin air: "Say hello, Harvey." Many think this is a reference to the [[James Stewart (actor)|James Stewart]] movie ''[[Harvey (movie)|Harvey]]'' and perceive it as an error, because the movie came out in 1950 and ''Roger Rabbit'' takes place in [[1947]]. However the stage version of ''Harvey'' came out in 1944, to which, logically, Angelo must be referring to, although whether the writers intended this is unclear.

=== Cylon spacecraft ===

* Rumor has it that at one point in the movie's conception, the producers had contemplated revealing Judge Doom to also be the hunter that mortally shot [[Bambi]]'s mother, thus providing more insight to his sadistic, cruel, and calloused nature towards his fellow 'toons', but Disney allegedly nixed the idea, most likely believing the idea to be [[overkill (term)|overkill]] and not wanting to scare younger audiences with the character more than was neccessary for the emotional purpose of the movie.

[[Image:Battlestar Galactica 2003 - Basestar.jpg|thumb|300px|Cylon Basestars, one firing missiles (2003 series)]]

Cylon spacecraft in the new series are of a biomechanical design. They are not necessarily Cylons themselves, and there is little indication that they have any intelligence outside the specialized tasks for which they are designed.

* '''Raider''': The new Raider is a biomechanical fighter craft with twin cannon weapons and FTL ([[Faster-than-light]]) capability. Unlike the original Raiders, these are autonomous craft without a separate pilot. It appears to be an oxygen-breathing biomechanical organism housed within a metallic [[exoskeleton]]. In one episode of the 2004 series, the stranded Starbuck finds a downed raider and discovers that once inside its "head" she can control the propulsion and weapons systems by manipulating its biomechanical actuators. Another (Cylon) character describes the Raider as being somewhat like a pet. (Curiously, the "dead" organic tissues of a Raider do not seem to decay or produce foul odors. It may still be alive.)

== Other films combining live action with animation ==

Audiences were amazed by the ground-breaking special effects used in ''Who Framed Roger Rabbit'' to create a "realistic" portrayal of the interaction of animated characters and live actors. While the film did this with more advanced technology than previous films, the combination of animation and live action had been practised since the beginnings of animated cartoons, often to very good effect.

* '''Heavy Raider''': A previously unknown Cylon craft, introduced in the last episode of season one, which is capable of transporting squads of Cylon Centurions for boarding actions. It appears to be loosely analogous to a Colonial Raptor transport in this respect. It may not require a pilot, but it has been shown as being controlled by a humanoid Cylon. [[Ronald D. Moore]] confirms this craft's name as "Heavy Raider" in his [[podcast]] for this episode.

The tradition goes back all the way to the earliest days of animation with [[Winsor McCay]]'s short ''[[Gertie the Dinosaur]]'', which shows a live-action narrator (specifically, a "live" actor, instead of a filmed one) interacting with an animated landscape and character (Gertie). In one scene, the narrator appears to throw a real orange which is caught by Gertie (the real orange is replaced by an animated one just as it leaves the narrator's hand), and the film climaxes with a scene in which the narrator enters the animated landscape (again, replaced by an animated version) and takes a ride on the famous dinosaur's back.

* '''[[Basestar]]''': The Basestar is the primary Cylon capital ship yet identified in the series, outmatching a colonial Battlestar in nearly every tactical respect. Basestars are designed to make hyperlight jumps and equipped to deploy large-scale strikes with high yield nuclear ordnance. They carry at least 250 Raiders on their exterior service pods, and an indeterminate number of additional fighters inside. Although the staggering number of Raiders they can deploy at a moment's notice suggests an enormous crew, it is suspected that much of a Basestar's internal workings may be automated. They are themselves biomechanical entities, with fleshy "hangars" to house Raiders. Basestars are, however, capable of carrying other Cylon models within them.

In the later days of [[silent film]], the popular cartoons of [[Max Fleischer]] included a series where his cartoon character [[Koko the Clown]] interacted with the live world; for example, having a boxing match with a live kitten. In a variation on this concept, [[Walt Disney]]'s first directorial efforts (years before [[Mickey Mouse]] was born) were the animated ''Alice Comedies'' short cartoons, in which a young live-action girl named Alice interacted with animated cartoon characters.

* '''Unknown Large Ship''': In the episode "Pegasus", intelligence imagery from the [[Battlestar Pegasus]] shows a ship much larger than a Basestar which is unlike anything the Colonials have ever seen before. Recon photos of it suggest a [[toroid]]al appearance, but it's exact appearance has not yet been determined. Admiral Cain and Commander Adama have speculated that it might be a Raider factory, or a command ship.

In the era of [[sound film]], the [[1940]] [[Warner Bros.]] cartoon ''You Ought To Be In Pictures'', directed by [[Friz Freleng]], can be seen as a predecessor to ''Roger Rabbit''. The animated sequence in the [[1945]] film ''[[Anchors Aweigh (movie)|Anchors Aweigh]]'' in which [[Gene Kelly]] dances with an animated [[Jerry Mouse]] is one of the actor's most famous scenes. In [[1964]], The Walt Disney version of ''[[Mary Poppins]]'' was a huge success. It showed [[Julie Andrews]] and [[Dick van Dyke]] dancing with [[animated]] [[penguin]]s; these penguins make an appearance in Roger Rabbit. In 1971, Disney revisited this technique in [[Bedknobs and Broomsticks]].

*The main Cylon fleet is mentioned as being accompanied by about a dozen various "support ships", of unknown design. Some are probably responsible for mining and refining tylium fuel from asteroids, or constructing tylium mining bases like the one seen in "The Hand of God". Others might be analagous the Colonial support cruisers, which have also been mentioned but never seen on screen.

There were also many previous films combining live action with [[stop motion]] animation using [[back projection]], such as the films of [[Willis O'Brien]] and [[Ray Harryhausen]].

==Trivia==

With the commercial and technological success of ''Who Framed Roger Rabbit'', a slew of live action/animated films followed. ''[[Cool World]]'', released in 1992, was a critical and commercial failure. ''[[Space Jam]]'', the 1996 film debut of [[Michael Jordan]] featuring [[Bugs Bunny]], was a commercial success. The [[Warner Brothers]] characters returned to reality for [[Looney Tunes: Back in Action]] in 2003. [[The Adventures of Rocky and Bullwinkle]] (2000) and [[Monkeybone]] (2001) were also critical and commercial failures.

Sci-fi fans traveling through [[Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport|Hartsfield International Airport]] in Atlanta were always quick to note that the automated voice on the trains connecting the passenger concourses to the main terminal was a perfect match for the voice of a Cylon. However, in preparation for the [[1996 Summer Olympics]], the airport was renovated and the Cylon voice was retired in favor of a pre-recorded "human" voice. The voice heard going down the escalator to the trains, however, still reminds them of the robot guarding the path to sanctuary in [[Logan's Run]].

In the [[source code]] of [[Mozilla]] (and its [[Netscape_Navigator|Netscape]] predecessor), the "undetermined" progress bar that slides back and forth -- rather than filling up the bar from left to right -- is referred to as the "Cylon".

==Errors==

* Despite the film taking place in 1947, the [[model sheets]] used for many of the characters in it, especially the Warner Bros. stars, who were on paid license from [[Time Warner]], were typically older ones that were not actually in use at the time (Bugs Bunny, noticeably, used an early sheet that was phased out of use at [[Warner Bros]]./[[Leon Schlesinger]] Pictures in 1943).

A Cylon appears in the season 3 episode of [[Futurama]] [[Futurama_%28TV_series_-_season_3%29#Bendin.27_in_the_Wind|Bendin' In The Wind]]. He’s part of the musical duo ''Cylon and Garfunkel'', a parody of [[Simon and Garfunkel]].

==Cartoon characters that make [[cameo]] appearances==

*[[Betty Boop]]

*[[Big Bad Wolf]]

*[[Bozo the Clown]]

*[[Crows]] from [[Disney]]'s ''[[Dumbo]]''

*[[Broomstick]]s from Disney's ''[[Fantasia (movie)|Fantasia]]''

*[[Bugs Bunny]]

*[[Daffy Duck]]

*[[Donald Duck]]

*[[Droopy Dog]]

*[[Dumbo]]

*[[Goofy]]

*[[hummingbird]]s from Disney's ''[[Song of the South]]''

*[[Foghorn Leghorn]]

*Dancing [[Hippopotamus|hippo]] from Disney's ''[[Fantasia (movie)|Fantasia]]''

*[[Mickey Mouse]]

*The [[penguin|penguins]] from Disney's ''[[Mary Poppins]]''

*[[Pinocchio (1940 movie)|Pinocchio]]

*[[Porky Pig]]

*[[Road Runner cartoon|The Road Runner]]

*[[Sylvester the cat]]

*[[Tinkerbell]]

*[[Tweety]]

*[[Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs]]

*[[Woody Woodpecker]]

*[[Road Runner cartoon|Wile E. Coyote]]

*[[Yosemite Sam]]

In the opening credits of certain seasons of [[The A-Team]], [[Dirk Benedict]] watches a Cylon walk past (while at the Universal Studios tour), initially expresses concern, and then decides to ignore it. Dirk Benedict played the character Starbuck in the original Battlestar Galactica series.

== External links ==

* [http://video.movies.go.com/products/2439803.html Disney's official site for this film]

* {{imdb title|id=0096438|title=Who Framed Roger Rabbit}}

*[http://www.filmsite.org/whof.html Filmsite.org - Who Framed Roger Rabbit]

*[http://www.davesrailpix.com/pe/perr.htm Dave Mewhinney's Pacific Electric Photos - Roger Rabbit Collection]

Glen A. Larson produced both the original Battlestar Galactica and [[Knight Rider]]. He incorporated the Cylon scanning moving eye into KITT, and it is speculated in [[fanon]] that [[KITT]]'s electronic brain was originally part of a Cylon that crashed to earth in Galactica: 1980.

==References==

* "Behind the Ears: The True Story of Roger Rabbit". (2003). ''Who Framed Roger Rabbit'', Vista Series [DVD]. Burbank: Buena Vista Home Video.

* Gray, Milton (1991). ''Cartoon Animation: Introduction to a Career''. Lion's Den Publications. ISBN 096-284445-4.

==External link==

{{wikiquote}}

*[http://battlestarwiki.org/index.php?title=Cylons "Cylons" at Battlestar Wiki]

[[Category:1988 films]]

[[Category:Looney Tunes films]]

[[Category:Disney animated films]]

[[Category:Fictional robots]]

[[de:Falsches Spiel mit Roger Rabbit]]

[[Category:Battlestar Galactica]]

[[fr:Qui veut la peau de Roger Rabbit ?]]

[[Category:Fictional aliens]]

[[it:Chi ha incastrato Roger Rabbit?]]

[[Category:Fictional alien species]]

[[pt:Who Framed Roger Rabbit?]]

[[category:villain races]]

[[sv:Vem satte dit Roger Rabbit]]