Live-Action + Toons

[EevilJ]

I just finished re-watching Who Framed Roger Rabbit--and now I'm watching Tank Girl, but that has nothing to do with this thread; Tank Girl just rocks *grin*--and I got to wondering...what other movies do the Live-Action + Toons in the same 3D space thing?

I mean, there's Cool World--which, in my never-humble opinion, really sucked--but that's all I can think of.
And I'm talking about movies that do it for the whole movie, where humans and toons live together. The one dance number in Mary Poppins doesn't cut it.

Can anyone think of any others?

[MaxofSteel]

Space Jam and Looney Toons: Back in Action.

[Buzz Dixon]

I'm trying to remember the film (CRAZY HOUSE? HOLLYWOOD PARTY? Both?) but Mickey Mouse shows up at a party, first appearing as a drawing or an animated cartoon, then "coming to life" and interacting with the live actors.

Also...somebody (a child? a little person?) is frequently seen in a Mickey Mouse costume in the crowd scenes of Laurel and Hardy's BABES IN TOYLAND.

Disney had a silent series of cartoons called ALICE IN CARTOON LAND in which a live action child interacted with animated characters. A live action Mel Blanc played piano in a Merrie Melodie cartoon (forget the title; it was about a moth and Mel's clothes are chewed to shreds in the end). Also, Porky once quit Merrie Melodies and was seen handing his resignation to a live action Leon Schlessinger.

Woody Allen and a co-star briefly turned into cartoon characters for ANNIE HALL. HEAVY TRAFFIC's characters slide in and out of live action and animation. David Niven as master criminal THE BRAIN had a cartoon version of himself describing the details of an upcoming crime. THE DANGEROUS DAYS OF ALTER BOYS also slides in and out of animated sequences.

And, in a reverse version, whenever Superman had to take to the skies in the serials SUPERMAN and ATOM MAN VS. SUPERMAN, they superimposed a very obvious cartoon version of Kirk Alyn flying through the skies!

Oh! Don't forget the animated detective who si part of the live action squad in THE LAST ACTION HERO.

[Albert]

Interesting topic. I think Buzz covered almost all of the ones I could think of. I know its beyond the scope of your question, but Bakshi (the aforementioned Cool World and Heavy Traffic) made such extensive use of rotoscoping that nearly all of his films verge on qualifying. There are many, many stock shots used in Wizards, so much so that Adolph Hitler should have had an opening credit. Then there was The Incredible Mr. Limpet, the Don Knotts movie from 1964. They used to run that one over and over again on TV in the 70s.

I know its not a movie, but the first thing that comes to mind with this is "The New Adventures of Huckleberry Finn"... the Hanna Barbera "cartoon" from 1968.

[Tobias March]

Interesting topic. I think Buzz covered almost all of the ones I could think of. I know its beyond the scope of your question, but Bakshi (the aforementioned Cool World and Heavy Traffic) made such extensive use of rotoscoping that nearly all of his films verge on qualifying. There are many, many stock shots used in Wizards, so much so that Adolph Hitler should have had an opening credit. Then there was The Incredible Mr. Limpet, the Don Knotts movie from 1964. They used to run that one over and over again on TV in the 70s.

I know its not a movie, but the first thing that comes to mind with this is "The New Adventures of Huckleberry Finn"... the Hanna Barbera "cartoon" from 1968.

Bakshi was the first thing to pop into my head too. The LOTR movie made extensive use of rotoscope for the battle scenes, as well as the Black Riders funnily enough. And of course Linklater took a page from his book when he made Waking Life and A Scanner Darkly.

Ah Pete the Dragon that was another one. And sure throw Tron on the pile if you've got time too :D

[Albert]

Bakshi was the first thing to pop into my head too. The LOTR movie made extensive use of rotoscope for the battle scenes, as well as the Black Riders funnily enough. And of course Linklater took a page from his book when he made Waking Life and A Scanner Darkly.

Ah Pete the Dragon that was another one. And sure throw Tron on the pile if you've got time too :D

Yep, the Bakshi Nazgul definitely spring to mind... as does Fire and Ice, which IMO is the best use of rotoscoping (topped arguably by Taarna in Heavy Metal-- at least the armoring up scene was rotoscope).

S'funny, but I didn't think of Tron but you are definitely correct to mention it. Had it been made twenty years later, it'd just be another CGI flick and far less noteworthy.

Also, Forbidden Planet probably qualifies, and the original Highlander movie. While the animation isn't all through the movie, its pivotal to the endings of both films.

[The Batman]

I think that we're forgetting one of the most obvious examples of a combination of live action/animation. The Star Wars Prequels.

[Kirayoshi]

If we're counting CGI, any scene involving Gollum in Two Towers or Return of the King. Or Kong in Peter Jackson's King Kong. Not to mention Sky Captain and the World of Tomorrow, where almost everything but the actors was CGI.

Some early Betty Boop cartoons used the rotoscope technique to capture human movement to animation. Notably in her Snow White cartoon, where Koko the Clown shuffled across the screen in a perfect imitation of Cab Calloway belting out "The St. James Infirmary Blues".

There was a fairly entertaining sequence in "Bedknobs and Broomsticks" where Angela Lansbury interracted with cartoon animals. Later in that same movie, she summoned some pretty cool stop-motion ghostly soldiers and knights to defend the British countryside against invading Nazis. And while we're on the subject of stop-motion, we can't forget the fight against the skeleton soldiers in "Jason and the Argonauts".

And finally, Friz Freling did a cute Porky Pig cartoon in 1940 called "You Ought To Be In Pictures", which featured cartoon Porky and Daffy interacting with live action. In the story, Daffy cons Porky into asking then-WB exec Leon Schlesinger to tear up his contract so he could go into feature films. The cartoon also featured cameos by other Termite Terrace staffers, including Michael Maltese and Henry Binder(although except for Leon, their voices were all dubbed by Mel Blanc). Very clever.

[MaxofSteel]

A Scanner Darkly combines animation and live action, but the two are more blended together. I haven't seen it but I hear good things.

[Petersen]

There was a brief Disney homage in 9 to 5

[Cephus]

If you want to delve into bad horror, there's "Evil Toons".

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0099524/

[Buzz Dixon]

Also, Forbidden Planet probably qualifies, and the original Highlander movie. While the animation isn't all through the movie, its pivotal to the endings of both films.I disagree as the 2D animation was not supposed to be interpreted as a cartoon but as a 3D embodiment of living energy. Maybe not as nicely executed as one would hope, but not intended to be a 'toon.

Otherwise anytime somebody shoots lighting or laser beams, we're in Toon Town...

[Albert]

I disagree as the 2D animation was not supposed to be interpreted as a cartoon but as a 3D embodiment of living energy. Maybe not as nicely executed as one would hope, but not intended to be a 'toon.

Otherwise anytime somebody shoots lighting or laser beams, we're in Toon Town...


True enough, especially with your last statement. Intentions count (or else The Giant Claw could be considered a "muppet" movie). If Wilcox had had access to CGI, he'd have gone that route, I believe. So, for the Id Monster in Forbidden to qualify, Gollum would have to be considered a toon as well... and that doesn't sit well with me.


And finally, Friz Freling did a cute Porky Pig cartoon in 1940 called "You Ought To Be In Pictures", which featured cartoon Porky and Daffy interacting with live action. In the story, Daffy cons Porky into asking then-WB exec Leon Schlesinger to tear up his contract so he could go into feature films. The cartoon also featured cameos by other Termite Terrace staffers, including Michael Maltese and Henry Binder(although except for Leon, their voices were all dubbed by Mel Blanc). Very clever.

Wow, I've never seen that. I'll have to hunt that one down.