1992
Character: Detective Frank Harris
Release Date: 10 July 1992
Directed By: Ralph Bakshi
Written By: Michael Grais, Mark Victor
Genre: Animation/Comedy/Fantasy
Tagline: It coulda been a contender
MPAA Rating: PG 13
Produced by: Paramount Pictures
Distributed by: Paramount Pictures
Budget: –
Filming Dates: 15 March 1991 – ??
Cast:
…Kim Basinger…Holli Would
…Gabriel Byrne…Jack Deebs
…Brad Pitt…Detective Frank Harris
…Michele Abrams…Jennifer Malley
…Deirdre O’Connell…Isabelle Malley
…Janni Brenn…Agatha Rose Harris (as Janni Brenn-Lowen)
…Maurice LaMarche…Interrogator #2/Mash/drunken bar patron/Dr. Vincent “Vegas Vinnie” Whiskers/Jack Deebs (super hero version) (voice)
…Joey Camen…Interrogator #1 / Slash / Holli’s door (voice)
…Michael David Lally…Sparks (voice)
Filming Locations:
Las Vegas, Nevada, USA
Synopsis:
The film’s plot transposes two alternate dimensions: the real world, and the Cool World, a world of animated characters, called “doodles.” The film begins in 1945-era Las Vegas. Frank Harris, a returning GI (Brad Pitt) is reunited with his mother. Soon he takes her for a ride on his motorcycle and they are involved in an accident resulting in her death. Grieving and hallucinating, he is transported into another dimension, the fully animated “Cool World.” The film flashes forward to 1992. Cartoonist Jack Deebs (Gabriel Byrne) has been incarcerated for murdering a man he found in bed with his wife. During his prison sentence, he has visions of the Cool World and of the sexy blond doodle, Holli Would (Kim Basinger). Deebs passes the time by creating a comic book series based on his visions of Cool World. Shortly after being released from prison and returning to his home in Las Vegas, Deebs is pulled into the Cool World by Holli.
Trivia & Facts:
• Ralph Bakshi originally wanted ‘Drew Barrymore’ to play the sultry ‘Holli Would’ .
• The movie was originally sold as an animated/live action horror film about a cartoonist that sleeps with a cartoon and fathers a child that can travel between both worlds.
• The original script was scrapped and re-written without Ralph Bakshi’s knowledge.
• In Ralph Bakshi’s original script, Holli Would was named Debbie Dallas, after the porn film Debbie Does Dallas (1978).
• As a publicity stunt, Paramount placed a huge cut-out of Holli Would on the D of the HOLLYWOOD sign in Los Angeles. Although they didn’t have to pay any fees, the studio still had to make a donation of $27,000 to the sign’s maintenance fund, another $27,000 to the Rebuild L.A. fund (this was just after the L.A. riots), and the cost of two park rangers to guard the sign 24 hours a day.
• Ralph Bakshi wanted Brad Pitt to play Jack Deebs.
• ‘Traci Lords’ was in contention for the role of Holli Would but lost out to the more widely recognized Kim Basinger.
From the gallery
Quotes
[Deebs and Harris watch Holly dance]
Frank Harris: You think she’s got a thing for you, don’t you? That’s cute… but don’t flatter yourself. That one… she’s a waste of ink.
Frank Harris: Noids do not have sex with doodles. It’s the oldest law in Cool World. I’ve never had to enforce it. You cross that line I’ll slap you around and make you piss like a puppy. Jack, you think she got a thing for you, don’t you? That’s sweet. But don’t flatter yourself. She’s a waste of ink. Truth is she’s been after me and every other noid who’s come through here. It’s just that no one’s been insane enough to get involved with her. You keep your pencil in your pocket. Know what I mean?
Frank Harris: You’re a wacka-do.
Jack Deebs: I’m a cartoonist. I drew all this. I have visions. I translate this.
Frank Harris: You do nothing, man. This place exists with or without you. You believe me, right? I’m not one of your creations.
Jack Deebs: Right. You’re not pretty enough.
Frank Harris: Good one. Have a seat.
Frank Harris: You screwed us all… for a piece of ass?
Frank Harris: A little late for a lady to be out on the streets, don’t you think? I’ve got a couple of questions for you, miss.
Lonette: Oh, come on, officer. Let it slide, would you? I’m tired.
Frank Harris: Word is you have a thing for noids.
Lonette: Yeah, I’ve got a thing for noids, but what’s it to you, tough guy?
Frank Harris: Baby, you don’t know how tough it is.
Lonette: You’re late.
Frank Harris: Ah, you’re killing me. Why are you so beautiful?
Frank Harris: Hey, sexy.
Lonette: It’s the man with the badge.
Frank Harris: In the flesh.
Lonette: Don’t remind me.
Frank Harris: How can I help it? What are you doing to me? You’re messing me up.
Lonette: Oh, honey, you’re tense. It’s Holli again, isn’t it?
Frank Harris: Yeah, Miss Holli Would-if-she-could. That dame. You heard anything?
Lonette: Now you know I don’t listen to that sleazy cow.
Frank Harris: Don’t. Just don’t.
Lonette: But why?
Frank Harris: Because we can never finish it, Lonette. It’s frustrating. I’m like a plug without a socket, you know?
Frank Harris: Baby, you and me, I can’t have that in the real world. I can’t live without you. But I can’t be with you. What do you do, huh? What do you do?
Lonette: Well, we’re just going to have to pretend, then, aren’t we?
Holli Would: You want to know what it is about you that really kicks my ass, Harris?
Frank Harris: How about my foot?
Frank Harris: When your partner gets inked, you do something about it. He was your partner, so you do something.
Lonette: Well, I’m not buying it.
Frank Harris: How about a man’s gotta do what a man’s gotta do.
Lonette: Can’t you use think about me for a minute, Frank? I mean, where does this leave me?
Frank Harris: What are you mad about?
Lonette: I’m mad because you talk about crossing and you don’t even care how it makes me feel!
Frank Harris: I don’t even care? How do you feel?
Lonette: Left out!
Frank Harris: You think I want to go back there? You think I want to go back?
Lonette: Now why wouldn’t you want to go back? That’s real to you, isn’t it?
Frank Harris: Let me tell you something about over there. It hurts over there. It’s lonely over there. It’s a war over there. They got 8 million ways for you to die on and they’re all permanent. This is real for me, this with you. If I want to stay with you, I gotta go back.
External Links
…Official website
…IMDB
SB Store (US)
…Cool World (DVD)
SB Store (UK)
…Cool World, The (DVD)
