Cool World (1992)

A comic strip femme fatale seeks to seduce her cartoonist creator in order to cross over into the real world.

Director:

Ralph Bakshi

Writers:

Michael Grais, Mark Victor

Stars:

Gabriel Byrne, Kim Basinger, Janni Brenn

2 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Janni Brenn	...	Mom Harris (as Janni Brenn-Lowen)
Brad Pitt	...	Frank Harris
William Frankfather	...	Cop
Greg Collins	...	Cop
Maurice LaMarche	...	Interrogator / Doc Whiskers / Mash / Drunk Bar Patron / Super Jack (voice)
Gabriel Byrne	...	Jack Deebs
Joey Camen	...	Interrogator / Slash / Holli's Door (voice)
Kim Basinger	...	Holli Would
Michael David Lally	...	Sparks (voice)
Michele Abrams	...	Jennifer Malley
Carrie Hamilton	...	Comic Bookstore Cashier
Stephen Worth	...	Store Patron / Bash
Murray Podwal	...	Store Patron
Jenine Jennings	...	Craps Bunny / Lonette / Holli (voice)
Gregory Snegoff	...	Bash (voice)

Storyline

When cartoonist Jack Deebs was behind bars, he found escape by creating "Cool World", a cartoon series featuring a voluptuous femme fatale named Holli Would. But the cartoonist becomes a prisoner of his own fantasies when Holli transports Jack into Cool World with a scheme to seduce him and bring herself to life. A hard-boiled detective--the only other human in Cool World--cautions Jack with the law: Noids (humans) don't have sex with doodles (cartoons). However, the flesh proves weaker than ink as Holli takes human form in Las Vegas, staring in a trans-universal chase that threatens the destruction of both worlds. With a splashy combination of animation and live-action sequences, "Cool World" delivers the hottest action around.

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Plot Keywords:

cartoonist | femme fatale | sex | eroticism | nymphomaniac | 

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Taglines:

Holli Would if she could ...and she will

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Genres:

Animation | Comedy | Fantasy

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated PG-13 for language and sensuality

Did You Know?

Trivia

As a publicity stunt, Paramount Pictures put a huge cut-out of Holli Would on the D of the Hollywood sign. The studio donated $27,000 to the sign's maintenance fund, another $27,000 to the Rebuild L.A. fund (it was just after the L.A. riots), and paid for 2 park rangers to guard the sign 24 hours a day. The stunt angered local residents, who picketed and demanded that the cut-out be taken down.

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Goofs

When Jack and Holli are about to have sex, Jack can be heard moaning. But in an up-close shot where Holli gets on top of him, his mouth doesn't move at all.

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Quotes

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?
[...]

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Alternate Versions

When shown on the sci-fi channel, the following scenes have been cut:

• When sparks encounters doodle children in the alley he releases little coins with fangs that attacks them, they only show him say "I hate it when she meets guys without telling me".
• While being chased by the popper police, Slash (the baby-like doodle) urinates on them: they only show the popper police get hit by the train
• While waiting for the doodle telephone to get to Frank, Nails bites into his desk
• The sex scene between Holli Would and Jack Deebs has been altered and some footage has been deleted
• After Nails was "penned' by Holli, Frank encounters Sparks and knocks his french fries out of his hand, Sparks responded with "now you can buy me more fries, dick-head", but it was changed to "now you can buy me more fries pinhead"
• At the end, Holli's "pencildick" remark is deleted.

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Connections

References A Nightmare on Elm Street (1984)

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Soundtracks

The Witch
by Ian Astbury and Billy Duffy
Performed by The Cult
Produced by Rick Rubin
The Cult performs courtesy of Beggars Banquet/Sire Records

User Reviews

Could be a bit better...

I think that this movie could have been done a bit better. It had a good concept and some well done scenes but it drags on a bit too much. The weird fantasy enviroment is awesome and it makes this film worth a peek if you like weirdness. The plot however can be viewed as a series of loosly conected holes held together by stunning animation. Kim Basinger as Holli Would was cool. Note to Brad Pitt: Monotone does not count as acting, nor should it be considerred any matter of pride that your performance is held up only by rejected Looney Tunes. Thank you. If you liked Roger Rabbit as a kid but are getting too old for it you might enjoy this. I give it a B-.

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

10 July 1992 (USA)

Also Known As:

Cool World

Filming Locations:

Las Vegas, Nevada, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$30,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend USA:

$5,556,451, 12 July 1992

Gross USA:

$14,110,589

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$14,110,589

Company Credits

Production Co:

Bakshi Animation, Paramount Pictures

Technical Specs

Runtime:

102 min 147 min (workprint)

Sound Mix:

Dolby SR

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1