Who Framed Roger Rabbit (1988 movie)

Who Framed Rodger Rabbit is partially based off of the following true story which is known as "The (Great American) StreetCar Conspiracy/Scandal" (or the General Motors StreetCar Conspiracy):

This story centers in LA, just as the movie does, where the "Red Car" and the "Yellow Car" were bought out, monopolized, and quickly dismantled. Leading the way towards private transportation for all city dwellers who used to use public transit.

General Motors, Standard Oil, and Firestone tires led the conspiracy to dismantle electric rail-driven StreetCars because they don't use much rubber or oil and aren't built by GM. With automobile sales stagnating and public opinion dramatically on the side of public transportation (because it's easy and not a dirty, disgusting bus), they felt they needed to something for their own bottom lines. So they funded a company called National City Lines (and Pacific City Lines and American City Lines) which "operated" the streetcars. Any by "operated" I mean they replaced them with dirty, disgusting buses. Most people don't like buses, they shun them and prefer to ride almost anything else. Go to a Greyhound station and see what I mean. Most people still don't like them much (I use 'em a lot, though). For a good, modern comparison of the comfort in riding a bus versus a trolly, use Greyhound on your next vacation, then return on the Amtrak.

Then remember that the old rail systems in cities ran often and everywhere, which is all Amtrak's missing.

For their crimes against life, the universe, and everything, the corporations (GM, Firestone, and Standard Oil, et cetera) were fined a measly $5,000. The individuals convicted were fined $1.

March onward, Global Warming.

It is interesting to me that few people make this connection and most of those who do reference the movie when talking about the scandal. For me, it is the best part of the movie! Who Framed Rodger Rabbit makes other subtle references to such things as Harvey, and very overt references to such things as every cartoon made before 1950. It very rightfully portrays the freeway as the bad guy.

At the same time, Roger Rabbit is a "Very Fun", entertaining, and pretty movie. Filled with, for many people, an ample helping of nostalgia.

Many may not know that Roger Rabbit originally a character in a book called "Who Censored Roger Rabbit" by Gary K. Wolf. The book and the movie have very little in common; I can already tell even though I have not read a word of it.