Cool World

Cool World
Theatrical release poster
Directed byRalph Bakshi
Written by
Produced byFrank Mancuso Jr.
Starring
CinematographyJohn A. Alonzo
Edited by
  • Steve Mirkovich
  • Annamaria Szanto
Music byMark Isham
Production
companies
Distributed byParamount Pictures
Release date
  • July 10, 1992 (1992-07-10)
Running time
101 minutes[1]
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish
Budget$28 million[2]
Box office$14.1 million[3]

Cool World is a 1992 American live-action/adult animated fantasy film directed by Ralph Bakshi and written by Michael Grais and Mark Victor. Starring Kim Basinger, Gabriel Byrne and Brad Pitt, it tells the story of a cartoonist who finds himself in the cartoon-like universe he thinks he created, but has existed long before. In this world, he is seduced by one of the characters, a femme fatale who wants to become human.[4]

Following the success of Who Framed Roger Rabbit (1988) and his own professional resurgence in television in the late 1980s, Bakshi conceived it as a live-action animated horror film. He brought the idea to Paramount Pictures, and became attached to direct; it was his first feature film in nearly a decade. The film was intended as his comeback. However, interference from producer Frank Mancuso Jr. led to an extensive rewrite from Michael Grais, Mark Victor, and an uncredited Larry Gross. As a result, relations between Bakshi, Mancuso, and the studio deteriorated, and the film had a highly tumultuous production.

Cool World was released by Paramount on July 10, 1992. Upon its release, the film was a critical and commercial failure. It was criticized for its story, acting, and the effects combining animation and live-action; however, the soundtrack and visuals received praise. The film was a box-office bomb, grossing $14 million against a budget of $28 million. Despite its poor reception, Cool World developed a cult following.[5]

  1. ^ Cite error: The named reference AFI was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  2. ^ Cite error: The named reference NYT was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  3. ^ "Cool World". Box Office Mojo.
  4. ^ Lenburg, Jeff (1999). The Encyclopedia of Animated Cartoons. Checkmark Books. p. 174. ISBN 0-8160-3831-7. Retrieved June 6, 2020.
  5. ^ Taylor, Trey (October 7, 2016). "What makes cult film Cool World so universally hated?". Dazed. Retrieved October 24, 2022.