Judge Doom

{{short description|Fictional character in the film Who Framed Roger Rabbit}}

{{Infobox character

| name = Judge Doom

| series = Who Framed Roger Rabbit

| image = Judgedoom.jpg

| caption = Christopher Lloyd as Judge Doom in Who Framed Roger Rabbit (1988)

| first = Who Framed Roger Rabbit (1988)

| lbl1 = Portrayed by

| data1 = Christopher Lloyd

| lbl2 = Voiced by

| data2 = Corey Burton (Who Framed Roger Rabbit Read-Along Storybook)

| alias = Baron Von Rotten

| creator = Jeffrey Price
Peter S. Seaman

| species = Toon disguised as a human

| occupation = Judge

| spouse =

| family =

}}

Judge Doom is a fictional character and the main antagonist in the 1988 film Who Framed Roger Rabbit, portrayed by Christopher Lloyd. He is depicted as the much-feared, cruel and evil judge of Toontown, who later in the film is revealed as the mastermind behind the framing of the titular character and the murder of protagonist Eddie Valiant's brother.

Judge Doom is an original character from the script of the film created by screenwriters Jeffrey Price and Peter S. Seaman. Many actors, such as Tim Curry and Christopher Lee, were considered for the role before Lloyd was cast as the character. Judge Doom later appeared in Who Framed Roger Rabbit media, becoming the final boss of video game adaptations of the film and in a graphic novel sequel explaining his backstory and revival. Merchandise of the character was also sold.

Judge Doom has had many comparisons with characters from other fictional media, and his motives and actions have drawn parallels with real-world historical events.

Christopher Lloyd's role as Judge Doom has been praised as a film villain, with the character appearing as one of the greatest film villains of all time by Wizard magazine and appearing in other related film villain media lists. The character and his plot twist reveal as a toon are commonly rated as some of the scariest moments in a family-oriented non-horror film.

The character has been widely acknowledged in popular culture, being referenced in a song, a documentary and a 2021 viral Twitter joke regarding NFL player Tom Brady.

Creation and concept

File:Christopher Lloyd May 2015.jpg portrayed Judge Doom in Who Framed Roger Rabbit.]]

=Writing=

During the writing process in summer 1986, Jeffrey Price and Peter S. Seaman were unsure of whom to include as the villain in the plot of Who Framed Roger Rabbit. They wrote scripts that had either Jessica Rabbit or Baby Herman as the villain, but they made their final decision with the newly created character Judge Doom. Price and Seaman based the scheme of Judge Doom of destroying Toontown for a freeway on a planned unproduced sequel of Chinatown entitled Cloverleaf, which would be the name of Judge Doom's company in the film.{{cite web|title=10 Things You Didn't Know About 'Who Framed Roger Rabbit'|url=http://screencrush.com/things-you-didnt-know-about-who-framed-roger-rabbit/|website=ScreenCrush|publisher=Townsquare Media|date=11 March 2018|access-date=18 July 2013|language=en|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20130720031112/http://screencrush.com/things-you-didnt-know-about-who-framed-roger-rabbit/|archivedate=20 July 2013|first1=Franks-Allen|last1=Sara}} Doom was supposed to have an animated vulture sit on his shoulder, but this was deleted due to the technical challenges this posed. Doom would also have a suitcase of twelve small toon kangaroos that act as a jury, by having their joeys pop out of their pouches, each with letters, which when put together would spell "You are guilty". This was also cut.Who Shot Roger Rabbit, 1986 script by Jeffrey Price and Peter S. Seaman Doom was originally intended in the script to be revealed as the offscreen anonymous hunter who killed Bambi's mother (referred to as "man" in Bambi and also named as such by the American Film Institute) but everyone at Disney rejected the idea.{{cite web |title=AFI's 100 YEARS…100 HEROES & VILLAINS |url= https://www.afi.com/afis-100-years-100-heroes-villians/ |website=American Film Institute|access-date=4 May 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210504084757/https://www.afi.com/afis-100-years-100-heroes-villians/ |archive-date=4 May 2021 |language=en}}

=Casting=

Tim Curry originally auditioned for the role of Judge Doom in August, 1986, but while during his audition, the producers found him too terrifying for the role.{{cite web|url=https://www.buzzfeed.com/briangalindo/20-things-you-didnt-know-about-who-framed-roger-rabbit|title=20 Things You Didn't Know About "Who Framed Roger Rabbit"|first=Brian |last=Galindo|website=BuzzFeed|date=12 March 2013 |access-date=May 26, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180315195121/https://www.buzzfeed.com/briangalindo/20-things-you-didnt-know-about-who-framed-roger-rabbit?utm_term=.yaJaEAEdb#.uxPB2Q2bD|archive-date=15 March 2018}} Christopher Lee was also considered for the role, but Lee turned it down.{{cite web|last1=Arbeiter|first1=Michael|title=15 Things You Might Not Know About Who Framed Roger Rabbit|url=http://mentalfloss.com/article/62910/15-things-you-might-not-know-about-who-framed-roger-rabbit|website=Mental Floss|publisher=Dennis Publishing|access-date=16 March 2018|language=en|date=10 April 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150412180353/http://mentalfloss.com/article/62910/15-things-you-might-not-know-about-who-framed-roger-rabbit|archive-date=12 April 2015}} Several other actors were also considered for the role of Judge Doom, including John Cleese, Roddy McDowall, Eddie Deezen, and Sting.

Christopher Lloyd was cast because he previously worked with Robert Zemeckis and Amblin Entertainment on Back to the Future in his most famous role as Emmett Brown. Lloyd shaved his hair for the role and also avoided blinking his eyes while on camera to perfectly portray the character.Robert Zemeckis, Jeffrey Price and Peter S. Seaman, Ken Ralston, Frank Marshall, Steve Starkey, DVD audio commentary, 2003, Walt Disney Studios Home Entertainment

According to Lloyd:

"I just felt a toon doesn't have to blink their eyes to remoisten their eyeballs. They're not human, so I just felt Judge Doom should never blink. It makes him even more ominous, scarier if he's just looking like that. It wasn't really difficult, I'd just keep my eyes open as long as I could, try to time it out with the next take and all that. It was cool. I just like to find little things that make him even eviler, and that was that.{{cite web |last1=Swann |first1=Erik |title=Why Christopher Lloyd Never Blinked While Playing His Who Framed Roger Rabbit Character |url=https://www.cinemablend.com/news/2495559/why-christopher-lloyd-never-blinked-while-playing-his-who-framed-roger-rabbit-character |website=CinemaBlend |access-date=3 May 2021 |date=3 May 2020|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20210503204139/https://www.cinemablend.com/news/2495559/why-christopher-lloyd-never-blinked-while-playing-his-who-framed-roger-rabbit-character|archive-date=3 May 2021}}

Lloyd used the black-colored spy in Mad magazine's comic strip Spy vs. Spy as a rough guide of what the character would look like during development.

Depiction

=Character overview=

File:Judge Doom Props (9410840945).jpg at Disney's Hollywood Studios]]

In Who Framed Roger Rabbit, Doom is the much-feared Judge of Toontown. Despite presiding over a city of Toons, Doom is totally without mirth or redeeming qualities and passes capital punishment on Toons who break the law, placing them in a chemical vat of turpentine, acetone and benzene which he dubs "the Dip" to kill them permanently.

Doom wears a black ensemble which includes a caped overcoat, fedora, gloves, and rimless yellow-tinted glasses; he also carries a pocket watch, as well as a cane which is revealed to be a sabre in disguise, for use in emergency situations. This appearance is reminiscent of agents of the real-life Gestapo, the secret police of Nazi Germany.

Doom employs his toon weasel henchmen, the Toon Patrol, to assist him in hunting down Roger Rabbit for the murder of Marvin Acme.{{cite book | author = Norman Kagan | title = The Cinema of Robert Zemeckis |date = May 2003| publisher = Rowman & Littlefield | location = Lanham, Maryland | chapter = Who Framed Roger Rabbit | pages = 93–117 | isbn = 0-87833-293-6}}

=Role in film=

When Judge Doom is introduced, Lt. Santino confides to Eddie Valiant that Doom bought the election as judge of Toontown. Doom threatens to act as executioner to Roger Rabbit with a mixture of turpentine, acetone, and benzene he dubs "the Dip". Doom showcases the chemical's purpose by killing a toon shoe in front of Eddie. Roger realizes he is in trouble with Doom after him, and begs Eddie to hide him. Later, at the Terminal Bar, Doom uses the "Shave and a Haircut" trick to lure Roger out, then prepares to execute him. After a brief scuffle inside the bar, the Judge orders the weasels to capture Roger and Eddie Valiant. When Eddie learns that studio head R.K. Maroon is connected to the plot to frame Roger, Eddie interrogates him, but Maroon pleads that he is "a dead man" if he confesses. Just as Maroon is about to do so, he is killed by an unseen assailant who nearly shoots Eddie as well.{{cite AV media| people = Robert Zemeckis (director) | date = 1988 | title = Who Framed Roger Rabbit | medium = motion picture | language = en }}

{{listen|filename= Shave and a Haircut Door Knock.ogg|title= Shave and a Haircut Door Knock|description=Judge Doom referenced the classic Shave and Haircut bit (as shown above) in the film while using the tapping of his cane.|format=Ogg}}

Upon chasing the assailant to Toontown, Eddie catches Jessica Rabbit, thinking she is the murderer, but she reveals that Judge Doom was the one who killed Acme and Maroon. At the film's climax, Doom traps Eddie, Jessica, and Roger in the Acme Factory to explain his scheme to destroy Toontown using a giant, mobile vat of Dip linked to a high-pressure water cannon, and then build a freeway in its place. Doom then plans to retire from being a judge and control all the profits from the new road system. Doom also reveals that he is the sole shareholder of Cloverleaf Industries, and confesses that he bought the trolley network for the sole purpose of putting it out of production. He then orders Jessica and Roger to be tied up and raised into the air via skyhook to be sprayed by the Dip cannon.

Valiant distracts the weasels using hilarious antics to make them laugh themselves to death, then attempts to rescue Roger and Jessica when he is interrupted by Doom. The two men then square off, dueling with various Acme props. During the fight, Judge Doom is run over by a steamroller but does not die as expected, being flattened into a flimsy paper-thin shape and revealing him to be a toon wearing an assortment of fake props to disguise himself. Doom reinflates himself at an oxygen tank revealing his red toon eyes and his high-pitched voice to Eddie, who recognizes Doom as an escaped bank robber from Toontown long ago, thus explaining how Doom managed to buy the judicial election and the trolley network. Eddie also recognizes Doom as the toon who murdered his brother, Teddy Valiant, by dropping a piano on his head.

Doom attempts to use his toon abilities to finish off Eddie, but the latter manages to defeat him by dissolving him to death in his own Dip concoction. A crowd of various toons then surround the remnants of his disguise and wonder what kind of toon he was. The toons seem to agree that they do not need to know and decide to live happily ever after when Marvin Acme's will suddenly appears in Roger's possession, granting full ownership to the citizens of Toontown.

=Role in graphic novel=

Judge Doom appears in the graphic novel Roger Rabbit: The Resurrection of Doom, which takes place after the film and establishes his origin.

In the graphic novel, Roger and Jessica Rabbit watch a documentary which explains that Doom was originally a toon named Baron Von Rotten who took up the role of playing the antagonist in movies until suffering a concussion in an accident, from which he awakened believing he was a real villain. Von Rotten thus began his criminal career by robbing the First National Bank of Toontown, followed by killing Theodore 'Teddy' Valiant by dropping a piano on his head, and then spreading the stolen money all over the town in order to buy the election for Judge of Toontown, where he then assumed the new name of Judge Doom.{{cite book|last1=Foster|first1=Bob|title= Roger Rabbit: The Resurrection of Doom|date=1989|publisher=Marvel Entertainment Group|isbn=0-871-35593-0}}

The spin-off graphic novel also reveals that three cartoon weasels who happen to be connected with the "Toon Patrol", the weasel henchmen from Who Framed Roger Rabbit, revive the villain using old model drawings and cartoon cels after watching the documentary for inspiration. When revived, Doom plans to avenge himself of Roger Rabbit by ruining his professional life. He does this by disguising himself as CB Maroon and being responsible for slandering the newspaper of the character. Eddie Valiant traces this scheme to CB Maroon. Doom reveals his grand scheme to acquire and close down Maroon Cartoons entirely, and then kill the rabbit. The weasel henchmen then capture Valiant and he is thrown in a vault revealing the real CB Maroon, who was being kept out of the way until the sale went through. Roger and Jessica eventually free both Valiant and Maroon. Despite this, the heroes found they were too late to stop Doom from acquiring Maroon Cartoons. Panicking, Valiant pulled a gun on Doom which was believed to be a water gun at first but turns out to be Dip which melts both Doom (and the weasels) once again.{{cite web |last1=Phalan |first1=Kevin |title=The Who Framed Roger Rabbit? Sequel Everyone Forgot About |url=https://screenrant.com/who-framed-roger-rabbit-comic-sequel/ |website=Screen Rant |access-date=4 May 2021 |date=16 April 2020| archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20200423015936/https://screenrant.com/who-framed-roger-rabbit-comic-sequel/|archive-date=23 April 2020}}

=Other media and merchandise=

Judge Doom appears as the final boss in the 1988 video game adaption,{{cite news | url=https://archive.org/stream/1989-06-compute-magazine/Compute_Issue_109_1989_Jun#page/n65/mode/2up | title=Who Framed Roger Rabbit | work=Compute! | date=June 1989 | access-date=11 November 2013 | author=Holzberg, Carol S. | pages=65}} the 1989 video game adaption,{{cite video game |title=Who Framed Roger Rabbit |developer=Rare|publisher=LJN |date=1989 |platform=Nintendo Entertainment System}} and the 1991 video game adaption of Who Framed Roger Rabbit within the franchise of the same name.{{cite video game |title= Who Framed Roger Rabbit|developer= Capcom|publisher=Capcom |date=1991 |platform=Game Boy}}

LJN released film merchandise of the character with the pet vulture that was scrapped during production. Doom and Eddie Valiant were both playable characters in the action board game Who Framed Roger Rabbit: Dip Flip. In the game, one player plays Judge Doom to dip as many toons as they can while another player plays Eddie Valiant trying to save the toons.{{cite web|last1=MCnab|first1=JM|title=The 6 Most Insanely Depressing Examples of Movie Merchandise|url=http://www.cracked.com/article_22194_6-unintentionally-depressing-toys-from-famous-movies.html|website=Cracked.com|date=29 March 2015|access-date=17 March 2018|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20210226003509/https://www.cracked.com/article_22194_6-unintentionally-depressing-toys-from-famous-movies.html|archive-date=26 February 2021}} A Funko action figure of Judge Doom with his animated eyes along with him holding the anthropomorphic shoe that he dips in Who Framed Roger Rabbit was released by The Walt Disney Company as part of the Roger Rabbit lineup.{{cite web|title= Funko Fair Disney- Artist Series Mickey and Who Framed Roger Rabbit |url= https://bleedingcool.com/collectibles/funko-fair-disney-mickey-mouse-wfrr-reveals/|last1=Roberts|first1=Tyler|website=Bleeding Cool|date=29 January 2021|access-date=4 May 2021|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20210131231948/https://bleedingcool.com/collectibles/funko-fair-disney-mickey-mouse-wfrr-reveals/|archive-date=31 January 2021|language=en}}

Themes and analysis

=Scheme metaphor=

{{multiple image

| image1 = PELogo.svg

| width1 =

| align =

| alt1 =

| image2 = Four Level Interchange.jpg|

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| footer = (Left) The Pacific Electric logo. Owner of the red car that Doom bought to dismantle. (Right) The historical Four Level Interchange of the Arroyo Seco Parkway. An early example in history reminiscent of Doom's plan to destroy Toontown for a freeway that connects Los Angeles to Pasadena for progress of economy.{{cite web |author=Emily St. James |author-link=Emily St. James|title= Water rights, freeways, and Hollywood gossip: the secret history of LA, in 3 detective movies|url=https://www.vox.com/culture/2018/6/22/17490988/who-framed-roger-rabbit-anniversary-30 |website=Vox|access-date=4 May 2021 |language=en |date=22 June 2018|archiveurl= https://web.archive.org/web/20210314221845/https://www.vox.com/culture/2018/6/22/17490988/who-framed-roger-rabbit-anniversary-30 |archive-date=14 March 2021}} }}

Judge Doom's scheme is ultimately based on the development of the existing Southern California freeways.{{cite web|last1=Mooseles|first1=Kevin|title=The True Story Behind Who Framed Roger Rabbit|url=http://www.escapistmagazine.com/articles/view/moviesandtv/features/14901-Who-Framed-Roger-Rabbit-Is-Based-On-True-Story-of-Los-Angeles-Fr|website=The Escapist|access-date=15 March 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160124063141/http://www.escapistmagazine.com/articles/view/moviesandtv/features/14901-Who-Framed-Roger-Rabbit-Is-Based-On-True-Story-of-Los-Angeles-Fr|archive-date=24 January 2016}} The film is set in 1947 where Judge Doom plans to destroy Toontown over building a freeway and buy off the Pacific Electric railway to dismantle it. According to him it will boost automotive businesses.{{cite book|last1=Moraglio|first1=Massimo|last2=Kopper|first2=Christopher|title=The Organization of Transport: A History of Users, Industry, and Public Policy|date=2014|publisher=Routledge|isbn=9780415744201|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=VBcAoQEACAAJ|access-date=15 March 2018|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20210505020345/https://books.google.com/books/about/The_Organization_of_Transport.html?id=VBcAoQEACAAJ |archive-date=5 May 2021|language=en}} The motivation is a nod to a conspiracy theory that the many companies conspired to push an automobile future for Greater Los Angeles which ultimately helped bring down Pacific Electric.{{cite web |last1=Chiland |first1=Elijah |title=Who's really to blame for the death of LA's streetcars? |url=https://la.curbed.com/2017/9/20/16340038/los-angeles-streetcar-conspiracy-theory-general-motors |website=Curbed LA|access-date=4 May 2021 |language=en |date=20 September 2017|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20210309014416/https://la.curbed.com/2017/9/20/16340038/los-angeles-streetcar-conspiracy-theory-general-motors|archive-date=9 March 2021}} The scheme within the film has been cited as a metaphor behind the history of automobiles and the economy of the technological age by various authors such as James Howard Kunstler in the book The Geography of Nowhere.{{cite book|author=Kunstler, James Howard|author-link=James Howard Kunstler|title=Geography Of Nowhere: The Rise And Decline of America's Man-Made Landscape|date=1994|publisher=Simon & Schuster|isbn=9780671888251|url=https://archive.org/details/geographyofnowhe00kunsrich|url-access=registration|quote=judge doom freeway.|access-date=15 March 2018|language=en}}{{cite book|last1=Ladd|first1=Brian|title=Autophobia: Love and Hate in the Automotive Age|date=2008|publisher=University of Chicago Press|isbn=9780226467412|url=https://archive.org/details/autophobialoveha0000ladd|url-access=registration|access-date=15 March 2018|language=en}}{{cite book|last1=Grescoe|first1=Taras|title=Straphanger: Saving Our Cities and Ourselves from the Automobile|date=2012|publisher=Macmillan|isbn=9780805095586|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=QhX4TlcdgLIC|access-date=15 March 2018|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20210505021943/https://books.google.com/books/about/Straphanger.html?id=QhX4TlcdgLIC|archive-date=5 May 2021|language=en}} Dave Kehr of the Chicago Tribune compared Judge Doom's evil scheme to the plot of Chinatown,{{cite web|title=Animated Doom|url=https://www.chicagotribune.com/1988/06/22/animated-doom/|website=Chicago Tribune|access-date=11 March 2018|language=en|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150227035854/http://articles.chicagotribune.com/1988-06-22/features/8801090682_1_roger-rabbit-animated-characters-film|archive-date=27 February 2015|author=Kehr, Dave|date=22 June 1988 |url-status=live|author-link=Dave Kehr}} as did film critic Emily St. James, who added L.A. Confidential to her mix of comparisons as well.

=Actor analysis=

Christopher Lloyd likened his part as Doom to his previous role as the Klingon commander Kruge in Star Trek III: The Search for Spock, both being overly evil characters which he considered being "fun to play".{{cite news | url = https://www.avclub.com/christopher-lloyd-on-playing-a-vampire-a-taxi-driver-1798234109 | title = Christopher Lloyd on playing a vampire, a taxi driver, a toon, and more | newspaper = The A.V. Club | date= October 12, 2012 | access-date = October 17, 2012 | first = Will | last = Harris | url-status = live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180316004236/https://tv.avclub.com/christopher-lloyd-on-playing-a-vampire-a-taxi-driver-1798234109 |archive-date=16 March 2018 }} Scenes like the Evil Queen as the witch in Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs and Bambi are labeled as examples of scary childhood moments for Lloyd.{{cite web|last1=Freeman|first1=Hadley|title=Christopher Lloyd: 'Donald Trump's a beast. He needs to be put in a cage'|url=https://www.theguardian.com/film/2016/nov/21/christopher-lloyd-donald-trumps-a-beast-he-needs-to-be-put-in-a-cage|website=The Guardian|language=en|date=21 November 2016|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20210325221625/https://www.theguardian.com/film/2016/nov/21/christopher-lloyd-donald-trumps-a-beast-he-needs-to-be-put-in-a-cage|archive-date=25 March 2021}}{{cite magazine|title=An interview with 'grampire' Christopher Lloyd|url=http://ew.com/article/2012/10/12/christopher-lloyd-grampire-r-l-stines-the-haunting-hour/|magazine=Entertainment Weekly|access-date=17 March 2018|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20210115225811/https://ew.com/article/2012/10/12/christopher-lloyd-grampire-r-l-stines-the-haunting-hour/ |archive-date=15 January 2021|language=en}} Because of that, Lloyd admitted that the tragic shoe scene was his favorite scene to perform within the film, calling it payback from the original Disney films that he was "traumatized" or terrified of.{{cite web |last1=Ryan |first1=Parker |title=Christopher Lloyd Says Most Disturbing Moment in 'Roger Rabbit' Is His Favorite |url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/heat-vision/christopher-lloyd-says-disturbing-roger-rabbit-scene-is-his-favorite-1292819 |website=The Hollywood Reporter |access-date=4 May 2021 |language=en |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20210505010932/https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-news/christopher-lloyd-says-disturbing-roger-rabbit-scene-is-his-favorite-1292819/|archive-date=5 May 2021|date=1 May 2020}}{{cite web |last1=El-Mahmoud |first1=Sarah |title=Wow, Who Framed Roger Rabbit's Christopher Lloyd Has A 'Cruel' Favorite Scene From The Film |url=https://www.cinemablend.com/news/2495539/wow-who-framed-roger-rabbits-christopher-lloyd-has-a-cruel-favorite-scene-from-the-film |website=CinemaBlend |access-date=3 May 2021 |date=2 May 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210319120942/https://www.cinemablend.com/news/2495539/wow-who-framed-roger-rabbits-christopher-lloyd-has-a-cruel-favorite-scene-from-the-film|archive-date=19 March 2021}} Lloyd added:

Doom was such a dark character. I've had so many people come up to me over the years to tell me that when they were kids that movie scared the hell out of them — really kind of terrified them. But I remember as a kid watching those original Walt Disney animated films that terrified me, and I think that is part of what makes those films so appealing. So it's fun and a bit of sweet revenge to be the villain — the fun, dark part of the movie. Also, Judge Doom turns out to be a toon, so I don't think you can get too upset with a toon — since they're entertaining and fun.{{cite web|title=Christopher Lloyd Looks Back On The 5 Movie Roles That Made Him An Icon|url=https://www.buzzfeed.com/briangalindo/christopher-lloyd-looks-back-on-the-5-movie-roles-that-made|website=BuzzFeed|date=19 March 2015 |access-date=10 March 2018|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20180624150314/https://www.buzzfeed.com/briangalindo/christopher-lloyd-looks-back-on-the-5-movie-roles-that-made |archive-date=24 June 2018|language=en}}

=The Dip and demise comparison =

Turpentine, acetone and benzene combined form Judge Doom's fictional liquid that he refers to as "the Dip" that kills toons and which ultimately kills himself. In real life they are paint thinners.{{cite web |last1=Stoeber |first1=Jenna |title=The Dip scenes in Who Framed Roger Rabbit scare you straight back to childhood |url=https://www.polygon.com/2020/10/15/21517994/the-dip-who-framed-roger-rabbit-scariest-movie-scenes |website=Polygon |access-date=4 May 2021 |language=en |date=15 October 2020 |archive-date=16 April 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210416020852/https://www.polygon.com/2020/10/15/21517994/the-dip-who-framed-roger-rabbit-scariest-movie-scenes |url-status=live }} Jenna Stoeber of Polygon felt that the Dip was a scary part of many childhoods. She opined "the Dip is just paint thinner, able to instantly dissolve a painted Toon into nothingness. For a child, that is a fundamental threat". She added, "the horror of the Dip is uniquely adolescent, threatening to obliterate all of a child’s favorite creatures" and further described it for that reason as "pure terror". Film director, Robert Zemeckis, compared Judge Doom's invention of the Dip, that intended to eliminate all toons, to Adolf Hitler's Final Solution. It's possible that Judge Doom hides as a human, because Toons have zero power in his world, making him sort of a fake Übermensch, craving power and authority. According to film critic Jonathan Rosenbaum, the filmmakers originally intended to name the Dip the Final Solution.{{cite journal |last1=Rosenbaum |first1=Jonathan |title=Review of Who Framed Roger Rabbit? |url=https://www.jstor.org/stable/1212435 |website=Film Quarterly |access-date=4 May 2021 |pages=33–37 |doi=10.2307/1212435 |date=1988|jstor=1212435 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20210505002307/https://www.jstor.org/stable/1212435?seq=1|archive-date=5 May 2021|url-access=subscription }}

Judge Doom's demise where he melts from the Dip is often referenced as an allusion to the death of the Wicked Witch of the West in The Wizard of Oz.{{cite magazine|title=Heat wave! Classic moments in pop-culture melting|url=http://ew.com/article/2011/07/22/melting-moments|magazine=Entertainment Weekly|access-date=17 March 2018|language=en|archive-date=17 March 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180317232450/http://ew.com/article/2011/07/22/melting-moments/|url-status=live}}{{cite web|title=15 Movie Characters Who Scared us as Children|url=http://www.denofgeek.com/us/movies/scary-movies/242806/15-movie-characters-who-scared-us-as-children|website=Den of Geek|date=5 January 2018|access-date=14 March 2018|language=en|archive-date=15 March 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180315135003/http://www.denofgeek.com/us/movies/scary-movies/242806/15-movie-characters-who-scared-us-as-children|url-status=live}}{{cite web|title=Best Film Deaths Scenes|url=http://www.filmsite.org/bestdeaths35.html|website=www.filmsite.org|access-date=15 March 2018|language=en|archive-date=15 March 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180315133732/http://www.filmsite.org/bestdeaths35.html|url-status=live}} Film critic Jay Botar of the Orlando Sentinel acknowledged it as the greatest meltdown since the Wicked Witch of the West.{{cite web|title=The 40 Million Bucks Bunny 'Roger Rabbit' Boggles The Eyes|url=https://www.orlandosentinel.com/1988/06/24/the-40-million-bucks-bunny-roger-rabbit-boggles-the-eyes/|website=Orlando Sentinel|date=24 June 1988 |access-date=11 March 2018|language=en|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150227035442/http://articles.orlandosentinel.com/1988-06-24/lifestyle/0050090082_1_framed-roger-rabbit-jessica-rabbit-cartoon-characters|archive-date=27 February 2015}}

Reception

File:Toonreveal.jpeg|date=19 October 2015|access-date=13 August 2019|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20210113074639/https://www.rollingstone.com/movies/movie-lists/12-scariest-moments-in-kids-films-160092/who-framed-roger-rabbit-1988-judge-doom-156856/|archive-date=13 January 2021}}{{cite web|last1=Siede|first1=Caroline|title=Nightmare fuel: 21 horrifying moments from children's entertainment|url=https://www.avclub.com/nightmare-fuel-21-horrifying-moments-from-children-s-e-1798286810|website=The A.V. Club|date=28 October 2015 |access-date=14 March 2018|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170910100225/https://tv.avclub.com/nightmare-fuel-21-horrifying-moments-from-children-s-e-1798286810|archive-date=10 September 2017}}]]

Christopher Lloyd's portrayal of Judge Doom has received overall positive reception with some authors comparing his role as a "brilliant" or "scary" villain.{{cite web |last1=Reyes |first1=Mike |title=Who Framed Roger Rabbit's Evil Plot Was Actually Pretty Brilliant |url=https://www.cinemablend.com/news/2488108/who-framed-roger-rabbits-evil-plot-was-actually-pretty-brilliant |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210316220413/https://www.cinemablend.com/news/2488108/who-framed-roger-rabbits-evil-plot-was-actually-pretty-brilliant |archive-date=16 March 2021|website=CinemaBlend |access-date=4 May 2021 |date=9 January 2020}}{{cite web |last1=Rabin |first1=Nathan |title=Bring Back Roger Rabbit, You Cowards |url=https://www.yahoo.com/lifestyle/bring-back-roger-rabbit-cowards-183753730.html |website=Yahoo!|date=31 March 2021 |access-date=4 May 2021|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20210408034830/https://www.yahoo.com/lifestyle/bring-back-roger-rabbit-cowards-183753730.html|archive-date=8 April 2021}}{{cite web |last1=Ogilvie |first1=Ryan |title=OpEd: "Who Framed Roger Rabbit" is Disney's Best Renaissance Live-Action Movie |url=https://insidethemagic.net/2020/05/oped-roger-rabbit-ro1/ |website=Inside the Magic |access-date=4 May 2021 |date=16 May 2020|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20200529123000/https://insidethemagic.net/2020/05/oped-roger-rabbit-ro1/|archive-date=29 May 2020}}

Wizard magazine rated Doom as the 60th Greatest Villain of All Time.{{cite magazine |title= Top 100 villains of all time |magazine= Wizard Magazine}} Other lists include Digital Spy placing him as one of the most “batshit” film villains of all time, Fandango placing him number one on their list of "the most nefarious live-action Disney villains" and Livingly Media's Zimbio placing Doom as one of the scariest non-horror film villains.{{cite web|title=13 most completely batshit movie villains, from The Joker to Judge Doom|url=http://www.digitalspy.com/movies/feature/g24497/crazy-movie-villains/?|website=Digital Spy|access-date=10 March 2018|language=en|date=31 January 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170201151709/http://www.digitalspy.com/movies/feature/g24497/crazy-movie-villains/|archive-date=1 February 2017}}{{cite web|title=Ranking the 20 Most Nefarious Live-Action Disney Villains |url=https://www.fandango.com/movie-photos/ranking-the-20-most-nefarious-live-action-disney-villains-827|website=Fandango Media|access-date=16 March 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140531075339/https://www.fandango.com/movie-photos/ranking-the-20-most-nefarious-live-action-disney-villains-827|archive-date=31 May 2014}}{{cite web |title=Judge Doom |url=https://m.zimbio.com/The+Scariest+Non-Horror+Movie+Villains+Of+All+Time/articles/TuB6HENJRg4/Judge+Doom |website=Zimbio |access-date=4 May 2021 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20210504233530/https://www.zimbio.com/The+Scariest+Non-Horror+Movie+Villains+Of+All+Time/articles/TuB6HENJRg4/Judge+Doom|archive-date=4 May 2021|language=en}} The character is usually ranked along with characters such as Large Marge from Pee-wee's Big Adventure and the Child Catcher from Chitty Chitty Bang Bang.{{cite web |title=Judge Doom in 'Who Framed Roger Rabbit' |url=https://m.zimbio.com/The+Scariest+Faces+in+Movies/articles/OZFtBGGgEvy/Judge+Doom+Framed+Roger+Rabbit |website=Zimbio |access-date=4 May 2021 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20210505000507/https://www.zimbio.com/The+Scariest+Faces+in+Movies/articles/OZFtBGGgEvy/Judge+Doom+Framed+Roger+Rabbit |archive-date=5 May 2021|language=en}}{{cite web |last1=Wilkinson |first1=Matthew |title=Judge Doom & 9 Other Terrifying Villains In Children's Movies |url=https://screenrant.com/childrens-movies-most-terrifying-villains/ |website=Screen Rant |access-date=2 May 2021 |date=18 October 2020 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20210502234237/https://screenrant.com/childrens-movies-most-terrifying-villains/|archive-date=2 May 2021}} Aly Semigran of Nerdist Industries ranked Doom as one of cinema's scariest old people.{{cite web |last1=Semigran |first1=Aly |title=In Honor of OLD, Cinema's Scariest Olds |url=https://nerdist.com/article/old-horror-cinema-scariest-elderly-people-m-night-shyamalan/ |website=Nerdist |publisher=Nerdist Industries |access-date=30 July 2021|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20210723000932/https://nerdist.com/article/old-horror-cinema-scariest-elderly-people-m-night-shyamalan/|archivedate=23 July 2021}}

The debut of his character where he murdered the shoe using the Dip was commonly cited as one of the scenes that made him terrifying.{{cite web |last1=Hale-Stern |first1=Kaila |title=What's the First Piece of Media That Absolutely Terrified You? |url=https://www.themarysue.com/what-scared-you-first/ |website=The Mary Sue |access-date=30 July 2021 |language=en |date=20 September 2017|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20200724083153/https://www.themarysue.com/what-scared-you-first/|archivedate=24 July 2020}} Along with the film's climactic plot twist of him being flattened by a steamroller and the reveal as a toon with the burning red eyes and high squeaky voice was commonly ranked as the scariest of scenes for "kids films" as well.{{cite web |last1= |first1= |title=Movie Scenes That Gave Us Nightmares As Kids |url=https://www.looper.com/1441/movie-scenes-gave-us-nightmares-kids/ |website=Looper.com |access-date=4 May 2021 |date=25 June 2015|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20210117194618/https://www.looper.com/1441/movie-scenes-gave-us-nightmares-kids/|archive-date=17 January 2021}}{{cite web |last1=Cheney-Rice |first1=Zak |title="Who Framed Roger Rabbit" — A Very Special (And Awkwardly Personal) 25th Anniversary Tribute |url=https://www.mic.com/articles/33665/who-framed-roger-rabbit-a-very-special-and-awkwardly-personal-25th-anniversary-tribute |website=Mic |date=8 April 2013 |access-date=4 May 2021 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20200923201224/https://www.mic.com/articles/33665/who-framed-roger-rabbit-a-very-special-and-awkwardly-personal-25th-anniversary-tribute

|archive-date=23 September 2020|language=en}}{{cite web |last1=Company |first1=Tampa Publishing |title=Why are so many movies trending on Twitter? It's all about childhood trauma |url=https://www.tampabay.com/arts-entertainment/arts/movies/2020/02/19/why-are-so-many-movies-trending-on-twitter-its-all-about-childhood-trauma/ |website=Tampa Bay Times |access-date=4 May 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210119022841/https://www.tampabay.com/arts-entertainment/arts/movies/2020/02/19/why-are-so-many-movies-trending-on-twitter-its-all-about-childhood-trauma/ |archive-date=19 January 2021 |language=en}} His reveal as a toon character was placed as one of the most traumatizing reveals for kids from the 1980s by BuzzFeed.{{cite web|title=The 21 Most Traumatizing Moments From '80s Kids Films|url=https://www.buzzfeed.com/briangalindo/the-21-most-traumatizing-moments-from-80s-kids-films?sub=3074039_2586867#.lfrPPqQ9l|website=BuzzFeed| date=11 March 2014 |access-date=10 March 2018|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20180616054106/https://www.buzzfeed.com/briangalindo/the-21-most-traumatizing-moments-from-80s-kids-films |archive-date=16 June 2018|language=en}} Rolling Stone placed it as one of the top twelve of scariest moments in a "kids" film. Neal Justin of the Star Tribune jokingly described Judge Doom as making Freddy Krueger "look like Fred Rogers" in reference with the squeaky voice reveal.{{cite web|last1=Justin|first1=Neal|title=Children's films with grown-up issues|url=http://www.startribune.com/children-s-films-with-grown-up-issues/125180714/|website=Star Tribune|date=13 July 2011 |access-date=15 March 2018|archiveurl= https://web.archive.org/web/20181121085658/https://m.startribune.com/children-s-films-with-grown-up-issues/125180714/|archive-date=21 November 2018}} YouTuber Nostalgia Critic placed the toon reveal scene as number three of his "Top 11 Scariest Nostalgic Moments".{{cite web|title=Top 11 Scariest Nostalgic Moments - Nostalgia Critic| url= http://channelawesome.com/nostalgia-critic-top-11-scariest-nostalgic-moments/ |website=Channel Awesome|access-date=4 May 2021|date=27 May 2015|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20201025060223/http://channelawesome.com/nostalgia-critic-top-11-scariest-nostalgic-moments/|archive-date=25 October 2020}}

==In popular culture==

The Adventures of Rocky and Bullwinkle indirectly references Doom's biological weapon, the Dip. After Fearless Leader says there has never been a way to kill a toon before, The Mole says, "what about in the movie Roger Rabbit?". The Fearless Leader responds by saying that was different.{{cite web |title=The Adventures of Rocky & Bullwinkle - Movie Quotes - Rotten Tomatoes |url=https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/adventures_of_rocky_and_bullwinkle/quotes/ |website=www.rottentomatoes.com |publisher=Rotten Tomatoes |access-date=30 July 2021 |archive-date=30 July 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210730145214/https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/adventures_of_rocky_and_bullwinkle/quotes/ |url-status=live }} Rappers MC Lars and Kool Keith wrote a song about Roger Rabbit and Judge Doom on Lars's 2015 album, The Zombie Dinosaur LP, called "The Dip". Lars cited Doom as a favorite villain of his.{{cite web |title=Exclusive Premiere: MC Lars Raps About 'Roger Rabbit' on 'The Dip' (ft. Kool Keith) |url=http://diffuser.fm/exclusive-premiere-mc-lars-raps-about-roger-rabbit-in-the-dip-ft-kool-keith/ |website=Diffuser.fm |date=20 October 2015 |access-date=21 April 2019 |language=en |archive-date=21 April 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190421201320/https://diffuser.fm/exclusive-premiere-mc-lars-raps-about-roger-rabbit-in-the-dip-ft-kool-keith/ |url-status=live }} Christopher Lloyd guest starred on and gave insight into his character on an episode of the Disney+ original documentary series Prop Culture.{{cite web |last1=Tisdale |first1=Jerrica |title=Disney+ Prop Culture: The Most Exciting Celebrity Appearances |url=https://screenrant.com/prop-culture-disney-celebrity-appearances/ |website=ScreenRant |access-date=3 May 2021 |date=6 May 2020 |archive-date=3 May 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210503230152/https://screenrant.com/prop-culture-disney-celebrity-appearances/ |url-status=live }}{{cite episode |title= Who Framed Roger Rabbit |series=Prop Culture | first1=Dan |last1= Lanigan |first2=Christopher |last2=Lloyd |network=Disney+ |date=May 2020}}

In May 2021, the quarterback of the National Football League's Tampa Bay Buccaneers,{{cite web |last1=Canova |first1=Daniel |title=Tom Brady once again dresses to impress at Kentucky Derby |url=https://www.foxnews.com/sports/tom-brady-dresses-to-impress-at-kentucky-derby |website=Fox News |access-date=4 May 2021 |date=2 May 2021 |archive-date=4 May 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210504005623/https://www.foxnews.com/sports/tom-brady-dresses-to-impress-at-kentucky-derby |url-status=live }} Tom Brady, was compared on Twitter as looking like Judge Doom (along with other fictional villains) in a fashion outfit of his when attending the 2021 Kentucky Derby.{{cite web |last1=Ortiz |first1=Andi |title=Tom Brady's Kentucky Derby Look Drew 'Roger Rabbit' Comparisons |url=https://www.thewrap.com/tom-brady-kentucky-derby-judge-doom-comparisons/ |website=TheWrap |access-date=2 May 2021 |date=2 May 2021 |archive-date=2 May 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210502170345/https://www.thewrap.com/tom-brady-kentucky-derby-judge-doom-comparisons/ |url-status=live }}{{cite web |last1=Foreman |first1=Alison |title=Tom Brady is a dead ringer for Judge Doom at the Kentucky Derby |url=https://mashable.com/article/tom-brady-judge-doom-kentucky-derby/ |website=Mashable |date=May 2021 |access-date=2 May 2021 |language=en |archive-date=2 May 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210502144650/https://mashable.com/article/tom-brady-judge-doom-kentucky-derby/ |url-status=live }}{{cite web |last1=Perine |first1=Aaron |title=Tom Brady's Kentucky Derby Outfit Goes Viral For Looking Like Roger Rabbit Villain Judge Doom |url=https://comicbook.com/movies/news/tom-brady-kentucky-derby-roger-rabbit-villain/#8 |website=Comicbook.com |date=2 May 2021 |access-date=2 May 2021 |language=en |archive-date=2 May 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210502003137/https://comicbook.com/movies/news/tom-brady-kentucky-derby-roger-rabbit-villain/#8 |url-status=live }} The noted comparison resulted in viral phenomenon jokes in regards to Brady being the character.{{cite web |last1=Lowe |first1=Lindsay |title=Judge Doom, is that you? Tom Brady's Kentucky Derby look had people cracking jokes |url=https://www.today.com/style/tom-brady-s-kentucky-derby-look-sparking-jokes-online-t217236 |website=TODAY.com |date=3 May 2021 |access-date=3 May 2021 |language=en |archive-date=3 May 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210503171049/https://www.today.com/style/tom-brady-s-kentucky-derby-look-sparking-jokes-online-t217236 |url-status=live }}{{cite web |last1=Todisco |first1=Eric |title=Tom Brady's Kentucky Derby Outfit Goes Viral for Looking Similar to Roger Rabbit Villain |url=https://people.com/style/tom-brady-kentucky-derby-outfit-goes-viral-judge-doom/ |website=PEOPLE.com |access-date=4 May 2021 |language=en |archive-date=4 May 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210504020517/https://people.com/style/tom-brady-kentucky-derby-outfit-goes-viral-judge-doom/ |url-status=live }}{{cite web |last1=Holender |first1=Samantha |title=LOL! Tom Brady's Kentucky Derby Outfit Draws 'Roger Rabbit' Comparisons |url=https://www.usmagazine.com/stylish/news/tom-bradys-kentucky-derby-outfit-channels-roger-rabbit-villain/ |website=Us Weekly |access-date=4 May 2021 |date=3 May 2021 |archive-date=4 May 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210504155139/https://www.usmagazine.com/stylish/news/tom-bradys-kentucky-derby-outfit-channels-roger-rabbit-villain/ |url-status=live }}

In August 2023, it was announced that Judge Doom would appear as a character at the Oogie Boogie Bash Halloween Party at Disney’s California Adventure.