This energetic blend of live-action and animation was director Ralph Bakshi's answer to WHO FRAMED ROGER RABBIT and marked his return to feature films after an eight-year hiatus. The story follows two humans who encounter Cool World--a parallel universe where cartoons actually exist--and tangle with the seductive Holli Would (Kim Basinger), an ambitious animated bombshell determined to escape into three-dimensional reality. Gabriel Byrne plays Jack Deebs, the comic book artist who created and then is seduced by Holli; and Brad Pitt plays Detective Frank Harris, the Cool World cop out to make sure humans don't have sex with cartoon characters, since that act can rupture the fabric between the two universes. Of course the rupturing occurs, and all sorts of freewheeling animated hell breaks loose as cartoon misfits of all shapes and sizes invade the city of Las Vegas. With a thumping techno score that includes tracks from Moby and David Bowie and such goofy touches as Holli singing "Let's Make Love" with Frank Sinatra Jr., COOL WORLD is definitely a freaky place to visit.

In Ralph Bakshi's COOL WORLD, cartoonist Jack Deebs is pulled into the animated universe he created by the voluptuous vixen Holli Would. Holli wants to become human--and once she seduces Jack, she can bring herself to life. Detective Frank Harris, the only other human in Cool World, is aware of Holli's scheme and cautions Jack to beware of her plan.

COOL WORLD features one of Brad Pitt's earliest starring roles.

Kim Basinger, who plays the real-life Holli in the film, was immediately attracted to this project's combination of animation with live action. She said, "It turned out to be one of the most fascinating experiences I've had doing a film."

In combining animation and live action, director Ralph Bakshi used blue screen backgrounds, rotoscope (live action drawings to be shot in animation), illustrated sets, and a multiplane camera. The sets started as small paintings that were blown up to be stage sets by giant photographic prints. Most of the animation was shot at Bakshi's North Hollywood studio, and most of the live action was shot in Las Vegas.

COOL WORLD marked Bakshi's return after an eight-year hiatus during which he studied painting. Bakshi is the creator of other adult animated classics such as WIZARDS and AMERICAN POP.

Excerpt: "I got news for you, baby. I'm made of ink...but I'm no dream."--Holli (Kim Basinger) to Jack (Gabriel Byrne)

DVD Features:

Region 1
Keep Case
Anamorphic Widescreen - 1.85
Audio:
Dolby Digital 5.1 - English
Dolby Surround - English
Dolby Surround - French
Interactive Features:
Scene Access
Interactive Features

Kim Basinger: American Actress
Gabriel Byrne: Irish Actor - Miller's Crossing/The Man in the Iron Mask
Brad Pitt: American actor/producer, INTERVIEW WITH THE VAMPIRE

Ralph Bakshi: Animator of "Fritz the Cat," "Wizards"

Frank Mancuso: Producer, NEW BEST FRIEND (2002)

Michael Grais: 
Mark Victor: 

Mark Isham: Composer, WATERWORLD (1995)

Steve Mirkovich: EDITOR
Annamaria Szanto: Editor

"...Bakshi fills up the screen with cartoon characters representing the visual styles of a half-century of animation..."
"...Fun to look at..."
"...Impressive..."