Cool World

Cool World
Theatrical release poster
Directed by	Ralph Bakshi
Written by	Michael Grais Mark Victor
Produced by	Frank Mancuso Jr.
Starring	Kim Basinger Gabriel Byrne Brad Pitt
Cinematography	John A. Alonzo
Edited by	Steve Mirkovich Annamaria Szanto
Music by	Mark Isham
Production companies	Paramount Pictures Bakshi Animation
Distributed by	Paramount Pictures
Release date	July 10, 1992 (1992-07-10)
Running time	101 minutes[1]
Country	United States
Language	English
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, animation, and the effects combining it with the live-action footage; 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]