Coyote vs Acme

Coyote – full name Wile E. Coyote – is the hapless cartoon character who, in every episode devised by Looney Tunes, is forced to chase the elusive Beep Beep. To put it simply, the bird that always gets away is called the Road Runner – but certain childhood memories are worth a thousand words. Coyote chases Beep Beep and tries to catch him – in true cartoon fashion: a moment later, the victim is back on his feet, and with another taunt provokes yet another chase. And so it goes: cartoons are the eternal return of the same. This comedy, half human and half cartoon – like Who Framed Roger Rabbit? – was written and produced by Warner Bros, who then decided to shelve it to secure a tax break. For director Dave Green, a cartoon-style prank – he was convinced that Coyote Vs Acme had turned out really well. The inspiration comes from a satirical column by Ian Frazier in The New Yorker in 1990. It was based on the character of Wile Coyote and the faulty gadgets that ACME had supplied him with over 30 years of relentless pursuit: nothing ever works, and Beep Beep is always there to give him a run for his money. Our Coyote, frustrated by his constant failures, spots an advert for a law firm specialising in legal disputes to punish those guilty of violence against cartoon characters. Many clever twists follow – the ‘human’ material is used to great effect.