THE FLINTSTONES
A film review by Scott Renshaw
Copyright 1994 Scott Renshaw
Starring: John Goodman, Rick Moranis, Elizabeth Perkins, Rosie O'Donnell, Kyle MacLachlan, Halle Berry, Elizabeth Taylor. Screenplay: Tom S. Parker & Jim Jennewein and Steven E. de Souza. Director: Brian Levant.
I decided to try something different for THE FLINTSTONES. I put aside my critical notebook and tried to clear my mind of all preconceptions: the thirty-two writers who worked on the script; the mind-numbing marketing blitz; the dread at the appearance of yet another TV retread. And I resolved to let it be what it would be, to tell myself, Norman Vincent Peale-like, "I will enjoy this film on its own level." Do you know what? It almost worked. As silly, clunky and repetitive as THE FLINTSTONES may be, it's still something of a guilty pleasure, at least on a visual level. While it's no film for the ages, neither is it a modern stone-age travesty.
THE FLINTSTONES gathers the familiar cast of Bedrock denizens from the 1960's animated series: Fred (John Goodman) and Wilma (Elizabeth Perkins) and Barney (Rick Moranis) and Betty (Rosie O'Donnell). As the film opens, the Rubbles are just adopting Bam-Bam, thanks to a generous loan from Fred which improves their credit standing. As a gesture of gratitude, Barney secretly switches his results with Fred's on a management training test at the quarry, knowing Fred did poorly. Suddenly, Fred finds himself out of the quarry and into the front office, unbeknownst to him to serve as a yabba-dabba-dupe in an embezzlement scheme concocted by vice-president Cliff Vandercave (Kyle MacLachlan) and sexy secretary Sharon Stone (Halle Berry). Will success spoil Fred Flintstone?
It's tempting to call THE FLINTSTONES imaginative, but there really wouldn't seem to be all that much imagination involved in directly transferring the animated series to live action. Every house, every costume, even every sound effect is instantly recognizable to anyone who grew up with "The Flintstones" either in first run or syndication. Of course, that is the logic behind the glut of TV-based films: bring in that elusive older audience with the nostalgia/recognition factor. If my audience was any indication, it's working with THE FLINTSTONES. While the kids screeched with delight at the slapstick, the biggest laugh from the adults was reserved for Rosie O'Donnell's pitch-perfect duplication of Betty's trademark giggle. The dinosaur appliances, courtesy of Jim Henson's Creature Shop, are expertly realized, and the Bedrock town life scenes are well-staged by director Brian Levant. I generally found myself entertained while I took in the production design and admired its whimsical authenticity.
There is, however, one major problem with the casting, and it comes as quite a surprise. While it would seem that John Goodman was born to play Fred Flintstone, he never looks quite comfortable. Physically, he pulls his punches more often than not, as though he didn't understand just how far overboard he should go in a live action cartoon; in his delivery, he struggles with the blustering voice originated by Alan Reed, and appears to be re-routing it through Jackie Gleason (whose "Honeymooners" character Ralph Kramden was the model for Fred Flintstone). Goodman's relatively weak Fred unfortunately overshadows his solid castmates. Rick Moranis is an appealingly amiable Barney, and Rosie O'Donnell, while not ideal physically as Betty, had the mannerisms down pat. Elizabeth Perkins has the low-impact role as Wilma, but she too is on target. And it may be worth the price of admission just to see Elizabeth Taylor, as Wilma's mother, tied up and gagged and lying on the ground.
One interesting by-product came out of seeing THE FLINTSTONES: I realized that I had under-appreciated the ADDAMS FAMILY films. Like those films, THE FLINTSTONES primarily offers as its humor variations on a single theme. But the ADDAMS outings at least seemed occasionally inspired; THE FLINTSTONES is content just to show up and toss off the expected "rock" and "stone" puns. This is especially disconcerting when a FLINTSTONES franchise may be as close to a sure thing as there is in Hollywood. The first time around, THE FLINTSTONES' visuals are a light-hearted kick, but there's nothing more to do. I could write that sequel given a day and a half ... and a $40 million budget.
On the Rockshaw scale of 0 to 10: 5.
-- Scott Renshaw Stanford University Office of the General Counsel
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