The Flintstones (film)

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This article is about the live-action film. For other uses, see The Flintstones.
The Flintstones
Flintstones movie poster 2.jpg
Theatrical poster.
Production company: Amblin Entertainment
Distributor: Universal Pictures
Release date: May 27, 1994
Run time: 1:30:39
Starring: John Goodman
Rick Moranis
Elizabeth Taylor
Rosie O'Donnell
Kyle MacLachlan
Halle Berry
Executive producer(s): Steven Spielberg
William Hanna
Joseph Barbera
Kathleen Kennedy
David Kirschner
Gerald R. Molen
Producer(s): Colin Wilson
Bruce Cohen
Music composed by: David Newman
Screenplay by: Tom S. Parker & Jim Jennewein
and Steven E. de Souza
Director(s): Brian Levant
Title card
Flintstones movie title card.png

The Flintstones is an American live-action prehistoric family comedy film produced by Amblin Entertainment, based on Hanna-Barbera's animated sitcom of the same name, which aired on ABC from 1960 to 1966. It was distributed by Universal Pictures (credited as Univershell) on May 27, 1994. It was written by Tom S. Parker, Jim Jennewein, and Steven E. de Souza, produced by Bruce Cohen, and directed by Brian Levant.

Fred finally gets the big promotion he's been waiting years for, changing his family's life around for the better. But this is all a ploy by his superior to use him as a scapegoat in embezzling Slate and Company. Having been manipulated in every which way, Fred loses his family and friends, becoming Bedrock's most wanted.

In 2000, Universal released a prequel called The Flintstones in Viva Rock Vegas, which detailed how Fred and Barney wooed Wilma and Betty, respectively, and the eventual marriage of Fred and Wilma. Although the cast failed to return (for obvious reasons), it continued to be backed by Amblin Entertainment and was directed by Brian Levant.

Detailed summary

Memorable quotes

Characters

Legend
Character debut Speaking debut Ep. debut No lines Mentioned

In order of appearance:

Character Actor
Foreman Bradford Bryson
Shelba Unavailable (voice)
Hoagie Richard Moll
Cliff Vandercave Kyle MacLachlan
Miss Stone Halle Berry
Fred Flintstone John Goodman
Wilma Flintstone Elizabeth Taylor
Pebbles Flintstone Elaine and Melanie Silver
Dino Mel Blanc (voice)
Baby Puss N/A
Gorge Lucas
Stewardess Janice Kent
Airline captain Unavailable
Barney Rubble Rick Moranis
Timmy
Charlie Unavailable
Pigasaurus Unavailable
Betty Rubble Rosie O'Donnell
Wilma's sister
Wilma's niece
Mrs. Pyrite Sheryl Lee Ralph
Hendersons' baby Unavailable
Mr. Henderson Sam
Mrs. Henderson Geri
Bamm-Bamm Rubble Hlynur and Marino Sigurdsson
E.G. Daily (voice)
Joe Rockhead Irwin Keyes
Bowl-O-Rama waitresses Unavailable
Elliot Firestone
Pearl Slaghoople Elizabeth Taylor
Colonel Slaghoople
Jerry Slaghoople
Fred's father
Albert Einstone
Betty Rocker
Dictabird Harvey Korman
Mrs. Feldspar Jean Vander Pyl
Bruce Springstone (drawing) N/A
Boardroom executive Bill Hanna
Mr. Slate Dann Florek
Mica Rod McCrary
Woman at Chevrox Lita Stevens
Snake Andy Steinfeld
Man in Mersandes Joe Barbera
Maitre'd Jim Doughan
B.C.-52's singer Kate Pierson
B.C.-52's singer Fred Schneider
B.C.-52's singer Keith Strickland
Susan Rock Laraine Newman
Cliff Slate
Barney's father
Cliff Vandercave's mother
Bedrock's Most Wanted host Jay Leno
Miss Stone lookalike Messiri Freeman
Fred Flintstone lookalike Alan Blumenfeld
Cliff Vandercave lookalike Sam Raimi
Grizzled man Jonathan Winters
Concretia Slate


Organizations

Locations

Objects

Vehicles

Production

Development

Casting

In 1989, Steven Spielberg directed John Goodman in the film Always. Spielberg was determined on having Goodman playing Fred, going so far as to announce this during a table read of Always. Goodman wasn't enthusiastic about playing the role, believing it would typecast him. Goodman dyed his hair black for the role.

Rick Moranis was cast as Barney, who felt more comfortable in the role, even going so far as to say he'd be open to playing it again. Moranis also dyed his hair blond.

Rosie O'Donnell was cast as Betty, despite not having the slim figure, who considered herself favored purely because she could do the signature laugh. Unlike the other cast, O'Donnell didn't feel the need to bring any more depth to the character than necessary, simply seeing Betty for the cartoon character she was.

Filming

Music

Main article: The Flintstones: Music from Bedrock

The music was composed by David Newman.

Songs

  1. "(Meet) The Flintstones" - B-52's
  2. "The Bedrock Twitch" - B-52's
  3. "Walk the Dinosaur" - Was Not Was
  4. "Rock With the Caveman" - Big Audio Dynamite
  5. "Hit & Run Holiday" - My Life With the Thrill Kill Kult
  6. "Prehistoric Daze" - Shakespear's Sister & The Holy Ghost
  7. "I Showed a Caveman How to Rock" - Us 3 featuring Def Jef
  8. "Anarchy in the UK" - Green Jelly

Release

Dates are in order of release:

  • United States: May 27, 1994

Behind the scenes

  • Bank of Ameroka, a parody of Bank of America, would seem to confirm that in the Universal Pictures-depicted Flintstones universe, Bedrock is in Ameroka.
  • The film advertised at the drive-in movie theater at the beginning of the film, is Gorge Lucas's Tar Wars, a parody of George Lucas's Star Wars.
  • "The Bedrock Twitch" song was adapted from The Flintstones episode "The Twitch."
  • Toy-S-Aurus is a parody of toy chain Toys-R-Us.
  • RocDonald's is a parody of McDonald's. Similarly in the next film, Burger King will be parodied with Bronto King.
  • The cooking book that was written by Betty Rocker is a parody of Betty Crocker.
  • Jurassic Park is a parody of the film Jurassic Park, which Steven Spielberg directed, with Universal Pictures and Amblin Entertainment distributing and producing, respectively; in the next film, there is also an upcoming carnival ride announced called Jurassic Park the Ride.
  • CNN is parodied as the Cave News Network.
  • The Young and the Thumbless is a parody of the soap opera The Young and the Restless.
  • The dictabird is voiced by Harvey Korman, who was the voice of the Great Gazoo in the sixth season of The Flintstones cartoon.
  • Jean Vander Pyl, the voice of Wilma, makes a cameo at Fred's party.
  • Chevrox is a parody of Chevron.
  • Flintstones series creators William Hanna and Joseph Barbera make cameos as a boardroom executive and the Mersandes owner outside the restaurant, respectively.
  • The B-52's spoof themselves as The BC-52's.
  • The Bedrock News reports on the "Jetstones" referring to The Jetsons, the futuristic counterpart to the animated series.
  • When the newspaper reports on Fred being indicted, the cartoon version of him has been chiseled in.
  • Avrock is a parody of Avon.
  • The dictabird breaks the fourth wall by mentioning that he should've gone with Disney.

Errors

  • Fred says he met Wilma at a restaurant she was working at, which is true when shown in the prequel, but he didn't win an all-you-can-eat contest.

Everlasting influence

  • The music video for The B-52's Meet the Flintstones cover was shown in the Beavis and Butt-head episode "Walking Erect." As always, the two idiots made some hilariously crude comments while watching it on their TV.
  • In the Dawson's Creek episode "Full Moon Rising," The Flintstones movie is being rented at Screen Play Video.
  • In the Sabrina the Teenage Witch episode "The Competition," Hilda taught Amanda an incantation by saying "Double, double, boil and trouble. Dress the cat like Barney Rubble." A generic cloth then proceeded to magically appear around Salem, who then remarked that he looked better than John Goodman, who actually played Fred, not Barney, as Barney was played by Rick Moranis.
  • In the Dan Levy/Phoebe Bridgers episode of Saturday Night Live, there is a sketch of a Universal lot tour, where the guide mentions to the tourists they can see the Flintmobile (seen off-screen) from the live-action Flintstones movie.

  • VHS in Dawson's Creek.

Marketing and promotion

Main article: The Flintstones (film)/Marketing campaign

John Goodman hosted the May 7, 1994 episode of Saturday Night Live, with one sketch as apparently a paid public service announcement from the producers of the film, presented by Goodman dressed as Fred, informing the audience what Stone Age names would be of famous people today.

Rosie O'Donnell hosted the special The Flintstones: Best of Bedrock, which aired on Fox on May 8, 1994.

Goodman, in character as Fred, was on the cover of the June 1994 edition of Disney Adventures.

  • Teaser poster.

  • Disney Adventures magazine.

Critical reception

Box office

In other languages

Language Name Meaning

Home availability

Trailers

Teaser trailer:

Click to load content

Main trailer:

Click to load content

References

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