Comic nostalgia alive and well in `Flinstones'<\/p>\n
By Jim Plouffe<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): Some have criticized The Flintstones for being
\ntoo simple and some have complained about the lack of plot or any
\nreal action, but they have all missed the fact that the film is
\nsimply a nostalgic look at everyone's favorite stone age family.<\/p>\n
From the beginning, you realize that the movie will be true to
\nthe cartoon that you grew up with. As Fred (John Goodman) bundles
\neveryone into the familiar car and drives them off to the drive-
\nin theater and Dino pokes his head through the car roof for
\nPebbles and Bambam to sit on, it is evident that this is the
\noriginal stuff.<\/p>\n
Steven Spielberg, or \"Spielrock\" as he is called in the
\ncredits, handily breaches the gap from animation to the live
\naction movie by ingeniously having the cast sit and watch a movie
\nabout themselves as living breathing people.<\/p>\n
As the B-52's updated version of the theme song fades away, we
\nmeet Barney (Rick Moranis) and Fred on their customary ride home
\nfrom the quarry. The movie then cleverly and appropriately
\nfollows the original, basic story line of Fred wanting to get
\nahead, Barney helping him, Fred becoming too big for his boots,
\nfighting with the Rubbles and the inevitable make-up orchestrated
\nby the faithful wives, Wilma (Elizabeth Perkins) and Betty (Rosie
\nO'Donnell).<\/p>\n
If the film has any lasting contribution to pop culture, which
\nis doubtful, it will be to immortalize the \"Bedrock plot\" like
\nWayne's World did to the now infamous \"Scoobie ending\".<\/p>\n
The traditional story line is moved along by the uncanny
\nlikeness of the characters to the original cartoon figures. Rick
\nMoranis is the perfect Barney while Goodman's is very believable
\nas \"old twinkle-toes\". The guest appearance of Elizabeth Taylor
\nas the mother-in-law is almost perfect. Her busy body, aggressive
\nnature fits in perfectly although she may be a little too sexy to
\nbe the butch mother-in-law of the cartoon.<\/p>\n
The only real deviation from the original, is that \"The Royal
\nOrder of Water Buffaloes\" are made out to be a beer drinking,
\nbowling mad society, not the civic minded, bowling mad
\norganization in the cartoon. Mr. Slate could have also had a
\nbigger role.<\/p>\n
What makes the characters all the more believable is the
\nuncanny similarity of their voices to the original. Betty's and
\nWilma's conspiratorial giggle, Dino's bark and Fred's \"let me
\ntell you,\" sound as if they were lifted straight from the strip.<\/p>\n
Special effects<\/p>\n
Not only the characters are identical, but also the wonderful
\n\"modern\" appliances. The movie cleverly uses the mammoth shower,
\nthe bird record player, the pig garbage disposal, the crab lawn
\nmower and the clam electric shaver. New inventions, like the very
\nimportant parrot Dictaphone, are also introduced.<\/p>\n
The special effects used for the appliances allows those in
\nthe audience who have never seen the original to also share in
\nthe fun. The most obvious being the ample use of \"Spielbergian\"
\ndinosaurs to win the hearts of the dinosaur mad children.
\nHowever, there is a tendency to overplay the foot powered car
\nwith every character complaining of sore and dirty feet.<\/p>\n
The Flintstones is a have-fun-movie which brings the viewer
\ndown memory lane. Throughout the movie you can sense how they had
\nfun with adapting the cartoon to the screen and even give the
\noriginal creators, Hannah and Barbara, cameo parts as directors
\nof Slate's quarry. Although, at times, it seems as if it is just
\none prehistoric gag come to life after another.<\/p>\n
The naive moviegoer will dismiss it as just one huge marketing
\ntool to sell the barrage of film related paraphernalia during the
\nschool holidays. Of course it is, but so are most of the movies
\non the market.<\/p>\n
After having a car toppling feed of ribs, Fred brings the
\nfamily home for the night. A warm feeling fills the theater as we
\nall wonder if the cat will ever stay out for the night.<\/p>\n
The Flintstones is certainly not a masterpiece but it achieves
\nits aim of bringing alive the cartoon that an entire generation
\ngrew up rushing home from school to watch. Will we be graced with
\nThe Simpsons in 20 years?<\/p>",
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