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The Flintstones in Viva Rock Vegas

The Flintstones in Viva Rock Vegas is a 2000 American romantic comedy film directed by Brian Levant, written by Jim Cash, Harry Elfont, Deborah Kaplan, and Jack Epps, Jr., and is the prequel to Levant's The Flintstones (1994), based on the 1960–1966 animated television series of the same name. The film was developed and produced without the involvement of Steven Spielberg, the executive producer of Levant's The Flintstones (1994). It is set before the events of both the series and the first film, showing how Fred and Barney meet Wilma and Betty. The title is a play on the Elvis Presley song, Viva Las Vegas, also used as the title of an MGM musical film.

The Flintstones in Viva Rock Vegas
Theatrical release poster by Drew Struzan
Directed byBrian Levant
Written by
Based onThe Flintstones
by William Hanna
Joseph Barbera
Produced byBruce Cohen
Starring
CinematographyJamie Anderson
Edited byKent Beyda
Music byDavid Newman
Production
companies
Distributed byUniversal Pictures[a]
Release date
  • April 28, 2000 (2000-04-28)
Running time
91 minutes[1]
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish
Budget$83 million[2]
Box office$59.5 million[3]

With the exception of Irwin Keyes as Joe Rockhead, none of the original cast from the first film reprise their roles in this film. The film stars Mark Addy as Fred Flintstone, Stephen Baldwin as Barney Rubble, Kristen Johnston as Wilma Slaghoople, and Jane Krakowski as Betty O'Shale, replacing John Goodman, Rick Moranis, Elizabeth Perkins, and Rosie O'Donnell respectively. The supporting cast features Joan Collins, Thomas Gibson, Harvey Korman (in his final film performance), and Alan Cumming as both The Great Gazoo and Mick Jagged, a parody of Mick Jagger. William Hanna and Joseph Barbera, who created the original cartoon series, make cameo appearances at the end of the film.

The film was a box office failure, grossing $59.5 million against its $83 million budget.[3] It received generally negative reviews, though some critics considered it an improvement over the first film.

Plot

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In prehistoric suburban Bedrock, young bachelors and best friends Fred Flintstone and Barney Rubble have recently qualified as crane operators at Slate & Company. Soon to be employed, they hope to score dates. The Great Gazoo, a small, green alien exiled to Earth by his species, offers them help, although only they can see him. Meanwhile, Wilma Slaghoople, the daughter of a wealthy military veteran, wants a normal life, though her controlling mother Pearl wants her to marry suave casino owner Chip Rockefeller. After Wilma runs away from home, she escapes to Bronto King in downtown Bedrock. While there, she meets waitress Betty O'Shale. With Wilma unable to pay for her meal, Betty assumes her to be "caveless" and offers to buy her lunch. Wilma moves into Betty's apartment and gets a job as a fellow waitress.

Smitten with the waitresses, the two men invite them to a carnival, with Fred dating Betty and Barney taking Wilma. However, the couples fail to bond until both men switch dates. At one game, Fred wins an egg that hatches into a dog-like baby dinosaur, which he names "Dino". Wilma invites her new friends home to a birthday party for her father, Colonel Slaghoople, where all are shocked by her wealth. Intending to propose, Fred changes his mind after meeting Chip, who mocks his low-level job at Slate & Company. Pearl despises the three new friends, but the Colonel, glad for Wilma's happiness, accepts them and privately gives Wilma a valuable pearl necklace that his great-grandmother once wore. After the boys humiliate themselves at dinner, Wilma, nevertheless, proclaims her pride and follows them out.

Chip congratulates Fred on attracting Wilma, apologizes for lampooning Fred's job, and invites the group to his Rock Vegas resort as an olive branch. However, unbeknownst to the group, Chip plots to ensure Fred gambles so Wilma dumps him, whereas Fred sees it as a chance to win big so he can impress Wilma with money like Chip's. Gangsters Big Rocko and Little Rocko visit Chip and his girlfriend Roxie to collect a sum of money that Chip owes their boss. Gazoo overhears Chip claiming his upcoming marriage to Wilma will allow him to access the Slaghoople fortune. Considering that the plan is creditable, the gangsters agree to suspend collections until after the wedding. When Barney tries to keep Fred from high-stakes poker, Chip sends Roxie to seduce and escort Barney to an all-you-can-eat buffet.

Chip keeps Fred gambling and he misses his dinner date with the others. Betty sees Barney wipe the cream off Roxie's chest, misinterpreting the gesture as a pass. Mick Jagged comforts Betty, and they go on a date. Wilma breaks up with Fred over not spending any time with her. Chip warns her of burglaries and arranges for Fred to lose everything before slipping Wilma's pearls into Fred's pocket and framing him for stealing them. Hotel security arrests Fred for robbery, but when Barney protests that Fred is incapable of robbery, Chip accuses Barney of being Fred's accomplice and also has him arrested. Believing Chip's lies, Wilma goes back to him.

Gazoo visits the men in prison, revealing that Chip is severely indebted to the mob and hopes to solve both his problems by framing Fred for the robbery and marrying Wilma to get his hands on the Slaghooples' money. Barney slips through the bars, steals the keys, and unlocks the cell. Disguised in drag as dancers, they accidentally run into Jagged's dressing room. Barney tells Betty he loves her, and they reconcile after the misunderstanding involving Roxie at the buffet is cleared up.

Fred plans to disguise himself as Jagged in an attempt to reconcile with Wilma. Meanwhile, in the audience, Chip proposes to an unimpressed Wilma. Fred then comes on stage disguised as Jagged and briefly sings to Wilma, apologizing for his behavior earlier before proposing to her. Knowing she still loves Fred, Wilma happily accepts, rejecting Chip, and they marry in the Rock Vegas Chapel of Love. After the pastor proclaims them husband and wife, everyone sings "Meet the Flintstones". When Jagged sings "Viva Rock Vegas" at a party, Betty catches Wilma's tossed bouquet and kisses Barney. The newlyweds drive away with Dino and Gazoo to goodbye waves from their friends, family, and even a handcuffed Chip and Roxie.

Cast

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Puppeteers

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Production

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Korman, who played Wilma's father Colonel Slaghoople, voiced The Great Gazoo in the animated series and also voiced the Dictabird in the first film.[5] Stephenson, who voiced both the Showroom announcer and the Minister, voiced Mr. Slate in the animated series.[6] John Goodman, Rick Moranis, Elizabeth Perkins, and Rosie O'Donnell, who played Fred, Barney, Wilma, and Betty respectively in the first film, did not reprise their roles.[7]

Alan Cumming was the first actor cast. He was initially only supposed to play Gazoo, but after performing as Mick Jagged for the table read, it was decided he would play both roles.[8] The film was originally meant to be a sequel to the first film.[9]

Music

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Ann-Margret, who had a guest appearance on the original animated series as the title character in "Ann-Margrock Presents", sings the theme song, a slightly rewritten version of Viva Las Vegas.[10]

The song "This isn't love" was written by Brian Wilson and Tony Asher. A full version appears on Wilson's Live at the Roxy Theatre.

Release

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Box office

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The Flintstones in Viva Rock Vegas opened theatrically on April 28, 2000, and earned $10,518,435 in its first weekend, ranking second to U-571's second weekend.[11][12] The film ended its run on August 17, 2000, having grossed $35,268,275 domestically and $24,200,000 overseas for a worldwide total of $59,468,275. Based on an $83 million budget, the film was a box office failure.[3] This was a disappointment compared to the first film's $358.5 million worldwide gross.[13]

Critical response

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On Rotten Tomatoes, The Flintstones in Viva Rock Vegas has a 25% score, based on 72 reviews, with an average rating of 4/10. The site's critical consensus states: "The prequel to the first full-length feature set in Bedrock, Viva Rock Vegas is a surprising improvement over The Flintstones. Aimed towards an audience of adults and children alike, critics feel Viva will appeal to a broad range of viewers."[14] Metacritic reports a 27 out of 100 ratings, based on 26 reviews, indicating "generally unfavorable reviews".[15] Audiences polled by CinemaScore gave the film an average grade of "B+" on an A+ to F scale, the same rating as its predecessor.[16]

Accolades

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The film was nominated for four Razzies at the 21st Golden Raspberry Awards:[17]

At the 2000 Stinkers Bad Movie Awards, it won the award for Worst Resurrection of a TV Show.[18] It also received seven nominations in total; its other nominations were for:[citation needed]

  • Worst Supporting Actor (Stephen Baldwin)
  • Worst Song ("Viva Rock Vegas" by Ann-Margret)
  • Worst On-Screen Hairstyle (Stephen Baldwin)
  • Worst Remake or Sequel
  • The Remake or Sequel Nobody Was Clamoring For
  • Most Unfunny Comic Relief (Alan Cumming as The Great Gazoo and Mick Jagged)

See also

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Notes

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  1. ^ The Universal logo at the beginning of the film reads "Univershell".

References

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  1. ^ "THE FLINTSTONES IN VIVA ROCK VEGAS (PG)". British Board of Film Classification. May 18, 2000. Retrieved April 10, 2016.
  2. ^ Haring, Bruce (May 10, 2024). "The Flintstones Star John Goodman Had A Message For Producer Steven Spielberg: "Yabba Dabba Don't!"". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved May 10, 2024.
  3. ^ a b c "The Flintstones in Viva Rock Vegas (2000)". Box Office Mojo. Internet Movie Database. August 18, 2000. Retrieved April 10, 2016.
  4. ^ "The Voice of Dino". markmangini.com. Retrieved July 28, 2023.
  5. ^ "Flinstones". Cinefantastique, Volumes 31-32. F.S. Clarke. 1999. p. 28.
  6. ^ Perlmutter, David, ed. (2018). The Encyclopedia of American Animated Television Shows. Rowman & Littlefield. pp. 210–212. ISBN 9781538103746.
  7. ^ Smith, Liz. "'Flintstones' Sequel Recast / '3rd Rock's' Johnston taking over as Wilma". Sfgate.
  8. ^ "Alan Cumming on The Good Wife, The Great Gazoo, and how Stanley Kubrick reinvigorated his interest in acting". The A.V. Club. May 1, 2018. Retrieved February 3, 2024.
  9. ^ "John Goodman Pleaded Steven Spielberg to Exclude Him from Sequel to Infamous 1994 Movie". Screen Rant. May 7, 2024.
  10. ^ Sawyer, Alan (May 1, 2022). "How Ann Margrock Changed The Flinstones History". Rare.
  11. ^ "'U-571' sinks all others". The Saginaw News. May 2, 2000. p. 26. Retrieved October 24, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
  12. ^ "Weekend Box Office Results for April 28-30, 2000". Box Office Mojo. Internet Movie Database. May 1, 2000. Retrieved April 10, 2016.
  13. ^ "'U-571' Runs Noisy, Runs Strong". The Los Angeles Times. May 2, 2000. Retrieved November 10, 2010.
  14. ^ "The Flintstones in Viva Rock Vegas". Rotten Tomatoes. Fandango Media. April 28, 2000. Retrieved January 29, 2016.
  15. ^ "The Flintstones in Viva Rock Vegas". Metacritic. CBS Interactive. Retrieved January 29, 2016.
  16. ^ "Find CinemaScore" (Type "The Flintstones In Viva Rock Vegas" in the search box). CinemaScore. Retrieved April 7, 2021.
  17. ^ "2001 Razzies Awards". bureau42. March 24, 2001.
  18. ^ "'Battlefield Earth' sweeps the Stinkers". Deseret News. March 25, 2001.
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