'' is a
1994 Universal Studios Live-action Movie based on the
Hanna-Barbera Animated Television Series ''
The Flintstones ''. It stars
John Goodman and
Elizabeth Perkins as Fred and Wilma Flintstone,
Rick Moranis and
Rosie O'Donnell as Barney and Betty Rubble,
Halle Berry as Fred Flintstone's assistant Sharon Stone,
Kyle MacLachlan as Fred's evil boss Cliff Vandercave and
Elizabeth Taylor as Wilma's mother, Pearl Slaghoople. The film was directed by
Brian Levant . This film was not critically acclaimed, but was a box office hit grossing over $130 million domestically during the Veteran's Day weekend in
1994 .
In
2000 ,
Universal Studios released ''
The Flintstones In Viva Rock Vegas '' (a prequel), in which Fred, Wilma, Barney and Betty are played by
Mark Addy ,
Kristen Johnston ,
Stephen Baldwin and
Jane Krakowski .
Joan Collins plays
Pearl Slaghoople in this rendition. This film was again directed by
Brian Levant . The producers opted to use the approach of a prequel for this film because they had tried to get John Goodman to reprise his role as
Fred Flintstone from the first film, however Goodman refused. This picture opened on
April 2000 . Again, like the first film, this was not critically acclaimed, but unlike the original it failed to back this up with widespread public support. The film was a box office disaster making just near $30 million domestically, $100 million less than the first
Flintstones picture made, which stalled the film franchise indefinitely.
Cliff Vandercave, currently running Mr. Slate's quarrying company as executive vice-president, schemes to abscond with company money and flee with Sharon Stone to Rockapulco, Mexico. He wants a patsy, someone to take the blame, an incompetent. Eying the workers, he decides to invent an executive placement program and gives the workers an exam. Fred and Barney (who also works for the company now) take their exams using the proper chisel (analog to pencil). When Barney offers to take Fred's exam to turn them in, he notices that Fred did miserably, and swaps the exams. In fact, Fred had the worst results, Barney the best, and when Cliff and Sharon review them, they promote Fred to the executive suite and tell him to fire Barney.
Meanwhile, Cliff shows off the company's future, automation, and Fred is concerned about the loss of jobs. Cliff intends, however, that the machinery will be shoddy and fall apart... after he's gone from the country. Fred's strong relationship with Wilma spurs an unconscious feeling in Sharon Stone that Fred has something wonderful that she wishes she was part of.
Fred and Wilma celebrate his promotion by going to the most exclusive restaurant in town, where the entertainment is provided by the BC-52s (the
B-52's in stone-age garb).
An argument between Fred and Barney results in Barney telling the truth about the swapped exams, and the two of them stop speaking to one another. Barney and Betty lose their home and end up in the swamp, while Fred adds a second storey to his house, a hot tub, large-screen TV, and even a satellite dish (what satellite? - a balloon-borne transmitter?).
Fred eventually gets suspicious about what's going on, marches into the file room and finds out the nasty business, so Cliff arranges to frame Fred. However, during a confrontation in the gravel pit, Fred duplicates an accident he did on the model of the machinery and produces a result that causes Cliff to be encased in a new and unknown substance. Mr. Slate shows up, asks what's going on, and decides to name the stuff after his daughter, Concretia. Fred asks to go back to his old job operating the big dinosaur machine, and patches things up with Barney.
