The Flintstones in Viva Rock Vegas

The Flintstones in Viva Rock Vegas
North American release poster for The Flintstones in Viva Rock Vegas, designed by BLT Communications and illustrated by Drew Struzan
Directed by	Brian Levant
Produced by	Bruce Cohen
Written by	Deborah Kaplan Harry Elfont Jim Cash Jack Epps Jr.
Based on	The Flintstones  by Hanna-Barbera Productions
Starring	Mark Addy Stephen Baldwin Kristen Johnston Jane Krakowski Joan Collins Thomas Gibson Alan Cumming
Music by	David Newman
Cinematography	Jamie Anderson
Editing by	Kent Beyda
Studio	Amblin Entertainment Hanna-Barbera Productions
Distributed by	Universal Pictures
Release date(s)	April 28, 2000 (2000-04-28)
Running time	90 minutes
Country	United States
Language	English
Budget	$83 million
Box office	$59,468,275

The Flintstones in Viva Rock Vegas is a 2000 American family-romantic comedy film and prequel to 1994's The Flintstones based on the 1960s cartoon series of the same name, produced by Amblin Entertainment and Hanna-Barbera and distributed by Universal Pictures. Set before the Flintstones and Rubbles were married and had kids and the events of the first film, it featured very few of the original cast. Like the original film, Viva Rock Vegas received mostly negative reviews from critics, but bombed at the box office unlike its predecessor.

Ann-Margret, who appeared as 'Ann-Margrock' in the original television series, sings the theme song, which is a slightly rewritten version of the theme song from Viva Las Vegas, in which Ann-Margret co-starred with Elvis Presley.

Plot

Young bachelors and best friends, Fred Flintstone (Mark Addy) and Barney Rubble (Stephen Baldwin) share a trailer while trying (unsuccessfully) to find decent girlfriends. They meet a little green alien called the Great Gazoo (Alan Cumming), who was exiled to Earth by his species in order to study the human mating cycle. Gazoo, whom only Fred and Barney can see, decides to follow Fred and Barney to gather information, even though his superior knowledge and personality annoys them. Wilma Slaghoople (Kristen Johnston), meanwhile, is living in a mansion with her wealthy parents. Her control-freak mother, Pearl (Joan Collins), thinks that her daughter's wish to do common things such as bowling is silly and wants her to marry rich smooth casino-owner Chip Rockefeller (Thomas Gibson). After a fight with her mother, Wilma angrily storms out of the house and goes to a Bronto King in Bedrock, where she is waited on by Betty O'Shale (Jane Krakowski). Betty mistakenly thinks that Wilma is a "caveless" person and offers to share her apartment with her. Wilma is also given a job at the restaurant.

When Fred and Barney go to the restaurant for dinner, they are smitten with the girls and manage to talk them into going to a carnival with them. Fred goes with Betty and Barney goes with Wilma, but a lack of fizz between the two couples convince Fred and Barney to switch their dates. Wilma later takes Fred, Barney, and Betty to her father's (Harvey Korman) birthday party, where Fred intends on proposing to Wilma. Once they get there, they are all shocked to find out that Wilma comes from a very wealthy family, and Fred changes his mind about proposing to her after he meets Chip and realizes what he is up against. Although Pearl is against Wilma's new friends, Colonel Slaghoople is more accepting, simply glad that Wilma is happy, and in private gives her a pearl necklace that had once belonged to his mother. Fred and Barney humiliate themselves and Wilma at the dinner, but Wilma tells everyone that she is proud to be friends with them and they walk out of the mansion. Chip, however, devises a plan to get Wilma back by inviting the foursome to stay at his resort in Rock Vegas, believing that Fred will become caught up in gambling and Wilma will leave him.

The four of them enjoy the start of their trip. Chip gives them a huge comfortable suite at his resort, access to the pool, and spa treatment for Wilma and Betty. Fred decides to gamble, but never bets any high amount. Chip and his girlfriend Roxie (Alex Meneses) are visited by two men who reveal that Chip owes their boss a lot of money. Chip tells them that he will soon be married to Wilma and will use her family's money to pay off his debt, and Gazoo witnesses the entire conversation. Chip then invites Fred to play poker with the high rollers, and make more money, but Barney tries to prevent Fred from agreeing. Chip then tells Barney about the All-You-Can Eat buffet, and gets Roxie to seduce him into escorting her there.

Fred gets so caught up in gambling that he forgets that he and Barney were supposed to meet Wilma and Betty for dinner. While looking for Barney, Betty sees him wiping cream off of Roxie's chest and misinterprets that he is touching her breast. She begins crying and is approached by Mick Jagged (Cumming), who is attracted to her. She tells him that her boyfriend was cheating on her and he comforts her, then invites her to go out on a date with him, which she accepts. Fred and Wilma get into an argument over Fred's obsession with gambling and Wilma breaks up with him. Chip then arranges to have Fred lose all of the money he won so he will be left with nothing. Wilma runs into Chip and she tells him about her breakup with Fred. He then tells her that there have been burglaries around the hotel and should keep her pearls in a safe. Fred, who has lost all his money, goes to Chip for help, and Chip puts Wilma's pearls in Fred's pocket. He then announces to the entire resort that someone has stolen the pearls, and tells Fred to empty his pockets, and shows all of the guests that Fred has the pearls. Security arrests Fred, and Barney as well when he tries to help Fred. Wilma and Chip get back together.

While in prison, Fred and Barney are visited by Gazoo, who tells them about Chip's plan to use Wilma's wealth to pay his debt. They realize that Barney can slip through the bars and he steals the guard's keys and unlocks the cell. Meanwhile, Wilma and Betty think about their boyfriends and burst into tears. Fred and Barney disguise themselves as dancers and accidentally run into Jagged's dressing room. Barney tells Betty he loves her, and they get back together. Chip proposes to Wilma just as Jagged comes on stage to sing, but once he turns around, it is revealed to be Fred. He sings to Wilma, and she realizes that she still loves him. He comes off stage and confesses his love for her and proposes to her. She rejects Chip and agrees to marry Fred. Fred and Wilma get married in the Rock Vegas Chapel of Love, and upon the Pastor (John Stephenson) announcing them as man and wife, everyone sings "Meet the Flintstones". Mick Jagged sings "Viva Rock Vegas" at a party. Wilma throws back her bouquet of flowers and Betty catches it and looks at Barney with a smile on her face and they kiss. The newly married Fred and Wilma drive happily away with their friends and family waving them goodbye.

Cast

• Mark Addy as Fred Flintstone
• Stephen Baldwin as Barney Rubble
• Kristen Johnston as Wilma Slaghoople
• Jane Krakowski as Betty O'Shale
• Joan Collins as Pearl Slaghoople
• Thomas Gibson as Chip Rockefeller
• Alan Cumming as The Great Gazoo/Mick Jagged
• Harvey Korman as Colonel Ricky Slaghoople
• Alex Meneses as Roxie
• John Taylor as Keith Richrock
• Tony Longo as Big Rocko
• Danny Woodburn as Little Rocko
• Taylor Negron as Gazaam & Gazing
• Jack McGee and David Jean Thomas as Bronto Crane Examiners
• Mel Blanc (archive recording) as Puppy Dino

Special appearances

• Ann-Margret performed an altered version of "Viva Las Vegas" to fit the film's time period for the soundtrack. Ann-Margret appeared in the film Viva Las Vegas and in the Flintstones series as "Ann-Margrock".
• Harvey Korman, who was the original voice of the Great Gazoo in the television series, plays Colonel Slaghoople in this film, while Gazoo is now played by Alan Cumming (Korman was also the voice of the Dictabird in the first film). This was also Korman's final film appearance.
• John Stephenson, who plays the minister who marries Fred and Wilma and voices the showroom announcer, was the voice of Mr. Slate on the original Flintstones series and later the voice of Count Rockula in the Halloween special The Flintstones Meet Rockula and Frankenstone. Stephenson also voiced Dread Baron at Laff-a-Lympics, where Fred and Barney guest starred.
• Rosie O'Donnell, who played Betty in the first film, voices the Octopus giving Wilma and Betty massages. Krakowsoki had been reluctant to play Betty, feeling she would be overshadowing O'Donnell, until she was congratualted by Rosie for getting the role with flowers and a card that said "From Betty #1 to Betty #2, Now Yabba Dabba Do It!"
• Kristen Stewart, later to star in the Twilight film series, has a bit part as a ring-tossing girl at the carnival. However, she can only be seen from the back.
• John Cho, who would later appear in the American Pie and Harold and Kumar franchises, appears at Slaghoople Manor as a valet.
• William Hanna and Joseph Barbera, the creators of the cartoon series, are in a crowd scene during the wedding of Fred and Wilma sing a verse in the theme song

Reception

The Flintstones in Viva Rock Vegas received mostly negative reviews from critics at an average of 25% on Rotten Tomatoes and was nominated for four Razzies at the 21st Golden Raspberry Awards, for Worst Picture, Worst Supporting Actor (Stephen Baldwin), Worst Supporting Actress (Joan Collins), and Worst Remake or Sequel, and it "lost" in all four categories. It was also a box office flop, as it grossed $59,468,275 worldwide on an $83 million budget. This was an extreme disappointment compared to the first film's $358.5 million international gross.

External links

• Official website
• The Flintstones in Viva Rock Vegas at the Internet Movie Database
• The Flintstones in Viva Rock Vegas at AllRovi
• The Flintstones in Viva Rock Vegas at Box Office Mojo
• The Flintstones in Viva Rock Vegas at Rotten Tomatoes
• The Flintstones in Viva Rock Vegas at Metacritic