Y'know, I thought this next entry had been screened for schools, and maybe it was, but Energy: A National Issue is a syndicated special that made the rounds between April & November 1977, though it carries a 1976 copyright date.
It's also a non-canonical Flintstones special, though it only features Fred (Alan Reed) & Wilma (Jean VanderPyl). This, then, would be Reed's swan song as Fred. His successor, Henry Corden, steps in when Fred sings, and there you can tell a distinct difference in the vocals. Movie legend Charlton Heston narrates.
No, it doesn't look like Fred & Wilma are in Bedrock at all, but rather are our, ah, tour guides, as it were.
Rating: A.
8 comments:
They serve the role of "visual aides" for a discussion on Energy itself it seems, like any other edu-tainment piece they'd stick on projector screens at school! I actually have a copy of this in my 16mm film collection, though not a great print mind you, and I wanted to get it transferred but now that it's up on YouTube, I may not have to!
I see a station up in Detroit that had it on in November of '77 opted to pad out the time with several guest appearnaces including the governor of Michigan at the time and some puppets from a kids show. Not sure if they extended it up to an hour or not, but now I wonder how short those local segments were.
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I find it more interesting Fred and Wilma's setting seems to be a little more accurate to the time of the Stone Age the way they live up in a mountainous region and Fred engages in trade for a bow and arrow by digging out these 'black rocks' he found, not to mention having to go out on foot whenever he needed to go somewhere or get something, no Flintmobile to speak of. Of course Dino's inclusion muddles it a little, but whatever, cartoon!
See they also have a recurring tune that gets new lyrics each time you hear it. It's nice, though it wears out its welcome for me at least by the final time you hear it.
I think Fred & Wilma were used to represent the Stone Age only because it'd be easier for viewers to recognize them instead of generic cave people.
It is.
I did like the part of Wilma being at some political convention as a representative of some unknown platform but ends up getting too many questions than she could answer.
Weird, wasn't it?
It was, especially since the next shot goes back to the past with Fred having chopped down every tree in the vicinity.
To think that Fred wasn't that ambitious on his own show, unless it involved making money.....
Yeah well, that's the usual classic sitcom trappings for the husband to be into "get rich quick schemes".
Even though that would be a stale gimmick after a while.....
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