The Flintstone Flyer

In the last few years my view of the The Flintstones has changed dramatically, almost to the point of a Paradigm Shift. Maybe it's because I was use to the reruns of the latter episodes, when much of the initial joy of the show(and indeed, much of Hanna Barbera) evaporated, leaving little fun in its place. Like many, my view was changed by the words of John K. who,with concise words and actual pictures, made me recognize the finer qualities of the show--the backgrounds, the relationships between Fred and Barney, and the funny movements--I had long overlooked. With that in mind, I can fully understand the point of view of snooty film historians who condemn Hanna Barbera for their later gutted shows, so much so that it overshadows their great first few years. Not that it's right, but I can understand. Then again, perhaps if they were real professionals, such a mistake wouldn't happen.

With the exception of the Huckleberry Hound Show, nowhere is the funny first years epitomized than with the first Flintstones episode, The Flintstone Flyer. Keeping the singularity, the animation itself was done by one man*, Carlo Vinci, who I have also discovered(in name, not necessarily work) fairly recently. His work is thrilling ,and makes me want to practice all the more intensely. For it is is possible to create good animation and good times for your audience by yourself if you are smart and talented about it. But enough words, let the images of this fruitful few words speak for themselves.

*=Not to mention the brilliant designs of the one and only Ed Benedict.

The Flintstones: The Flintstone Flyer

(Note: while handy, this file isn't perfect. The logo is the right corner is annoying, the pause button is somewhat slow, and I think the image could be a bit sharper. I''m also curious about the colors, they seem a but duller than they should be . Nonetheless, the fact that it is free and the full screen makes it easy to pause and analyze the images more than compensates. Who knows, this may evidence enough to buy the wonderful first season DVD.)

Bonus:
Some good points from John K. about this particular episode:

Here and Here