Saturday, November 15, 2008

Wacky Inventions!!!






As I was flipping through the channels on the TV, I came across Cartoon Network. And guess what it was airing ‘The Flintstones’. I am a big FLINTSTONES fan since I was a kid. So I quickly put on the volume. Instantly, I was laughing at the hilarious antics of Fred and Barney just as I did as a kid.

Here is the theme song I grew up with. This version was recorded in 1965. I am still so fond of it. Enjoy-

"Yyyyyyyyyyyyyyyabba-dabba-doooooooo!"
Flintstones... Meet the Flintstones,
They're a modern stoneage family.
From the town of Bedrock,
They're a page right out of history.
Let's ride with the family down the street.
Through the courtesy of Fred's two feet.
When you're with the Flintstones,
have a yabba dabba doo time,
a dabba doo time,
we'll have a gay old time

Flintstones... Meet the Flintstones,
They're a modern stoneage family.
From the town of Bedrock,
They're a page right out of history.
Someday, maybe Fred will win the fight,
And that cat will stay out for the night.
When you're with the Flintstones,
have a yabba dabba doo time,
a dabba doo time,
we'll have a gay old time
"Wiiilllllmmmmmmaaaaaa!!!" bang bang bang

The show is set in the town of Bedrock in the Stone Age era. The show is an allegory to American society of the mid-20th century; in the Flintstones' fantasy version of the past, dinosaurs, saber-toothed tigers, woolly mammoths, and other long extinct animals co-exist with barefoot cavemen, who use technology very similar to that of the mid-20th century, although made entirely from pre-industrial materials and largely powered through the use of various animals. The characters drive cars made out of stone or wood and animal skins and powered by foot.

One source of the show's humor was the ways animals were used for technology.

More than just the characters I was always awed at the inventions of Flintstones- they are WACKY. For example, when the characters took photographs with an instant camera, the inside of the camera box would be shown to contain a bird carving the picture on a stone tablet with its bill. Remarkably awesome thought process- that pedal car that Fred drives from home to his office, elephant vacuum cleaner that Wilma uses to clean her house. I could recollect quite a few commonly seen gadgets in the series:
  • a baby woolly mammoth being used as a vacuum cleaner
  • an adult wolly mammoth would act as a shower by spraying water with its trunk
  • lifts are raised and lowered by ropes around brontosaurs' necks
  • "automatic" windows are powered by monkeys that dwell on the outside windowsill
  • birds configured as "Ryan Coombes" are activated by pulling on their tails
  • an electric razor is depicted as a clam shell housing a honey-bee vibrating it as the edges are rubbed against the character's face
  • a lobster lawn mower
  • Fred's wacky concoctions like his soft drink: 412 Up
  • the Barney Copter (a.k.a The Flintstone Flyer)
  • a Television with real rabbit ears
  • a car with stone wheels and pedals
  • small elephants as gas pumps
  • a pterodactyl with a fort on top for an airplane

Wow! I am amazed I could recount so many of them "Yyyyyyyyyyyyyyyabba-dabba-doooooooo!".
How many do you remember of those wacky inventions in ‘The Flintstones’ series?

2 comments:

C. Beth said...

Fun trip to the past! I don't remember any you didn't mention; I don't really have that clear of memories. But it was a fun show! Great blog post. :)

Jyoti said...

Thanks Beth for your comments :) Perhaps if you get to watch that show you would be able to recall those Wacky inventions ;-) If you are keen on it, you can check out 'The Flintstones' episodes on YouTube. There are quite a few of them. Probably your kids are gonna enjoy them too :)

It is really encouraging that you appreciate my posts.