Jetsons: The Movie

When I was a kid, this movie was on TV and we taped it. Because I was practically obsessed with animated films back then, I watched "Jetsons: The Movie" over and over again. I still have 70% of the film memorized. Twenty years later, when it was being shown on the big screen as part of a weekly family movie screening, I was curious to see whether it was actually a good film. I learned that this movie only appeals to young children and not to the whole family.

During the success of "The Flintstones" TV show in the early 60's, William Hanna and Joseph Barbera decided to also explore the other side of the coin. "The Jetsons" had only 24 episodes in the 1960's but reruns made it a part of pop culture. In the 1980's, the series was revived at a time when nostalgia for the 60's was at a high. Then came this film. What the original TV show had going for it was the talent of Hanna & Barbera and that the show could depict the future in ways that a live action sitcom could not. What made it distinct from "The Flintstones" was the inclusion of a teenager girl and a little boy in the family (Pebbles had yet to be introduced). The full-length movie released in 1990 tries to adapt this animated family for a new generation through the use of computer animation, montage and music. The characters are the same as their 1960's counterparts with the possible exception of Jane Jetson. She has been modernized a little in that she doesn't steal George's wallet during the opening credits and is doing more at home than pressing buttons to have the household chores done for her (I have always found it ironic that with all the automation that the Jetsons enjoy, they need a robot maid). The reason why the movie isn't very good is because I don't think Hanna-Barbera put too much work into it. The plot summary is decent all by itself but the way it was directed and written was very below par. The subplot of George spending less time with his family isn't played out as much as the story required for example. The most noteworthy part of the whole film is the opening. It is both unexpected and nostalgic. The first scene is genuinely mysterious because it is out of context. This is then contrasted by the upbeat, re-created opening of the classic TV show. Once the reminiscing is over however, the film really never lives up to the opening credits. There are classic moments from the original show that are fun to see included but the new humor doesn't entertain. The funniest line is at the start where George says: "Why'd you have to wake me. I was dreaming about sleeping?" The adults watching the film may notice that certain story elements don't make sense. If the mining colony is top secret as Mr. Spacely says, why does it have a mall and town? Furthermore, if the plant is fully automated, why would it need a town and mall attached to it? Metaphorically speaking, the environmental theme of the movie would have been a good anchor if the ship it was attached to wasn't so poorly built. As with many movies and TV shows that depict the future, some of the inventions seen therein have become a reality since. For instance, I wonder whether little kids who see video calling in this movie understand that it used to not exist, even in 1990.

While the movie isn't for all ages, the facts concerning the cast members are interesting. "Jetsons: The Movie" has the distinction of being the last film for George O'Hanlon (George Jetson), the great Mel Blanc (Spacely) and Penny Singleton (Jane Jetson). O'Hanlon and Blanc passed away during production and that is why the film is dedicated to them. As a contrast, this show was the film debut for Brad Garrett as Bertie Furbelow. Don Messick's performance is interesting because while he also was the voice of Scooby-Doo, the two characters still sound distinct from each other (Astro was created first by the way in the 60's). Ironcially, the adult characters in the movie are the original voice talent while the roles of Judy and Elroy were re-cast. Janet Waldo, the original Judy Jetson, recorded all her lines but she was replaced by singer/teen icon Tiffany (who, during production, was at the peak of her career). All seem to agree that Tiffany's performance was very poor. I see this as foreshadowing of the problem with many recent animated films. When you cast superstars to voice cartoon characters in order to attract audiences, things usually backfire. The solution is to create a character and then seek out the actor that can bring that character to life, whether they are a superstar or not. Another fun fact concerning "Jetsons: The Movie" is that it is the first feature film scored by composer John Debney.

The movie was ready for release in 1989 but was delayed a year to avoid competing with "The Little Mermaid" and "All Dogs Go to Heaven". While this was smart, it didn't help and the film was a failure critically and commercially. Little kids will get something out of the movie but the only entertainment value for adults will be seeing this classic characters voiced one last time by original cast members.

2.5 Stars