• Directed by: Ray Patterson
• Release Date: October 30, 1979
• 48 Minutes

     The Flintstones and the Rubbles are on a game show where, after some big mouthing from Fred, the four win a stay in an old castle that used to belong to vampire Rockula 500 years ago, which has since been turned into a tourist locale. Whilst there, Fred and Barney accidentally stumble onto an old laboratory containing Frankenstone and, unknowingly, make him rise, who in turn awakens Rockula.
     Rockula is, rightly, angry there are people in his home, scaring away the rest of a massive costume party, before finding Wilma asleep in his old room, confusing her for his old bride. He kidnaps her and, once she tells him she isn’t who he thinks she is, decides that he will be able to marry her once he finds Fred and makes Wilma a widow.
     A chase of shenanigans follows as the four attempt to get back together and escape while avoiding the two monsters. Once home, Rockula is able to find them, but Wilma has her own way of finally dealing with him once and for all.

     When I was but a wee young’un, I had a VHS of The Flintstones Meet Rockula and Frankenstone that I remember watching a lot. Like, a lot a lot. It was always one of my go-to movies for fun, up there with the Disney movies that were in constant rotation on my screen. These days, I’m actually hard-pressed to find anyone I know that has even heard about the special, which lead me to eventually realize that, as much as I remembered watching it a lot so many moons ago, I hadn’t watched in a very long time. I knew that it would be perfect to re-visit in time for Halloween this year. And while I’ve been looking forward to getting a chance to talk about it, there was that obvious hesitation in seeing how I would feel about it now. So how does it hold up?

     Pretty good, actually, though I know I may obviously be biased. It still retains the same feeling it gave me when I was young. This isn’t necessarily a classic must see, but I do think that it deserves at least one watch-through if you haven’t seen it before. It’s an incredibly fun 45 minutes and, considering that it mixes The Flintstones and Rubbles with version of horror icons, never feels like it doesn’t mesh well or is awkward in bringing these two ideas together. I think it’s the rock puns. So many rock puns.

     Rock puns aren’t the only jokes, though, as there are quite a few lines and moments that made me genuinely laugh pretty hard. Once the four arrive at their destination and end up in their shenanigans, there are a handful of lines that are quotable. I always forget that, as much of a jerk as Fred is, Barney wrings him over the coals just as much. So many moments of Barney putting Fred down and they’re all hilarious. And while those two are usually the focus of Flintstones, Wilma has some of my favourite moments in the special and is given quite some time to shine. Unfortunately, Betty doesn’t get as much to do or say, which makes me sad, especially since the other three get their own moments to shine.
     Rockula and Frankenstone get their own moments as well, with Rockula being a great full-of-himself kind of person, while Frankenstone is worth watching in the background because they give him some fantastic facial expressions at times that are hilarious just in context of what Rockula may be going on about.

     Like Frankenstone’s impressions, there are a few other small touches and details that make the special better and, for lack of a better word, cuter. During the game show, there’s a moment where the Dino helper reveals the main prize before realizing he’s in the way of the camera and ducks out of the way quickly. I love the fact that Barney’s feet don’t touch the ground while he sits on the seat of the car ride to the castle. The bat door-knocker turning out to be real is a fun bit of detail. There are also some details that made me laugh just based on thoughts I had, and am not entirely sure it was supposed to and was just meant as decoration. Fred and Wilma stay in a room with a massive painting of Rockula in it. One that is so big it isn’t above the bed, but slightly beside it. I also love the fact that “Igor” turns out to be an actor named Charlie hired to set the mood. Usually in a situation like this, where Igor is telling them about the story of Rockula, you would expect that Fred is shown up by everything turning out to be real. While the story of Rockula does turn out to be factual, you would expect Igor to actually have something to do with the proceedings, but he doesn’t. To the actor, this is actually just a story to set the mood for the Halloween party.

     For a 45 minute special, there’s quite a few small things to mention that I do really love about it (I always adore characters in animated shows who wear one specific thing getting a chance to wear something else, and I do like how they make ‘responsibilities’ being the defeat of Rockula. Wilma is seriously great in this), and it did honestly hold up really well for me in terms of fun, time-of-the-season entertainment. It’s funny, has some good set-pieces, and the inclusion of two classic horror characters Flinstonized fit well, not to mention that the special ends on a very sweet note. I recommend giving it a shot if you haven’t seen it before, and the fact that it’s under an hour makes it even easier to sit through, as it doesn’t overstay its welcome. It’s one that I know I’ll revisit next year.

Quotes and Bits
* It’s satisfying seeing Fred dressed as a giant chicken. Sorry, Chickenasaurus. *
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Barney: “In your case, Fred, a monster ball is a come-as-you-are party.”
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(Rockula enters Wilma’s room as she sleeps, having seen her for the first time)
Wilma: “You woke me up, I was having such a nice dream.”
Rockula: “Your dream has come true, I have returned after 500 years!”
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Rockula: “You are beautiful when you are angry.”
Wilma: “I don’t know about beautiful, but I am angry.”
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Fred: “Even in Rocksylvania it is illegal to marry a woman who is already married.”
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Wilma: “Fred is right behind you with the police.” (Rockula and Frankenstone spin around)
Rockula: “What?”
(Wilma runs off)
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* The entire barrel sequence is cheesy but so fun *
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Barney: “Good work, Fred, that was using your brain. For once.”
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(Wilma and Barney are trying to pull Fred out of a barrel)
Wilma: “I don’t know what’s holding him in.”
Barney: “I do, about two dozen Mastodon burgers.”
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Rockula: ”You must be Fred Flintstone.”
Fred: ”Wait a minute, pal, I'm not Flintstone, I'm the building inspector, that's all.”
Rockula: ”You are who?”
Fred: ”The local building inspector.”
Rockula: ”Why would a building inspector be rolling around inside of a barrel?”
Fred: ”Well you see, I'm also a local barrel inspector.”
Rockula: ”You inspect buildings and barrels at 3 in the morning?”
Fred: ”Uh, yeah, well... moonlighting, that's what I'm doing, moonlighting. I have several jobs.”
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* Wilma is strong as hell, knocking out Barney in one hit *
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(Frankenstone offers to break a door down to get to the four)
Rockula: “No, we can’t keep breaking down doors, they are expensive. Remember, I’ve made no income in 500 years.”
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Wilma: “Quick, Barney, do your rooster impression!”
Barney: “At a time like this?”