Flubber (1997)

Director:

Les Mayfield

Writers (WGA):

Samuel W. Taylor (short story "A Situation of Gravity")
John Hughes (screenplay) ...

Release Date:

26 November 1997 (USA)

Genre:

Family | Comedy | Fantasy

Tagline:

The stuff dreams are made of.

Plot:

An absent-minded professor discovers "flubber," a rubber-like super-bouncy substance.

Plot Keywords:

Professor | Wedding | College | Invention | Medfield College

Awards:

3 wins & 1 nomination

US TV Schedule:

Sat. Nov. 28	11:40 AM	TBS
Sun. Nov. 29	3:15 AM	TBS

Cast

Robin Williams	...	Professor Philip Brainard
Marcia Gay Harden	...	Dr. Sara Jean Reynolds
Christopher McDonald	...	Wilson Croft
Raymond J. Barry	...	Chester Hoenicker (as Raymond Barry)
Clancy Brown	...	Smith
Ted Levine	...	Wesson
Wil Wheaton	...	Bennett Hoenicker
Edie McClurg	...	Martha George
Jodi Benson	...	Weebo (voice)
Leslie Stefanson	...	Sylvia
Malcolm Brownson	...	Father
Benjamin Brock	...	Window Boy
Dakin Matthews	...	Minister
Zack Zeigler	...	Teenage Boy
Sam Lloyd	...	Coach Willy Barker

Also Known As:

Disney's Flubber: The Absent Minded Professor (promotional title)
The Absent Minded Professor (USA) (working title)

MPAA:

Rated PG for slapstick action and mild language.

Runtime:

93 min | Spain:90 min (DVD edition)

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

DTS | Dolby Digital | SDDS

Certification:

UK:U | Iceland:L | USA:PG (certificate #35540) | Canada:F (Ontario) (original rating) | Canada:G (Ontario) (video rating: 2004) | Canada:G (British Columbia/Manitoba/Quebec) | Canada:PG (Alberta/Nova Scotia) | South Korea:All | Netherlands:6 (re-rating) | Argentina:Atp | Australia:G | Belgium:KT | Chile:TE | Finland:K-8/5 | France:U | Germany:o.Al. (w) | Hong Kong:I | Mexico:A | Netherlands:AL (original rating) | Portugal:M/6 | Singapore:PG | Spain:T | Sweden:7 | Switzerland:7 (canton of Geneva) | Switzerland:7 (canton of Vaud)

Filming Locations:

Alameda, California, USA

Company:

Walt Disney Pictures

Trivia:

According to Wil Wheaton, in the scenes that he was in with Robin Williams, they would film a take the way it was supposed to be filmed. After that take, Williams would often want to improvise scenes differently than the script, just for fun. Those scenes were not added to the actual film, but there were enough scenes to make an entirely different movie.

Goofs:

Continuity: When the flubber breaks out of Prof Brainard's back pocket it makes a hole. As he is falling out of the window there is no hole in his back pocket

Quotes:

[Brainard and Reynolds are visiting Hoenicker to discuss the Flubber]
Chester Hoenicker: You came to repay your loan?
Phillip Brainard: No.
Chester Hoenicker: I know you didn't. I was just having a little fun.
Phillip Brainard: I'm here to sell you the Flubber.
Chester Hoenicker: You been to your house recently?
Phillip Brainard: Yes.
Chester Hoenicker: Do I really need to buy it?
Phillip Brainard: Flubber's a very quixotic substance. It's very difficult to handle. Have you tried to do anything with it?
Chester Hoenicker: My man is working on it. It won't be a problem.
[...]

Movie Connections:

Featured in "Film '72: A Christmas Treat" (2001)

Soundtrack:

THE BLUE AND WHITE

Still somewhat enjoyable as a kids movie but it had more potential really.

This movie really feels like a wasted opportunity. With so many talent involved, how could this movie turn out to be so disappointing? It probably is due to the messy script that uses too many plot lines that never get fully developed or that work out completely the way as they were suppose to. You can say that the movie feels incomplete. I don't know, were they in a hurry or something to complete this movie? I have a feeling that a month or two more work on the movie- and perhaps its script, would had made this movie a better one.

It's still somewhat decent entertainment for the kids. The characters should be enjoyable for them and some of the comical situations are good enough to make them laugh.

Robin Williams is always fun to watch in a comedy but however in this case it feels like he's holding back to not completely play a nutty professor. It's perhaps a bit of a disappointing to most. When you know Robin Williams plays the lead role in a comedy you would expect some more fireworks and hilarious situations from him. His talent is wasted, a real missed opportunity for the movie to become a great one. Christopher McDonald plays a typical 'villainoush' Christopher McDonald role and he does it once more really great. Other well known actors in the movie are Marcia Gay Harden, Raymond J. Barry (boy, he's beginning to look really old now), Ted Levine and Clancy Brown. But none of the characters feel really developed well enough in the movie, with the exception of the robotic character Weebo. Of course it's not a very good sign when the best developed- and featured character of the movie is not even an human...

Also the use of 'Flubber' is highly below par. From a movie named "Flubber" I expected something more from the green slimy stuff. It however doesn't play a that significant role in the movie and the things that are done with the Flubber are far from original or interesting. The Flubber itself however looks fantastic through some early computer effects. Remember that this movie was released in 1997 when the special effects were of course not as advanced as present day is the case. The effects from this movie look great and really fully convincing. Too bad that it isn't featured very well in the movie.

The story is of course predictable from A to Z and the movie has absolutely no surprises in it. It makes "Flubber" a very easily forgettable movie that is far from great. The movie had far more potential really. If only that had made some better choices with its story and perhaps picked a different director...

The movie is good and professional looking, so from a technical point of view the movie does really not disappoint. Also the fun musical score by Danny Elfman makes the movie a watchable one

The kids will probably still enjoy it but still the movie feels like a big waste of some far more and greater potential, which the movie really had.

5/10