Studio: Hanna-Barbera Productions
Distributor: Universal Pictures
Produced by: William Hanna, Joseph Barbera
Short Synopsis
In the late 21st century, Spacely Sprockets and Spindles opens an ore-mining factory on an asteroid, meant to produce its sprockets at a tenth of the cost on Earth. But the plant keeps being sabotaged and its managers keep quitting. Cosmo Spacely gives the job to George Jetson, who is delighted with the promotion and moves his family, Jane, Judy, Elroy and the dog Astro, to the asteroid's living quarters. Judy is heartbroken at leaving her rock-star boyfriend behind; Elroy makes friends with a robot. George gets the factory running for its millionth sprocket, but the sabotage continues. Elroy and his robot friend go to investigate and discover the saboteurs: the Grungees, small, furry creatures who live inside the asteroid and whose homes are being destroyed by the drilling. The Jetsons take their side. George faces a choice between his career and doing what is right, and persuades Spacely to let the Grungees run the factory and recycle old sprockets instead of mining their home. The family flies back to Earth.
Why It Matters
- The film turns the 1960s television sitcom's optimistic future into an environmental fable, and mixes the series' cel animation with early computer-generated imagery for the factory and spacecraft, an example of how studios were experimenting with CGI at the turn of the decade.
- It was the last theatrical film directed by William Hanna and Joseph Barbera, and the effective finale of The Jetsons. George O'Hanlon, the voice of George, and Mel Blanc, the voice of Mr. Spacely, both died during production, and the film was dedicated to them.
Notes and Trivia
- Universal recast Judy Jetson with the pop singer Tiffany, replacing Janet Waldo, whose recordings were discarded, a decision that angered fans and the original cast.
- Its marketing cost more than its production budget, and it was considered a box-office disappointment.
- See also: The Man Called Flintstone (1966), Cartoon All-Stars to the Rescue (1990).