Any teenager who was even remotely interested in rock/metal/grunge music during the mid-nineties was aware of the misadventures of Beavis And Butt-head – the animated anti-heroes created and voiced by Mike Judge. Two dim-witted teenage rock lovers, they spent their time skipping school, and getting into stupid adventures – occasionally working at Burger World – and constantly failing to “score with chicks”.

Obnoxious, misogynistic – rude to everyone around them -and constantly bickering and fighting with each other, they just about manage to survive their bizarre adventures without serious consequence, although completely oblivious to the substantial harm they cause to others and property around them.

A popular feature of the show was when they used to sit and vegetate in front of their television – watching popular music videos of the time, providing commentary which was at times moronic, and at other times surprisingly insightful.

The show became a massive cult success, with legions of fans all over the world – happy to sit and try and replicate the duo’s distinctive, guttural laugh (usually bought on by finding an obsure and crude innuendo in something that anyone says). Reactions from the general public could be both positive AND negative. Some, defended the show – saying that it’s comedy was cleverly subversive, some just thought it was the lowest form of toilet humour. In any case, the show made a huge impact on popular culture – and today is seen as a seminal example of 90’s youth entertainment.

Ironically, the biggest fans of this show were precisely the group it was parodying: “The MTV Generation”.

With his under bite and glassy eyed stare, Beavis (the blonde one) was the more excitable out of the duo, and generally the most likeable. His antics provided the show with it’s biggest laughs. On occasion after consuming vast amounts of sugar and caffeine – he would transform into his alter ego “The Great Cornholio” (providing the show with it’s most painfully funny moments). This transformation was completed by the process of pulling his shirt over his head and walking around saying “I am the great Cornholio! I need TP for my bung-hole!”

Butt-Head (the brown haired one) is a truly nasty piece of work. With his squinty eyes and prominent dental braces, he was, in all fairness the most intelligent out of the duo (that doesn’t mean much though).  He derived most of his pleasure from sadistically tormenting Beavis – and coming up with crazy schemes for mischief and mayhem.

Principal McVickar was the nervous, twitchy high school principal who despises them, Mr Van Driessen was the hippy teacher – who tried to help them grow as people despite being constantly exasperated at their actions. Tom Anderson and his wife are the retired neighbours who the duo constantly torment, although due to (implied) early senility – doesn’t remember who they are from one day to the next.

Due to the show’s cult following, and MTV setting up it’s “MTV Films” imprint – it wasn’t long before this diabolical pair found their way into cinemas.

Released in 1996 Beavis and Butt-head Do America was a smash hit in cinemas, both critically and commercially. Written ,directed and voiced by Mike Judge it told a story of how our two dull-skulled adolescent buddies accidentally find themselves on a big adventure after their television set is stolen.

After being expelled from school after accidentally destroying a school television whilst trying to steal it – they search the streets for a replacement. At a local motel, the run into Muddy Grimes (voiced by Bruce Willis) and ex-con who has mistaken them for two hit-men he’s hired to “do his wife”.

Predictably, the boys think they’re being paid by Muddy to actually have sex with her – and jump at the chance. So Muddy put them on a plane to Las Vegas. On the plane, Beavis meets a kind old lady and accidentally consumes some caffeine tablets from her hand-bag. This causes the predictable result and they nearly cause the plane to crash.
The disgraced pair step of the plane in Vegas and are picked up by a chauffeur he takes them to a nearby motel, where they run into Muddy’s wife Dallas (voiced by Demi Moore). She is in possession of a stolen biological weapon which she sews into Beavis’ pant lining whilst he’s fighting with Butt-head. She then puts the two on a coach trip, sending them around America promising to meet them in Washington with the promise of sex.

Her reasons for doing this, is that she’s wanted by the ATF – who are aware that she has the device. So by palming it off the Beavis and Butt-head, ATF Agent Fleming (voiced by Robert Stack) cannot arrest her.  She instead frames the boys, and hilariously – they become the two most wanted men alive.

The stage is set for a rib dissolving hilarious animated comedy thriller. As the boys visit the Hoover Dam, the Grand Canyon, and other famous landmarks they cause their usual bizarre mayhem, completely unaware of the nationwide manhunt set up to snare them, as well as Muddy Grimes – who by this stage has realised they are impostors and wants to kill them as well. The adventure involves the boys meeting their biological fathers (two bikers who are equally as dim-witted as the boys are), Beavis accidentally hallucinating on Peyote’ in the Nevada desert, offending a bus load of Nuns (Beavis look! It’s a bus load of chicks!), constantly ruining Tom Anderson’s dream American road trip, and at least one more appearance from The Great Cornholio, that I won’t spoil for anyone who’s not seen this film.

The wonderful thing about this movie, is that it actually really does have a well written and well thought out thriller story-line, whilst keeping the juvenile humour and quotable catch-phrases that made the original show so well loved. It’s a tight balancing act, but Mike Judge pulls it off beautifully.

The result is, easily one of the funniest movies ever made. From it’s Shaft parodying opening sequence, it’s dumb, but hilarious one liners, and brilliantly put together rock soundtrack – it’s 80 minutes of pure joy with not one bad note from start to finish. A Beavis and Butt-head movie doesn’t deserve to be this good, but not only is it good, it’s a comedy classic. For this reviewer, it’s the perfect feel-good movie, and if anyone out there has ever had a bad day – if watching this movie doesn’t cheer you up then there really is no hope for you!

The show itself ended in 1997, and writer/director Mike Judge has moved onto other projects. However, rumour has it that our  favourite two metal loving nincompoops may be returning to television screens in 30 brand new episodes of animated anarchy. Another tantalizing rumour – is that they aren’t kids anymore!

Until that day arrives, enjoy this movie. Watch it over and over. It’s silly, immature – but so damn funny it’s untrue. Treat yourself, you deserve a guilty pleasure!

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