The Dominator reviews

Distributed by
Paramount Pictures

Viewed at Manchester Showcase Cinemas.
Telephone 0161 220 8765 for programme information

Cert: 12

Running time: 80 minutes

Year: 1996

Released: 23rd May 1997

Widescreen Ratio : 1.85:1

Rating: 8/10

Director:

Mike Judge

John C. Frizzell

Cast of voices:

Beavis, Butt-Head, Tom Anderson, Mr. Van Dreesen, Principal McVicker : Mike Judge
FBI Agent Fleming : Robert Stack (Airplane)
Little Old Woman : Cloris Leachman
Motley Crue Roadie No.1 : David Letterman
Tour Bus Driver : Richard Linklater
FBI Agent Bork : Greg Kinnear (uncredited)
Dallas Grimes : Demi Moore (uncredited)
Muddy Grimes : Bruce Willis (uncredited)

B eavis And Butthead Do America is the big film spin-off of the animated TV series, and is one which will have no trouble finding an audience, mainly because those who are already familiar with the duo's antics and goals in life will queue round the block to see it, whereas those who think it just plain sucks, won't.

The television series mixed stories full of insults and pop videos, with criticism of the latter blended in. Although the film forsakes the pop clips, music is still a mainstay of the film, the opening credits containing a song sung by Isaac Hayes, and being a pastiche of Shaft and Charlie's Angels to a scene in Las Vegas where Red Hot Chili Pepper's "Love Rollercoaster" pumps out with a band dressed in typical 70's style.

The film begins with Beavis and Butthead recreating a Godzilla film as they walk down a street full of skyscrapers creating havoc by destroying cars and buildings as they begin to have a fight, the damage from which escalates as does their insults towards each other. However, it soon becomes apparent as Butthead awakes that it's all a dream. In fact, he's rudely awoken by Beavis who is on the verge of a nervous breakdown. Why? Because the TV have been stolen leaving him reduced to a gibbering wreck, able only to click the remote control at the empty space left.

Their quest to find the TV leads them to a motel where they meet Muddy Grimes, a redneck who mistakes our heroes for two other men who have been hired to kill his wife, Dallas. However, as Muddy refers to the job as asking them to "do his wife", Beavis and Butthead immediately start sniggering and spend the next hour of the film thinking that they're going to score with the babe in the photo, and their greed is boosted by the fact that they think they're going to be paid $10,000 to lose their virginity.

Once they meet Dallas Grimes in Las Vegas, she turns the tables on her ex, promising Beavis and Butthead even more money plus lots of sex if they go back home and kill Muddy instead. Unaware to the pair, she sets them up with a device which can kill several blocks of people when set off. This attracts the attention of the US Government, and life for the duo gets more and more dangerous, although they just think the whole outing is "cool".

As in the MTV television series, creator Mike Judge provides the voices for most of the main characters, although with this being a film, so it requires some guest appearances. Airplane's Robert Stack does the job of FBI Agent Fleming proud, a special agent who takes no crap from anybody, and anyone who tries to give a bit gets a full cavity search!!

Cloris Leachman is a Little Old Woman that Beavis and Butthead keep bumping into, the former finding delight in all the pills in her handbag, and as he downs them all, so does his higher state of consciousness turn him into Cornholio, proclaiming "I am Cornholio! I have no bunghole!"

David Letterman is one of the Motley Crue roadies that the pair bump into (the other played by Tony Darling (who he?) ), and I couldn't help but feel that the roadies look rather familiar... :)

The rest of the famous names are rounded out with cult director Richard Linklater, Sabrina's Greg Kinnear, and husband and wife, Demi Moore & Bruce Willis.

I'd highly recommend this film to anyone who's a fan of Beavis and Butthead. It won't win many new fans, as it requires a fan to appreciate the "style", and endless bouts of Huh-huh, huh-huh, something which won't strike a chord with everyone on first hearing. Then again, would you expect anything else from a cartoon duo who started life in the short 1992 film, "Frog Baseball" ? :)

That said, anyone who does turn their nose up at it deserves, in the words of FBI Agent Fleming, "A full CAVITY SEARCH...and don't stop until you reach the back of their teeth!"

Review copyright © Dominic Robinson, 1997.