Widely praised as the end of civilization as we know it, BEAVIS AND BUTT-HEAD DO AMERICA follows the brainless pair as they set off on a nacho-fueled road trip to find their stolen TV and score with some hot chicks. Along the way, the metal-head morons become entangled with one nefarious character after another, eventually ending up stranded in the desert and hallucinating in a mind-altering sequence based on and including artwork by musician and artist Rob Zombie.
For thoughts on Beavis and Butt-Head Do America, please see my previous article here.
Video Quality
Beavis and Butt-Head Do America makes its Blu-Ray debut with a good, but not excellent, 1080p transfer. The source of the transfer appears to be an older master that has not had much work done to it. The standout aspect of the disc is the vibrant colors that hold up well, but there is a minor undercurrent of nicks to the print. The natural film grain has thankfully not been digitally scrubbed away, but it does verge on noise at certain points in the film. The transfer does reveal a pleasing amount of detail and clarity within the animation. The black levels are solid enough, only occasionally looking a bit milky in some environments. Most issues appear to be source-related issues such as a very small amount of flickering, but this does not completely ruin the experience. While a major restoration would have benefited this movie greatly, the transfer on the disc should please fans who have been anxiously awaiting this one to be upgraded.
Audio Quality
This release boasts a strong DTS-HD 5.1 Master Audio track that handles its own throughout the runtime. There is a significant amount of activity in the low-end due in the opening attack on the city and other kinetic moments. Dialogue comes through clearly without getting overwhelmed by any competing sound effects or score. The track engages all of the channels with music and some environmental effects in a way that really brings the film to life. The sound design is by far the strongest part of this new effort. This track maintains a really nice fidelity throughout. Paramount has delivered a nicely preserved audio presentation that brings it to life quite nicely.
Special Features
- Audio Commentary: Writer/Director/Creator Mike Judge and Animation Director Yvette Kaplan provides a very entertaining and informative commentary track in which they discuss how the movie nearly did not have its iconic opening, landing on the comedic timing of certain jokes, returning minor characters from the show, Matt Stone and Trey Parker meeting Isaac Hayes at the premiere, inspirations for certain characters, animating the staff of the movie into the film and much more.
- The Big Picture: A 23-minute featurette in which Judge details the rapid success of the show, the obvious leap to a feature film, the landscape of MTV at the time, the debate to do the movie in live action or animation, getting the right creative talent for the voice work, the critical response and audience reception, the animation style and more.
- We’re Gonna Score! Scoring Beavis and Butt-Head Do America: An 11-minute look at the process of creating the music for this big-screen adventure with Mike Judge and Composer John Frizzell. There is a fun story from Frizzell about getting advice from Elmer Bernstein, the composer of Airplane!, Animal House and more.
- The Smackdown: A nearly three-minute piece which brings together the most chaotic points of the film.
- MTV News Celebrity Shorts: Three short interview segments from MTV News totaling nearly four minutes of Jennifer Tilly, Steve Busecmi and Snoop Dogg telling “stories” about Beavis and Butt-head.
- Trailers: There is a Teaser Trailer #1 (0:35) and Teaser Trailer #2 (0:46) provided here.
- TV Spots: Twelve hilarious TV spots totaling just over six minutes are provided here.
Final Thoughts
Beavis and Butt-Head Do America is one of the standout comedies of the 90s thanks to its relentless onslaught of ridiculous, hilarious jokes. The titular duo is not for everyone, but those who appreciate their brand of humor will really appreciate this big-screen adventure. Mike Judge and the rest of the creative team have crafted a feature which maintains the spirit of the show while indulging in some aspects that feel fresh. Paramount Home Entertainment has released a Blu-Ray with a pretty good A/V presentation and a few great legacy features. It is very satisfying to finally be able to own this one on high definition. Recommended
Beavis and Butt-Head Do America is currently available to purchase on Blu-Ray.
Note: Images presented in this review are not reflective of the image quality of the Blu-Ray.
Disclaimer: Paramount Pictures Home Entertainment has supplied a copy of this disc free of charge for review purposes. All opinions in this review are the honest reactions of the author.
Dillon is most comfortable sitting around in a theatre all day watching both big budget and independent movies.
