Liquid Television was a fun concept capturing a lot of crazy creativity that otherwise wouldn't have been encouraged. The original short for this isn't even that good, for being just a few minutes it somehow overstays it's welcome immediately and the premise isn't exactly that interesting. AND YET, when MTV was developing their first theatrical films, they released the Beavis and Butthead movie in Christmas of 1996 alongside Oscar bait (which is perfect really), but felt the need to release this as this their summer film. Right from the opening credits, you can imagine how even the most jaded awkward MTV fan would've walked out just from the credits alone, who was this made for??
Now it sounds like I hate the film, but it's actually the opposite. Once you realize how much effort is going into every single shot, it's clear there was a vision only the writer/director could put to film and that counts for a lot. Do all the jokes work, no in fact most of them don't work at all. But there's a clear difference between a lazy comedy with cheap humor and a cheap movie making fun of itself. So much imagination in every shot and gag with the roaches and the apartment, and the paint by numbers romance and overall plot in any other movie would have bored me. But again, this movie knows it's dumb and still keeps putting it's best foot forward in trying to capture a short time in the late 90s with it's acknowledgment of the music scene, young people being dumped into the real world after college without a system to look after them, all these things add up to a world that feels familiar albeit incredibly stylized almost to a fault. I think the fact the tone never gets too cynical or obnoxious helps a lot, the roaches ride the line but the gags at least feel inspired. The fact the only real "bad guys" in this are the 2 goons and the mobster who barely has a page of dialogue really makes this feel more positive than trying to actually earn a sad or depressing moment. I really hope this gets a proper restoration on bluray without commentary and special features cuz even for being a "bad movie", I really think it's worth sharing especially since it's earned the title of forgotten gem in my opinion.
Now it sounds like I hate the film, but it's actually the opposite. Once you realize how much effort is going into every single shot, it's clear there was a vision only the writer/director could put to film and that counts for a lot. Do all the jokes work, no in fact most of them don't work at all. But there's a clear difference between a lazy comedy with cheap humor and a cheap movie making fun of itself. So much imagination in every shot and gag with the roaches and the apartment, and the paint by numbers romance and overall plot in any other movie would have bored me. But again, this movie knows it's dumb and still keeps putting it's best foot forward in trying to capture a short time in the late 90s with it's acknowledgment of the music scene, young people being dumped into the real world after college without a system to look after them, all these things add up to a world that feels familiar albeit incredibly stylized almost to a fault. I think the fact the tone never gets too cynical or obnoxious helps a lot, the roaches ride the line but the gags at least feel inspired. The fact the only real "bad guys" in this are the 2 goons and the mobster who barely has a page of dialogue really makes this feel more positive than trying to actually earn a sad or depressing moment. I really hope this gets a proper restoration on bluray without commentary and special features cuz even for being a "bad movie", I really think it's worth sharing especially since it's earned the title of forgotten gem in my opinion.