While some might argue the second movie in the trilogy is better, Bill & Ted’s Excellent Adventure is the film that marked the beginning of the classic series. In the film, Bill and Ted are on their way to flunking out of school, and Bill heading to military school unless they pass their history report. When they gain the opportunity to travel back in time, the two decide to use this to their advantage and bring back some historical figures along the way.
These historical figures range from Socrates to Billy The Kid, and though they are important figures in history, they enjoy themselves in the future.
One of the most renowned and admired composers even today, Ludwig Van Beethoven was a German composer and pianist whose works were/are the most performed in the classical repertoire. One of the most notable features of Beethoven that's still prominently attached to his name is his deafness, however, that never takes away from his genius works from the Classical era to the Romantic era.
In the film, Beethoven is overtaken with admiration when he comes upon a musical instrument store in the mall. He begins to put on an impromptu concert for mall-goers, and although it's soon interrupted, it makes fans think about what Beethoven could have created if he was born during this era.
Joan of Arc is known as the heroine of France for her role in the Hundred Years' war and believed that a divine nature guided her to victory. The film does a great job of incorporating this fact into the film when Bill and Ted arrive to take Joan and she believes that the two are voices of angels that have been speaking to her.
In Bill & Ted’s Excellent Adventure, Joan is another historical figure that excitedly takes to all the opportunities that the future seems to hold, and takes over an aerobics class in the mall before being taken away by mall security.
Bill & Ted’s Excellent Adventure is probably one of the most popular world-hopping movies ever. This is proven when Bill and Ted go back in time to get the 16th president of America, Abraham Lincoln. In history, Abraham Lincoln was known for being America’s 16th president, a lawyer, and for his assassination in 1865.
In the film, the man on the five dollar bill comes to the future and relishes the opportunity to explore, even having his picture taken. When he is then asked to return the beard and top hat, he funnily runs away, but not before introducing himself as Abraham Lincoln. The portrayal of Abe Lincoln by Robert V. Barron is spot on from the physical appearance to even the vocal characterizations of what Lincoln’s voice possibly sounded like.
Probably the only historical character that doesn't stray too far from his historical image in the film is Sigmund “Siggy” Freud. In history, Freud is the founding father of psychoanalysis and an Austrian neurologist. In the film, all of his interactions are governed by his work and scientific beliefs.
In one scene, while Socrates and Billy The Kid are attempting to pick up some ladies at the mall, Freud deems them to be suffering from hysteria when the ladies giggle and he's then deemed a geek by Socrates and Billy. While all of his other counterparts are wreaking havoc in the mall, Sigmund is the only one to be of calm and cool composure.
Genghis Khan, creator of the largest empire ever to exist and conqueror responsible for millions of deaths, made his presence known in the film. This is a historical figure that strategized many takeovers and was funnily enough lured into Bill and Ted’s phone booth by a mere twinkie.
In the film, Genghis Khan arrives in the future and immediately wreaks havoc, at least, at a sporting goods store in the mall. This infamous mall scene gives Khan a naive and simple demeanor from what he was portrayed as in history. The scene provides some amazing dialogue and opens the door for one of the funniest lines from Bill & Ted movies regarding Khan's destruction of the sporting goods store and his “ravaging” of China 700 years ago.
The guy that starts it all, Napoleon Bonaparte is the driving force behind Bill and Ted’s idea to bring more historians to the future. Napoleon hitches a ride on the teen’s time-traveling phone booth and is then left with Ted’s little brother, and from there, hilarity ensues.
The portrayal of Napoleon by Terry Camilleri was spirited and entertaining. Some scenes push home the comedic tone of the film like when Napoleon has his first taste of ice cream and “pigs” out at the Ziggy Piggy and when he engages in unsportsmanlike conduct during a round of bowling with the kids. These scenes are comical and silly, placing a spin on the historically stoic Napoleon Bonaparte.
A man of philosophy, Socrates is the third historian to take the trip to the future along with Bill, Ted, and Billy The Kid. However, to get him to come along, Bill and Ted must “philosophize” with him and give one of the most excellent quotes in Bill & Ted's Excellent Adventure: “All we are is dust in the wind, dude.” Not much for understanding what the boys were saying, Socrates was definitely down to have a little fun in the future, and he enjoyed every minute of it. His friendship with Billy The Kid is something surprising considering the history of Socrates and his temperament and the two get into a lot of fun trouble together in the San Dimas mall.
Considering it took two years to release, a behind-the-scenes fact about Bill & Ted that only true fans probably know, the film was a big hit at the box office, earning $40 million with a budget of only $10 million. It's still a classic today, and Tony Speedman's portrayal of Socrates is still humorous to watch today.
Billy The Kid is known for being a gunslinger and outlaw fugitive in the old west. In the film, the boys meet Billy in a bar where they're enticed into playing cards, with Billy of course keeping everything, whether they win or lose. The portrayal of Billy The Kid is spot on with what history has written about him in regards to his “baby face,” carefree attitude, thievery, and never being afraid of a gun battle. He readily starts a fight with the guys at the bar when they ask if he's trying to cheat them and blatantly states he is.
In Bill & Ted’s Excellent Adventure, Billy takes the discovery of time travel much better than the other historical figures and embarks on his very own excellent adventure in the future. One of the most memorable scenes from the film is when he and Socrates attempt to pick up girls at the mall and fail horribly, with Billy even showing his Wanted flyer to the young ladies. He also fires off guns in the mall that plays into the historical context of who he is.
