Mike Judge: From Office Space To Extract
Few people will recognize his name, but many will instantly recall his voice and lowbrow comedic creations. Welcome to Watchmojo.com, and today we’ll be learning about Mike Judge and his fascination with portraying American culture and anti-intellectualism.
Mike Judge was born on October 17th, 1962 in Guyaquil Equador before moving to Albuquerque, New Mexico. He later graduated from the University of California with a Bachelor’s degree in physics, and worked as an electrical systems engineer for American Fighter Jets.
Despite his chosen profession, he craved the chance to be more creative, and sought out a career in comedy. In 1991, he created the adult cartoon series “Office Space” which became a live action movie in 1999. It showcased his cynical view of the American work environment, specifically office cubicles and restaurant chains. The film became a small hit for its celebration of one man’s revolt against 90’s corporate culture, and cruel employers. The film also hilariously depicted the American white male’s fascination with Gangsta Rap of the time.
His follow-up cartoon series “Bevis and Butthead”, created in 1993 for MTV became an instant phenomenon for its idiotic portrayal of the American teen culture of the suburbs. “Bevis and Butthead” became known for its witty critique of the teenage obsession with fast food, loud music and pyromania. Mike Judge took such large involvement in the show that he even voiced both members of the hormone driven duo. After a four year run its big screen movie, “Bevis and Butthead do America”, Judge retired the series and quickly managed another hit with his two-time Emmy winning Fox Television series, “King of the Hill”.
This series featured Judge’s voice acting yet again, this time as suburban family man, and proud Texan propane salesman Hank Hill. The series concentrated on depicting the tedious everyday lives of an average middle class American family and their obsession with lawn care.
Judge then wrote and directed the film “Idiocracy” in 2006. This movie portrayed an opposite, yet similarly themed scenario to that found in “Bevis and Butthead”. This film told the story of two ordinary people who are frozen for 500 years and wake up in the future to discover that they are the smartest people alive. The film showcased Judge’s fascination with American commercialism, anti-intellectualism, and the result of a world absent of responsibility or consequences.
In 2009, Mike Judge wrote and directed the film “Extract”. The film operated as the complementary, yet polar opposite of “Office Space”. It took the opposing point of view, this time following the Forman of a flower extract plant, and his never-ending stream of work issues with his idiotic and inebriated employees. In its similar style to “Office Space”, “Extract” enabled the audience to sympathize with one side of the American workforce.
Throughout the years, Mike Judge’s witty and satirical portrayal of the American way of life, in both animated cartoons and live-action films, have attracted him a significant cult following. Few artists have matched his level of fascination and comedic portrayal of the obsessions, tedium and idiocy found in American culture.
