Bill and Ted’s Excellent Adventure

1989, Stephen Herek, USA, 89 min.

Bill (Alex Winter) and Ted (Keanu Reeves) absolutely must pass their history class in order to save their future. The two seemingly dumb teens set off on a quest to prepare the ultimate historical presentation with the help of a time machine that takes them to meet Napoleon Bonaparte, Billy the Kid, Socrates, Joan of Arc, and others.

“A nonstop giggle from start to finish, this beguiling grab-bag of time-travel clichés, hard-rock music, and Valley-speaking cool dudes is a flawless, purpose-built junk movie.”

—Radio Times

About Cabaret Cinema: Time

Curated by Rubin Museum fellow and neuroscientist David Eagleman, Cabaret Cinema delves into the mysteries of time. Aside from their listed duration, movies often carry us through periods far beyond the minutes that pass as we sit in a theater. The narrative compulsion of “what happens next” can suspend time, be warped through sudden flashbacks, and inspire us to imagine a future beyond the two-dimensional celluloid. What does the world of cinema reveal about our experience of time?

Brainwave is supported in part by public funds from the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs in partnership with the City Council.