Pee-wee's Big Adventure
1985 Directed by Tim Burton
Synopsis
The story of a rebel and his bike.
The eccentric and childish Pee-wee Herman embarks on a big adventure when his beloved bicycle is stolen. Armed with information from a fortune-teller and a relentless obsession with his prized possession, Pee-wee encounters a host of odd characters and bizarre situations as he treks across the country to recover his bike.
Cast
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I don't know why Tim Burton insists on sticking to the hwole gothic horror thing when he does cartoony and colourful SO. WELL. Could anyone else have pulled off a Pee-wee film as brilliantly as this except for him? Just absolutely fantastic, the music is so great and Paul Reubens is at his very best. Always enjoyable, from the chase at WB studios to the pet store, the last 30 mins or so are just complete belly laughs!
I am also SO IN LOVE with E.G Daily, I wish she was in EVERYTHING.
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Film #16 of No Rewatch November
I couldn't finish it.
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It’s hard to describe Pee-wee Herman (Paul Reubens). He’s the original man-child, before it was overplayed and annoying. In his first movie, his prized bicycle is stolen by his rival Francis (Mark Holton) and he must travel the United States to find it. It’s a hilarious adventure that everyone can enjoy.
Paul Reubens created in Pee-wee a character that is relatable on levels you wouldn’t have expected. He is in essence the incarnation of the mind of a child let loose on society. The world in which he lives is akin to his own being, with each of his encounters being on the side of quirky most people never dare tread. His journey across America brings a sense of wonder…
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His "laugh" is just... kinda creepy.
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A strange film that I must have watched hundreds of times as a kid. It gets better and funnier with every rewatch, and as I get older I only appreciate it more. Watching it with my daughter, who is also a huge Pee-Wee fan, makes it even better - it's almost 30 years old (!!!!!!!) and it can still make us laugh. I don't know what it would be like to watch this for the first time as an adult, I don't know who I'd recommend it to or what genre it belongs in, but I'm glad that I got to experience it as a kid. The score, the colors, the sets, the weird characters, the feeling of dread and…
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Very silly, but in a good way.
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I understand that the character Pee-Wee Herman is an American icon, or something, but... No, I'm sorry, this was too childish for my taste. The main target audience is five year olds, right?
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I understand this is considered an '80s classic in some circles, and my enjoyment of the film was undoubtedly hurt by my not seeing it until 28 years after its release date. That being said, it's hard to see how the whiny, selfish, obnoxiously nasal Pee-Wee Herman was ever popular -- I'd much prefer the company of Steve Urkel myself. Tim Burton's first movie and nicely light and colorful, but unfortunately not at all funny.
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I was not born in 1985. I never saw Pee-Wee's Playhouse as a kid. I'm pretty sure my parents wouldn't let me. So surprisingly, about two years ago, my brother got this from Netflix and my family watched it. And even more surprisingly, it was much better than I expected.
Typically, I don't like man-child characters with silly voices (see Adam Sandler). But I think the thing that works with Pee-Wee is the insistence on his innocence. There's no poop or urine jokes here, only a quick sexual innuendo, but even that is presented as totally pure in the eyes of Pee-Wee.
This is almost definitely Burton's best movie, and I wish he'd return to this form (please stop using…
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Jon's been after me to watch this for quite a while, and he was totally right. He knows my taste pretty well, especially when it comes to off-beat humor. I can definitely see us coming back to this one often, and quoting it even more.
How it entered my Flickchart:
Pee-Wee's Big Adventure > Benji
Pee-Wee's Big Adventure > The Stratton Story
Pee-Wee's Big Adventure < The Fugitive
Pee-Wee's Big Adventure < Black Dynamite
Pee-Wee's Big Adventure > Topper
Pee-Wee's Big Adventure < (500) Days of Summer
Pee-Wee's Big Adventure < The Master
Pee-Wee's Big Adventure < Robin Hood
Pee-Wee's Big Adventure > The Lives of Others
Pee-Wee's Big Adventure > Barton Fink
Pee-Wee's Big Adventure > GoodfellasFinal ranking: #358
Incidentally, this was one of the harder Flickchart additions I've done in a while. I had to think really hard about SEVERAL of these match-ups. I mean, Pee-Wee's Big Adventure vs. The Master? How do you even approach that?
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A strange film that I must have watched hundreds of times as a kid. It gets better and funnier with every rewatch, and as I get older I only appreciate it more. Watching it with my daughter, who is also a huge Pee-Wee fan, makes it even better - it's almost 30 years old (!!!!!!!) and it can still make us laugh. I don't know what it would be like to watch this for the first time as an adult, I don't know who I'd recommend it to or what genre it belongs in, but I'm glad that I got to experience it as a kid. The score, the colors, the sets, the weird characters, the feeling of dread and…
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One of my top 10 all time favorite movies. Infinitely rewatchable. I've watched it countless times over the years, and every time it just leaves a big goofy smile on my face the whole time. That Gene Siskel put this on his Worst list boggles my mind.
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Watching Pee-Wee's Big Adventure with my son, it's hard to think about what a disappointing filmmaker Tim Burton became. His early films were some of the best of my generation and this is no exception. A comedy that holds up nearly 30 years later. There is such attention to detail and strong secondary characters. It's a lot of fun.
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I'd heard a lot of good things about Tim Burton's debut film, especially the humor and performances. What I wasn't prepared for is how good this film looks. The color palette is kid's-show-bright and the sets are beautifully and meticulously composed. It looks amazing and I now dearly want a poster of the shot from inside the dinosaur's mouth at sunrise.
That said, what I'd heard was accurate: the humor hits home hard, the performances are extremely entertaining and the whole film has a chaotic, unpredictable elan to it. Watching this reminds me of the talent that Tim Burton has and the joy of seeing him at his most inventive. Now I'm desperately hoping for a return to form from him, whilst eagerly eyeing his back catalog for re-watches.