Pee-wee's Big Adventure (1985)

Fresh and Exciting

The film makes a home in your brain and the only cure is to see it again.

This is one of the best movies I’ve seen in a very long time. You have to go and see this on the big screen.

The movie's neither hopeful in contrived ways, nor hopeless in different contrived ways. Somehow it manages to be wonderful

When eccentric man-child Pee-Wee Herman gets his beloved bike stolen in broad daylight, he sets out across the U.S. on the adventure of his life. Pee-Wee's Big Adventure is without a doubt one of Tim Burton's worst films, i was very much amazed by how awful this film was even for someone like Burton who has made excellent movies like Batman, Batman Returns, Beetlejuice and many many more films. The acting was very childish, the main character was down right stupid and annoying and felt like an american rip-off of Mr.Bean just outrageous. The plot of the film was even stupider than the main star itself. Definitely not a film that i can recommend even for Burton Fans. (0/10)

The odd thing about the Big Adventure is what an oddly well-made flick it is. Reuben appears to have great comedic sense/timing, Burton whips the second string cast into decent shape, and Burton's general skills in directing set design, choosing shots, setting theatrical tone, and (no doubt) his contribution to the final edit make the flick actually work. In spite of it being a bizarre, cubistic picaresquerie, the story continually rewards your investment of time and attention.But, of course, it's not a "great" movie. At heart, it's a string of comic bits which range in quality from watchable to classic. The premise isn't that someone stole Pee-Wee's bike; it's that Pee-Wee woke up in the morning. Hence, something fundamentally milkable for comic value was bound to ensue, regardless.I loved this flick, as I also loved P-W's Playhouse, back in the day. The man was absolutely ON FIRE as Pee-Wee, and I hope his legacy is appreciated as a significant part of American pop culture history.The Big Adventure is a not-half-bad encapsulation of the wonder of Pee- Wee.

That laugh is contagious, in fact even when this guy is just generally doing something basic he makes a little laugh come out. I am of course talking about Pee-wee Herman, a man who wears a suit, rides a tricked out bike and just generally talks like an 8 year old kid. The movie is all about his beloved bike which is stolen, Pee- wee is devastated, in fact so much so that he faints in the local bike shop. We then follow Pee-wee as he travels far to find his bicycle and over that time he gets into many situations and meets some crazy characters. OK this movie is funny, in fact some scenes are actually really funny and you can't help but find most things Pee-wee does pretty humorous. The movie is though no masterpiece and can be not so funny at times, it is good don't get me wrong but not as good as I have seen some claim this to be. If you take away its cult status then you get a good and very welcome entry into the world of directing from Tim Burton who makes this even funnier than it probably should have been, his odd style actually improves this to an extent that Pee-wee seems crazy and yet so does everybody else. Phil Hartman, Paul Reubens and Michael Varhol create a screenplay that is pretty nicely done for the movie and although most laughs really are generated from the physical side of Pee-wee, it still is very nicely written.One of the writers Paul Reubens is of course Pee-wee himself and creates an extremely memorable character who is likable albeit his kind of annoying personality. Reubens recreates his character for the big screen and brings a kind of person who can make both children and adults laugh. I think one big thing about this is really the fact that adults can enjoy this too, I said about Reubens making it funny but also the way in which the jokes are done are in a way in which all ages can laugh and I feel Burton was really the one who made that work.This movie is as I said before not the very best when it comes to comedy though, some jokes fall a little flat and the movie by the end can feel like a crazy ride where you can't quite remember some of the jokes on show. I did however enjoy the story and that is another thing which makes this a good movie and one that is likable, you don't just have the comedy stuffed in there, but genuinely an interesting story about a guy who loves his bike so much he has to travel far and wide to find it.So overall a recommendable movie and one you could easily watch again one day, it's nice and snappy and at a running time of 90 minutes it doesn't' feel like a slog in anyway. Tim Burton may be remembered for a long time in the future for making his Gothic and very dark films that although are mostly humorous, they never feel like this one, it isn't exactly dark and is a very basic story, never goes over the top and just feels nice, a good little watch for anyone of any age.

TIM BURTON – PEE WEE'S BIG ADVENTURE – 1985That sure is a comedy, what do I say, a farce indeed in Molière's style, and as they say in French "Bonjour les dégâts!" meaning something like "Good Morning Vietnam!" I must say there is no logic, no real development of any theme at all, except absurdity and tomfoolery, maybe some masquerade and charade in shambles. And it is funny just because it is absurd.But really what's left at the end of it, will you ask or shouldn't I say shall you ask? Life us absurd. We knew that. Crooks end up in prison. Let me doubt that one. Love is number one human interest. Ah Ah maybe in Hollywood but is it for real in life? Let me be dubitative, or is it doubtful I should say? Some physical episode maybe but Pee-Wee loves his dog and his bike more than anything and anyone else. Love is mental not physical like they pretend in Hollywood. The film then is some good exercise of a rookie director who is learning his job and tries to make teenagers and children laugh. A dinosaur in your cup of tea is always funny and a few snakes in your hands will make any infant laugh like hell. Or be frightened to high heavens.Some will say we have all the magic of Tim Burton in this old film. I don't think so. Tim Burton's art is not in this twisted absurd story but in the spirituality he will often reach beyond the surface of things. And here the spirituality is rather light and the surface is rarely pushed aside to get something more empathetic and sweetly cultural.The only moment I see something deeper is when he makes fun of Hollywood. That is both deserved and justified. Hollywood has to put some flesh on this absurd skeleton of a story and that flesh is a couple of kiss, a lascivious girl friend and some hot steam we can imagine in the background, though we know better and the pee-wee actor and his girl friend actress are only making out for the screen and in real life they may hate each other, the man may prefer men and the woman may prefer women. Make believe and nothing else. But the real Pee Wee is just the same. Make believe and nothing else. Well, I guess the first steps of Tim Burton were not yet very brilliant as for the mental side of things. I guess he could not go lower and he was bound to improve. See you in the next episode.Dr Jacques COULARDEAU