The Adventures of Buckaroo Banzai Across the 8th Dimension (1984)

Good movie but grossly overrated

Fantastic!

Excellent but underrated film

True to its essence, the characters remain on the same line and manage to entertain the viewer, each highlighting their own distinctive qualities or touches.

Well, I tried watching it again over the weekend. As you get older, some films you tried earlier in your life, and didn't like, begin to make sense. Some, like Sunset Boulevard, get infinitely better. Some, like Time Bandits, get worse. You start to see flaws where you didn't before, or touches of brilliance that had been hidden from your perceptions. For me, Buckaroo Banzai wasn't that great when it came out and still remains so, so it's comforting to know that some films remain consistent across your life. I don't understand what I'm looking at, I don't get the story, or why the characters do what they do, I don't get their motivations. I don't understand what the aliens want or what their plan is. What is that thing circling the earth? Why is Jeff Goldblum dressed like a cowboy? As a fairly astute consumer of films for over forty years, I'm accustomed to a certain degree of lucidity, linear progression, and clear presentation of ideas in my entertainment, and at every turn this film zigs when you expect it to zag. It's indefinable, which is fine as a standalone film that embraces irreverence, but the cost is confusion. I couldn't be alone in my assessment of this train wreck, given hollywood's current lust to remake everything under the sun except for this film. It's not entirely awful, however, with John Lithgow and his outrageous Italian accent, or Christopher Lloyd's ice-cold ownership of every scene he appears in.In another twenty years I'll watch this film again, maybe it will finally make sense to me.

I'm not sure I am able to review this film, I don't know what it is. I don't think half of the cast even know what it is. But I do know that I like it, a lot. It has a wonderfully infectious edge and does not care to conform to the expectations of any particular genre.Peter Weller is Buckaroo Banzai a Japanese/American rock star/brain surgeon/secret agent/rocket scientist who travels through the 8th dimension in his rocket car with the help of his latest invention - the Oscillation Overthruster. The success of this inter-dimensional travel brings forth the Rastafarian Black Lectoids, an alien race at war with the the Red Lectoids, led by a manic John Lithgow as Dr. Emilio Lizardo/Lord John Whorfin, who are already here on Earth and sabotaging Buckaroo and his very large easy-going entourage the Hong Kong Cavaliers.Honestly, there is so much going on here that it's very hard to get a handle on it. This also makes Buckaroo Banzai infinitely re- watchable. Imagine the insanity of Big Trouble in Little China and dial it all the way up past the threshold. It's incredible that I have only just discovered this film. Perhaps attempting to review it this soon after my mind has attempted to absorb it is a mistake. One could literally debate and discuss this crazy movie until the end of time and still not cover all of its idiosyncrasies. There is enough material in here for ten movies, yet it never once feels overly crowded, nor did it ever deliver the urgently-needed sequel the end credits promise. The film is PACKED with recognizable stars who debuted or were at there peak in the 80s. Christopher Lloyd and Dan Hedeya as the evil Red Lectoids, Jeff Goldblum as Buckaroo's new recruit, Ellen Barkin as the twin sister of his long-lost true love, Clancy Brown as his right- hand man, and a young Jonathan Banks (with hair).There are so many movies from the 80s that thrive on iconic imagery and eccentric creations. The Oscillation Overthruster really should be as well-known as the Flux Capacitor or the Stay-Puft Marshmallow Man, the rocket car should be as recognizable as the DeLeorean, Buckaroo's style should be as popular as Marty's orange body-warmer or Indy's fedora. What really should have caught on with audiences the most is Buckaroo's caring, kind personality. It adds yet another unique layer to an already multi-layered and highly unique film.It's a shame that Buckaroo Banzai failed to find an audience when it was originally released but perhaps having it gradually find its way into popular culture and naturally pull curious viewers into its culture is better than being rudely shoved in our faces.

The Adventures of Buckaroo Banzai Across the 8th DimensionThe worst part of travelling to another dimension is that no matter what kind of clothes you pack, everything will be out of style.Fortunately, the attire of the adventurers in this sci-fi/comedy is entirely eclectic.When super-star scientist Buckaroo Banzai (Peter Weller) drives his Jet Car through the side of a mountain by passing through the 8th dimension, his feat attracts the attention of an earthbound alien Lord Whorfin (John Lithgow), whose Red Army is working on a means of accessing the lost dimension.Now, Banzai and his five companions (Jeff Goldblum, Clancy Brown, Billy Vera, Lewis Smith, Pepe Serna) must thwart Whorfin and his Black Army adversaries from annihilating earth in a cross-dimensional feud.A hodge-podge of sub-genres, Buckaroo Banzai is steeped in sci-fi and pulp sensibilities, which lends well to its zany space invasion plot line. As for pocket universes, they make ideal locations for dumping our garbage.Yellow Lightvidiotreviews.blogspot.ca

I get it. I really do. I get the creativity. I get the whole snappy dialog and outfits. I get the big 80's style hair. I get the bizarre story about an adventurer who is also a neurosurgeon/martial arts expert/physicist who can break the speed of light and travel into a dimension hitherto unbeknownst to mankind. See. I get it. I even get why this film has attained some sort of cult status. What I don't get it why? I watched, I sighed, I yawned, I looked at my watch, I looked at my watch again, I sighed - then I went to bed after the first 45 minutes and watched the remainder the next day with basically the same regimen. Look, this is a thick slice of 80's cheese to be sure, and I do respect the producers and director for trying something totally new. But, for much of this film, it is just silly. Peter Weller is a wooden hero surrounded by men with weird names and outfits who are going to help him save the world from aliens. There are two alien factions and I really do not want to investigate that any further as I stifle a yawn about to erupt. Weller and crew are lackluster with the exception of a very young Jeff Goldblum as "New Jersey" and a rather appealing Ellen Barkin as Buckaroo's former love's twin sister(?). Yeah, a lot was done with that storyline too! (NOT!) Saying "bigboote" fifteen times does not a good film or even great film make. This one is borderline for me. I admire the moxie it took to make it. The attempt to do something that had not been done before. The chutzpah(?) the writers had to make their hero all of those things without any former knowledge by the audience OR an attempt to look into the background with any depth whatsoever. The set pieces, the costumes, and that hair are wonders even for the 80's!. John Lithgow chews up scenery better than almost anyone even though he wildly over-does it in this even by Lithgow standards. But with all that said, the end result ultimately was unsatisfactory. The inane dialog, the cheesy special effects, the wooden, low-key performances, that ludicrous end credits with people bobbing their heads up and down, and a convoluted story. This movie flopped and clearly it should have. By no means is it horrible, but rather very, very, very pedestrian.