Movies You Gotta Catch: Pee Wee’s Big Adventure

Pee Wee’s Big Adventure

Directed by: Tim Burton
Year: 1985
Genre: Comedy
Starring: Paul Reubens, Elizabeth Daily

Plot:

“Pee Wee’s Big Adventure” has Pee Wee Herman playing himself and is a movie about a boy’s, a man’s…a man-boy’s insane love for his bicycle. This isn’t your ordinary Schwinn mind you. This bike is the kind of bike that James Bond would ride and it makes all of the other neighborhood kids green with envy! Perhaps that’s the problem, when Pee-Wee’s bike turns up stolen after a brief shopping trip!  Not content with just any other bike, Pee Wee is hell bent on getting his back and is willing to go to the ends of the earth to do it. Equipped with his hobo sack of tricks, grey suit, and signature red bowtie “Pee Wee’s Big Adventure” doesn’t fudge in the Big, Adventure, or the Pee Wee part.

What’s so good about it?

Tim Burtons first film was a sign of the brilliance we could come to expect from the longtime Geek favorite director. Oddly enough dismissed as a kids movie watching it today it’s just as good for adults as it is for children. Pee Wee Herman at the time of “Pee Wee’s Big Adventure” was the biggest morning television star since Big Bird. His popular Saturday morning variety type show featured puppet furniture, mini-cartoons, a headless genie, and the word of the day which caused the entire cast and kids watching at home to go into screaming fits whenever “the word of the day” was heard. “Oh, that must have been the word of the day…”

“Pee-Wee’s Big Adventure” has so many small gems, everyone loves and remembers different things about this movie. For some the opening making breakfast scene is the most memorable part and was even an insert cut-away gag in a ‘Family Guy’ episode. For some the “Biker Bar” scene is the best, for others “Large Marge”, and still some love the final big chase scene with cameo’s and explosions to boot. I think that’s what makes “Pee-Wee’s Big Adventure” such a Geek Classic. It’s got a little bit of everything for everyone.

Quotable Lines:

• ‘It’s ‘Top Secret/James Bond’ kind of Stuff”- PeeWee to the BMX gang when talking about the improvements to his bike.
• “The Alamo”
• “I’m a loner Dottie. A Rebel.”- PeeWee to Dottie when turning down a date.
• “I don’t make monkey’s I just train ‘um”- PeeWee to Francis after besting him in a verbal argument.
• “I pity da foo who don’t eat my cereal!”- Pee Wee to his breakfast food.
• But What? Everone I know has a big “but..? C’mon Simone, let’s talk about your big “but”. Helping out a friend.
• “Be sure and tell ‘em Large Marge sent ya!” heh heh heh heh!
• “I know you are but what am I?” –PeeWee Herman to Francis
• ”Paging Mr Herman, Mr. Herman, you have a telephone call at the front desk!”-PeeWee playing a desk clerk in a movie.