W.D. Richter’s “The Adventures of Buckaroo Banzai: Throughout the eighth Dimension” (1984) is among the many definitive cult motion pictures, a secret handshake of science fiction, comedy, horror, metaphysics, comedian ebook heroes and Twinkie consumption.
Peter Weller is Dr. Buckaroo Banzai, who we first meet when he’s testing his “Oscillation Overthruster,” an invention that permits his Jet Automobile to drive by way of strong matter, corresponding to a big mountain.
It’s one hell of a gap scene.
We later observe how Dr. Banzai can also be a working towards MD, a online game and comedian ebook character and a rock star – that is demonstrated by a live performance he holds along with his bandmates and adventuring sidekicks, The Hong Kong Cavaliers. They play a rockin’ set earlier than the efficiency is halted when Dr. Banzai notes that somebody within the viewers, the downtrodden Penny Priddy (Ellen Barkin), isn’t having an excellent time.
Dr. Banzai consoles her from the stage and reminds her, and us, that “No Matter The place You Go, There You Are.”
There’s additionally time dedicated to the introduction of Dr. Emilio Lizardo, an Italian supervillain performed by John Lithgow. Lizardo turns into possessed by an alien, Lord John Whorfin and goals to steer his extraterrestrial villains on a plot for world domination.
Oh, and there’s the sight of Jeff Goldblum as New Jersey, one in all Dr. Banzai’s sidemen, who usually dons full-on cowboy apparel. The film is barely half-hour in, and it’s loads.
Richter made an actual anomaly in 1984, a really unusual film on the Hollywood studio degree, carefree in its weirdness however earnest in its love for sci-fi and sustaining a hip angle for the complete working time. I didn’t see it throughout its transient preliminary opening in theaters and solely caught up with it on HBO.
It’s a simple film to get hooked on, as a result of, on the time, there was nothing else remotely prefer it. At the moment, one can see the fingerprints of “Buckaroo Banzai” are throughout “Guardians of the Galaxy” (2014), “John Dies on the Finish” (2012) and the brand new “Borderlands,” to call only a few.
Pacing is usually an issue, as there are some useless spots, particularly within the third act. But, one of the best scenes are thrilling, creative of their staging and full of concepts. What “Buckaroo Banzai” has over most ensemble sci-fi comedy hybrids is that it by no means stops stacking ideas and at all times maintains a droll humorousness.
There’s a brazen cockiness to the entire thing, like the child who is aware of he’s going to win the college science honest and does, simply.
Weller has an otherworldly cool that’s onerous to explain. He’s like that hip, good-looking science instructor who makes you willingly memorize the periodic tables.
Weller has been wonderful earlier than (“Bare Lunch,” “Robocop” and “The New Age” come to thoughts) however what he pulls off right here is sort of outstanding. Dr. Banzai is simply too cool for the room however nonetheless in some way personable and endearingly dorky.
Weller offers such conviction, whilst he should inject urgency into traces like, “Evil! Pure and easy, from the eighth dimension!”
“The Adventures of Buckaroo Banzai Throughout the eighth Dimension” starring Peter Weller, Ellen Barkin, John Lithgow, Jeff Goldblum, and Christopher Lloyd was launched in theatres right this moment in 1984. #80s #80smovies pic.twitter.com/tQSCBs0VBP
— LandOfThe80s (@landofthe80s) August 15, 2023
Lithgow’s fearless, bombastic villainy is so really alien he appears an important distinction to Weller’s efficiency as a result of the 2 convey such wildly contrasting performing approaches: Weller dials it down and performs the whole lot earnestly, whereas Lithgow barely incorporates himself from actually chewing the surroundings.
I’ve to say that Clancy Brown can also be on this, as is Vincent Schiavelli and Christopher Lloyd (the Oscillian Overthruster seems an terrible lot just like the Flux Capacitor from “Again to the Future,” which Lloyd made after this and “Star Trek III: The Seek for Spock”).
The screenplay by Earl Mac Rauch in some way crams in a subplot involving Orson Welles’ well-known radio broadcast of “The Warfare of the Worlds” and wars between Lectroids from Planet 10; I assume the latter contact is a reference to Edward D. Wooden Jr.’s “Plan 9 From Outer Area” (1957), simply as I’ve at all times assumed Rauch himself might be an alien.
Richter, whose solely different director credit score is the candy, little seen “Late For Dinner” (1991), concludes this with a well-known strut-walk to Michael Boddicker’s wild theme music (how’s this for a first- it’s an 80’s New Wave synth cowboy hero march!) that was fantastically mimicked within the ending of Wes Anderson’s “The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou” (2004).
Even the particular results, which frequently present their age, are so cool for what they obtain and their ambition (the mannequin work, blue display screen and optical results are glorious for a movie that lacked a “Temple of Doom” price range).
Regardless of being the primary and solely installment in a proposed and unrealized collection, this has the boldness of a franchise that’s effectively preferred and already adored by its followers. You might say the movie is just a little filled with itself, however that’s additionally one thing of a placed on. Everybody concerned is committing to one thing so absurd, although what emerges is a style hybrid that was forward of its time.
It’s been a pleasure seeing the cult following of “Buckaroo Banzai” develop over the many years. In faculty, it was a videocassette I performed for any of my adventurous theater main buddies. The yr I obtained married, it was the primary DVD I ever purchased.
The final time I wrote about “Buckaroo Banzai,” it was for the movie’s thirtieth anniversary. I made the error of citing the unsuitable Lectroid, which was one thing my pal Bud (skilled title DJ Blast), who’s a BB Tremendous Fan, famous in a short time – I made the change whereas the article started circulation.
The identical pal later gave me his Buckaroo Banzai and the Hong Kong Cavaliers T-shirt and would at all times discover methods to incorporate “No Matter The place You Go, There You Are” into most of our conversations.
Bud is a hard-core fan and he’s not alone. This film, with its too-hip-for-the-room angle, adoration for its a number of genres, dense mythology and skill to be corny and superior on the similar time, is likely one of the final twentieth century cult motion pictures.
How are you aware you’re watching a definitive cult film? The simple reply is that the movie tanked upon authentic launch and wanted years of rediscovery, with new and youthful viewers discovering it, and many years of a completely new perspective to come up.
Most cult movies can declare to having just a few scattered fanatics upon authentic launch, however most of those movies now have newfound passionate followers. Which motion pictures am I referring to? “Buckaroo Banzai,” meets “The Monster Squad” (1987), “Hocus Pocus” (1993), “Workplace Area” (1999) and “Large Bother in Little China” (1986).
Preliminary field workplace and/or perceived inventive failure is the inauguration of a future cult film, which is why “The Shawshank Redemption” (1994), a Greatest Image Oscar nominee however large field workplace flop, is as beloved and excessive profile a cult film as “Showgirls” (1995) and “Street Home” (1989).
Spherical one field workplace rejection and/or film critic dismissal is what makes these motion pictures fascinating as newfound artwork.
They stated this was horrible again within the day, however is it as dangerous as they are saying?
Say what you’ll right this moment, however there’s an opportunity that the likes of “Battlefield: Earth” (2000), “Inexperienced Lantern” (2011), “Valerian and the Metropolis of a Thousand Planets” (2017) and even “Catwoman” (2004) might be a future cult basic. Why? As a result of they’re being declared outright failures by the moviegoing inhabitants at giant makes them intriguing candidates for reassessment.
The one rule that appears to have caught is which you could’t make the cult occur on objective, it has to occur over time. When the one sheet for “Repo! The Genetic Opera” (2008) declared it “An Instantaneous Cult Basic,” a sense of desperation units in.
Likewise, the notorious take a look at screening twentieth Century Fox as soon as held for “Shock Remedy” (1981), their notorious failed sequel to “The Rocky Horror Image Present” (made in 1975 and one of many defining twentieth century cult motion pictures).
Whereas “Rocky Horror” tanked throughout its preliminary launch and have become a blockbuster throughout midnight showings, the belated sequel additionally tanked upon opening. Then a collection of midnight screenings popped up, with reported vegetation from the studio attempting to drum up viewers participation for “Shock Remedy.”
Whether or not these reported vegetation had been actual or the factor of legend, the film bombed both approach. Clearly, the phenomenon of “Rocky Horror” couldn’t be simply duplicated.
Picked this up at a Buckaroo Banzai screening final night time! 😍 pic.twitter.com/PUouFHu7PA
— Colin Cunningham (@Sgtzima) August 11, 2024
Like several nice cult film, there are breadcrumbs across the movie that reveal hidden items for longtime followers. There’s the well-known “misplaced scene,” a captivating opener, that includes Jamie Lee Curtis as Dr. Banzai’s mom, offered as an old school house film.
There’s the idea trailer for the unmade however intriguing wanting TV present spinoff. Within the early days of the web, the huge variety of fan-made web sites devoted to the movie was staggering. I treasure all my “Buckaroo Banzai” memorabilia since twentieth Century Fox didn’t fairly know what they’d in 1984.
We’ve but to see the long-announced, by no means made sequel, not to mention a observe up of any type, to “Buckaroo Banzai.” There’s a witty comedian ebook adaptation of Rauch’s “Buckaroo Banzai: Return of the Screw” (2006 from Moonstone Books) however, apart from the overt reference in Steve Spielberg’s “Prepared Participant One” (2018), Dr. Banzai and his rock and rolling Hong Kong Cavaliers have by no means returned to the large display screen for a brand new journey.
I truly desire it this manner. The once-in-a-lifetime pairing with this dream forged and the author/director combo is why this works.
Settle for no substitutes.