The watermelon did finally get explained at a sci fi convention. It was a project they were testing to see if they could engineer watermelons that could be safely air dropped without parachutes but still be able to be cut open and eaten. That was why it was in a hydraulic press.
Don't bullshit a bullshiter. Everybody on Team Bonsai knows about the watermelon. It's related to a bio weapon counter intelligence vector. The rest is classified
Back in the 80's there was a theatre in NYC called "The Waverly" that had Saturday Night Midnight showings of Buckaroo Banzai. I must have gone about 15 times. One of my all time favorites. This was one of those movies that I saw in the theatre, bought it on VHS when it came out, then bought it again on DVD when that became available. I still watch it at least 2 or 3 times a year since then. It's great to be reminded that there are a lot of other people who love this movie as much as I do. 👏 Thank you.
I worked comic conventions back in the mid 80s. I first heard about it at one of those, and I even had my Buckaroo Banzai headband that I wore to opening day. I have loved this movie for decades now, and I was always so sad there was never a follow up.
I remember the DELI right outside the theater. It had DOZENS of imported beer cans and bottles in the windows, and was the first place I ever saw "Theakston's Old Peculier" (an especially dark ale from Britain). That was back in the late 70s or early 80s. Good times...
So the cast includes Peter Weller before Robocop (1987), Jeff Goldblum before The Fly (1986), Christopher Lloyd before Back to the Future (1985), and John Lithgow. I got a feeling it had a large role in establishing those actors as the characters they tend to play.
The thing that's weird is it was a massive flop, and no one really saw it until it got heavy rotation on cable. I think the actors were just destined to be stars, and this came out too early to benefit. Some of them had small parts in movies already, like goldblum in body snatchers, and some were actors on Broadway. Oh, and Lloyd was a well known television actor.
The amount of character actors who agreed to be in this movie is legendary. I mean, imagine being John Lithgow or Clancy Brown and getting this script to read. Gotta love when truly bonkers, wholly original films like these get made.
I was 6 when this movie came out, and my dad was a big fan of it. We had a VHS copy we watched on occasion, so there are a lot of sense memories attached to this movie for me. Just a fun movie in so many ways.
This movie is a classic! It's so delightfully weird, I love it! I don't know why but everytime I see Jeff Goldblum's character say "Why is there a watermelon there", it cracks me up! Plus, John Lithgow is so over the top in this. Definitely an underappreciated gem of a movie. Thanks Red Eye!
I mean this is the best possible way. It's like a kid wrote the movie. It's essentially a scientist, who is a model, an explorer, a rock star, a race car driver, an actor, hero all in one. As a kid I would invent heroes, and the hero would be great at everything because it's what I wanted to be when I grew up.
@@Mark_Knight Exactly! That's probably why I thought it was so cool when I was a kid, and it's still a fun watch as an adult. Also, you left out brain surgeon and samurai!
I saw this renting a video in the early 90s and wondering what I just saw. Another part of me didn't care what I just saw; but only that it was a great movie. What makes it so great is that it is a comedy that acts like a serious movie. Everyone is playing the characters with absolute joy.
My Mom took my Brother and I to the Movies to see this when it first came out(I was 9yrs.old,lol)...All three of us, LOVED THIS MOVIE!!!! I own it in my collection. All of the actors in this movie, went on to do bigger and bigger projects over the years...and all starred in hit Television shows.
Damn dude. I love this movie. Been one of my favorites since I was a kid.. Your picks for reviews are awesome. I hope there's more Peter Weller content.
This is a classic! My friends and I would watch this movie (along with UHF) every Friday night back in the day. We had almost the entire dialogue memorized. lol
I just found your channel in the last couple days and I just wanted to say I love it. This is one of my favorite movies and your take on it was as perfect as Perfect Tommy. BTW, the "sequel" just came out - a novel called, waitforit.... "Buckaroo Banzai Against the World Crime League". It's a novel that came out in November and it's awesome! I'm going through your catalog of videos and I'm loving your content. Keep it up!
Saw this when it first came out and have been a BBI ever since! This is a cat of actors all on the brink of discovery. Whenever I tell people to watch this I always tell them who is in it and they're surprised this cast is all in the same film. I'm glad you noticed all the weird background stuff (is never noticed the lava lamps) as they make watching and rewatching the film a blast. If you haven't seen the alternate opening I strongly suggest you do so as it completely changes the rest of the movie.
The guy with the gun that you pointed out is Billy Vera, an actual musician who had a big hit song called "At This Moment" which got popular because it was featured in the sitcom Family Ties.
Ok, since you said you wanted people who have seen it to comment, here is my buckaroo banzai story. I am not sure how we came upon this movie, but I was 11 or 12 and my father and I went to see it when it was released in '84. I was a smart ass kid, as most of us were/are at that age, and we get into the theater just as the movie is starting. There is only one other person in there. So I told my dad, "watch this". I went up to that one guy in the theater and asked him if he could slide over so my dad and I could sit in our "favorite seats". He actually got up and moved before he realized I was just messing with him. It's a memory that my dad and I still talk about to this day (I'm 50 this year and he will be 80). As for the movie, your review is spot on. Under viewed and therefore greatly underappreciated. In my home office, I have parephanalia for my 12 favorite movies of all time, and this one is amongst that group. Fun fact, LL Cool J references Buckaroo Banzai in his song I'm Bad (1087). First time I heard that back in the day I flipped out. Take care. Thanks for all the videos Love the channel.
That is an amazing memory haha. Sounds like something Mel Brooks would do to someone. Some just released a Buckaroo novel. That is supposed to be a sequel story to the movie. Haven't read it yet though
YES!!!!!!!!! Great review, this is my most favorite movie! I am so glad I'm not the only one who not only knows about, but likes "Buckaroo Banzai." Loving your reviews please keep them coming! Also Tommy is so perfect that he changes jackets in the closing credits.
I am turning 47 this year and was raised on horror, slapstick comedy, and tons of sci-fi from the age of 4. I saw this in the theater with my dad, which is why i was there, and had no idea what was happening, but it was awesome! And then watched it later on life, and still lost, I don't know what's going on, but I know I love it. Then you cover it, and I just found your channel about 6 our more months ago, but I have watched every review so far, and I'm re-watching this one for the first time and taking you up on you asking for comments. I love your show, and love that you actually pointed out things for me about this movie that I never noticed before that made it all make a little sense as it's supposed to make.
This movie has been one of my favorites for decades. Like others here, I own it on DVD. One of my favorite things is that all of the wonderful character actors playing the red lectroids are recognizable in their red lectroid makeup. It's pretty awesome that the makeup artists could turn them into aliens, but still leave them recognizable.
I have no less than 5 copies of the movie on DVD, two tshirts, a movie poster, a fridge magnet, several cosplay identification badges, quite a few pins, a copy of the Marvel comic book adaptation and the topper is a YoYodyne Propulsion Systems coffee mug. To this day the movie remains my favorite of all time. I might attend a Comic-con soon and get a pic with Buckaroo Banzai (Peter Weller). Buckaroo Banzai was my first real action hero even before they were called that. Peter Weller in an interview once said Buckaroo isn't a superhero and is made better by the people he surrounds himself with. Those hard rockin' Hong Kong Cavaliers, Buckaroos most trusted inner circle. Turning 60 this year reminds me that next year the movie celebrates its fortieth anniversary. I even have my
I turn 59 this year, we were the right age to appreciate the humor of this movie at the time, old enough to get the humor in it but not old enough to think it was stupid. And yea, I've had my eye on a Yo Yodyne coffee mug for a while now, maybe I'll finally get off my ass and order one today.
@@geo386 Actually it isn't. I knew it was a future collectors' item so I rarely wore it. It's in my trunk with all my other collectable clothes. The shirt is black with 'Yoyodyne Propulsion Systems. A Growing Excited Company. The Future Begins Tomorrow.' And it has the Yoyodyne logo.
Thanks. I've seen it. I own it. I love it! Everything in this movie is comedy gold. It's so weird, awkward, and off-kilter in a genius way. And it's got an all-star cast to boot. I'd love to have been in the casting room while they explained the plot to each of these amazing actors. That would probably have been comedy gold in itself. There could never be a sequel or remake of it. It's just one of those things no one can capture twice. tavi.
Omg I love buckaroo bonsai and for years I was used to walk around and I used to say no matter where you go there you are and I never remembered where I heard that until you played it on here and it was so crazy I had to call my wife and tell her I love the review keep up the great work !!!!
It's one of the best movies ever made! Very entertaining! Makes no sense, but it's awesome! I watch it since the 80s. But your review unveils so many things I haven't noted at the movie before. And remember: No matter where you go..... there you are! :)
Great how you picked up on all the little side dealies and background shenanigans that help make this movie so great. A couple you didn't mention: after the sophisticated, high tech, dimension-spanning jet car passes back out of the mountain and Banzai bails out while it's slowly rolling to a stop, you can hear the engine sputtering and dieseling, just like any normal vehicle in need of basic maintenance. Also some of the other random bits of dialog that come out of nowhere..."Banzai's fast, I'll give him that...but one heat seeking missile and he's history."
You forgot the scene at the beginning during brain surgery: "No, no, no, no. Don't tug on that. You never know what it might be attached to." This has been my windows sound for 'system error' ever since.
Another amazing cult classic featuring an incredible ensemble cast: Peter Weller (in his best movie aside from Robocop, John Lithgow, Jeff Goldblum, Christopher Lloyd, Clancy Brown, Dan Hedaya (sp?) and more. Great soundtrack, especially the closing song where they are all walking along the LA river waterway. My buddy actually named his bowling team the Blue Blazer regulars and had shirts made up with the insignia and everything. I would have loved for them to make the follow up sequel but my dream has yet gone unfulfilled.
Around 1990 i worked on an adolecent unit. The supervisor would bring this movie in on a weekly basis for the kids. I had already seen and loved it before! One of my all-time favorites! Almost has a Doc Savage vibe to it! Thanks for the review and getting the word out! God bless!!
I picked this up free at the library one day years ago cuz I saw Peter Weller on the cover and I'm the BIGGEST robocop nerd of all time and I had no idea wtf I was in for. John Lithgow blew. My. Mind. 😆
Oh what a great mystery movie to get. It's one of those movies where after you watch it, it doesn't make sense that no one has heard of it. It's SO good
My wife and I went to see it when it first came out. As we were leaving after it she said to me. "What the hell was that we just watched?" My response was, "I don't know. But I know I effin' loved it!!!"
Somehow, I saw the preliminary test promotional artwork for it, probably in my senior year of high school, which set the main character, Buckaroo Banzai, as the hero of a Japanese comic book. Thus, when the movie came out, I had to see it in the theaters. It was truly amazing and bizarre at the same time, like a remake of Doc Savage.
I remember that at the end of the 80s, most of the open television channels in my country became private, especially one called channel 11, every Saturday at 5 in the afternoon during all of 1989 this film was shown
Caught this movie a few months back and boy wasn't disappointed. The star power and over the top story is part of what made the eighties so great. Bonzai was that guy...rockstar, scientist, psychologist, lover....this guy does it all
I remember watching this a few times in a theater in the late 90s and early aughts. They screen this on the weekends in some places, like how they screen The Rocky Horror Picture Show. It's one of the better cult movies out there, so it's shocking that more folks haven't seen it.
“No matter where you go, there you are” is a saying that means you can run from your problems, but you’re always stuck with yourself (the one who created your problems).
This one of those movies that is so crazy and often that can be a bit exhausting but this movie has so much going on plus I love the cast and crazy set design. The plot is there but it’s also extremely freewheeling and keeps your attention because it dares you to make sense of what you are seeing. I always wished that they had a sequel. Great fun crazy movie.
Saw this as a “movie of the week” on local TV in the 90s, and have been a Blue Blaze Irregular ever since… and “Damn John Whorfin and the horse he rode in on!” is part of my daily vocabulary…
Man I wish i saw this as a kid, feel like this woulda been one of those films you never forget but no one else has seen. Man this looks whacky and epic!
I think I saw this for the first time around 87-88’ age 9 or 10 Since then I’ve probably watched this over a hundred times. So underrated, so incredibly ridiculous that it’s a brilliant flic. Makes my top 10 on a lot of lists.
Oh man, you picked one of my favorite little known classics. One thing I remember is that the John Lithgow character, Dr. Emilio Lizardo, calls Buckaroo Banzai a "farging bastage", his failed attempt at swearing. Like you said, so many gems in this movie. Of course, I have to watch it again, thank you very much. I only wish I had discovered your channel during the lockdown period of the pandemic. But, better late than never. Thanks again.
I love this movie. It's crazy that whenever I talk about it to a friend they always go "what movie? I've never seen it" its so good. And no one has seen it lol
I don't remember that. I do remember Moroni from the spoof of 1930's mob movies Johnny Dangerously calling people 'farging iceholes' ('Do you believe the mouth on that guy?')
Glad you got around to The Adventures of Buckaroo Banzai - one of my favorite quirky "cult classic" movies of all time. Up there with Flash Gordon (1980) and Repo Man (1984). Would love to see you cover the latter two!
It's like a film that fell from an alternative dimension. Close enough to be familiar, but completely bonkers. In that dimension, it's a huge hit and part of an extended universe.
Ah, The Adventures of Buckaroo Bonzai… Such a big part of my youth! We moved around a lot and in the eighties we lived in Micronesia for a few years. It was awesome fishing, playing in the jungle and exploring WWII war equipment, but being an outsider meant I didn’t have very many friends. So, and when we occasionally had electricity (it was intermittent back then), we would watch movies over and over again. And this was one of them! Haha, I love it! Thanks for the nostalgia!!!
@@RedEyeReviews Haha. He needed it! But yeah, this movie is the shit!! Though, I always felt bad for Peter Weller because he never was a big time star and mostly known for Robocop…until he was the bad guy in Star Trek Into Darkness. He’s actually not that bad of an actor.
@@losttribe3001 yeah he honestly did great. He was exactly what he needed to be for this movie. I would have loved more Buckaroo even. Like a trilogy or the long overdue sequel.
@@RedEyeReviews Agreed. I know there are rumors of a remake, but time will tell. I know I’ve been expecting a Highlander movie remake for years. But it wasn’t just Peter Weller that made this move; John Lithgow, Christopher Lloyd, Tom Clancy and, as always, Jeff Goldblum, made this a solidly acted movie.
What really sucks is that at the very end of the credits they say that Buckaroo will return. But it never happened, Kevin Smith was going to head up a series on amazon but it was scrubbed.
I think i need to re-watch this one. Saw this when it came out on VHS and didn't appreciate it much. It seemed that all the actors playing the Cavaliers were cos-playing, jumping round corners with their guns. Interesting to see Clancy Brown in there though, pre Kurgan. The concept of this super-genius with his cohort of specialists seems like an update of Doc Savage, The Man of Bronze.
Just saw this. One interesting background detail is that the chatter you hear in the background as they're prepping the jet truck is the readout of a checklist for a Cessna airplane. And then there's the jet truck mission control monitor that reads: "Sined, Seeled, Delivered" riffing from Stevie Wonder's soul/motown song.
Picture the scene: I'm watching the Sci-Fi channel late one night. I fond a film where Quincy's mate is running around with old man make-up and a forehead tattoo and he's talking to Robocop. Then Jeff Goldblum turns up dressed as a cowboy. Every actor from the 80s troop through. A guy breaks into a compound dressed in a silver suit. Someone off screen asks them, "what's in the box?" "It looks super suspicious ". GOLD. FUCKING GOLD. The ending credits is the first of two 'all characters walk to no where' sequences that Goldblum has been involved in. The other is the end of Life Aquatic.
I LOVE this film! I first saw it at a party when it was on VHS. It confused the heck outta me. Another partygoer tried to explain it but left out all the details. When I finally bought my own VCR, BB was one of the first VHS I bought. I also bought the original paperback at an SF con. I still have all of these. Every time I watch this movie I notice more details. It's incredible -- the cast, the sets, the plot. John Lithgow gives one of his best performances in BB. Lizardo/Worfin was my favorite character along with John BigbooTAY. I just wish there could be a sequel! And an original soundtrack album! The music was fabulous.
I saw this movie in the '80s when I was living in Iceland and I've got hooked on it. I do have a DVD of it and I haul it out for my friends every now and then and we use it as a sanity test for me green
I remember when this came out, the studios were worried about the title for the release in Japan because Buckaroo was too close to an obscene word in Japanese.
Watched this movie shortly after it came out - loved it then, love it now! Interestingly, from watching interview with members of the cast, almost all of the cast (Peter Weller, Clancy Brown, and John Lithgow, had no idea what the movie was about after reading the script; but it was so new and interesting that they signed on to do the film. Lithgow even stated that of all his movie performance, BB is by far his favorite to re-watch.
@RedEye Reviews, fun fact; the basic set-up of this movie is based on the Doc Savage character from the eponymous pulp magazine of the same name created by Lester Dent that was popular in the 1930's and 1940's.
At work, we use to go around the table and give a closing thought or comment. When it came to me, I really wasn't in it and said, "No matter where you go, there you are." The group collectively went "Okay..." It took me a couple of days trying to figure out where I heard it. I was standing in line in I think was a Popeyes and just announced, "Buckaroo Bonzai." Needless to say, not too many people bothered me for a couple of days.
Me and my wife saw this on date night in 1984. Loved it. Bought the VHS then the DVD you couldn't get this movie made today. To me this movie speaks of the eighties. The quirky side of the 80s that took itself semi-serious
Try watching Reno Williams: The Adventure Begins It’s got Fred Ward, Wilford Brimley and Kate Mulgrew in it. It might be something you’d enjoy…I did as a kid.
Supposedly this was Muammar Gaddafi's favorite all time movie. I remember reading somewhere an entire tv channel in libya was dedicated to only showing this movie over and over everyday just for Gaddafi.
Friends showed me this movie one night, many years ago and every so often I remember this movie and wonder was it really as crazy as I remembered, no it was crazier.
I grew up with this movie and love it, haven't seen it in a few year though so I need to rewatch it soon, and I need to get the new book that came out recently
Oh hey! One of my favorite movies. The whole, Happa born to a japanese father bit and super neurosurgeon chad-erh Rennisance man was pretty weird. Like who was the guy that wrote this and slapped it down to producers to get it going since like, you go in swinging with that title crawl and neurosurgery bit. Lithegow and the aliens are pretty cool and the ship in the end is pretty bomb. I wish the sequel had gotten made.
I saw this movie at the Michigan Theatre Ann Arbor when I was in college. I was interested in seeing it because I liked the Philip Kaufman Invasion of the Body Snatchers and Brubaker, which WD Richter, the director of Buckaroo Banzai, had written, and I enjoyed this movie enough that I watched the John Belushi biopic, Wired, because Earl Mac Rauch, the writer of Buckeroo Banzai, was the screenwriter. The thing that stuck out the most for me about this movie was Chritopher Lloyd's glasses being completely reflective as he examined the spaceship and constantly correcting the pronunciation of his name.
I am sure that this movie particularly the speed experiment scene had direct influence on "Back to the Future". Escpecially the Overthrust Oscillator which allows you pass through matter and Flux Capacitor which allows you to travel in time.
"A little town in New Jersey". Grover's Mil. 1938. That's a reference to where and when the aliens arrived on Earth in Orson Welles' radio version of War of the Worlds. Yoyodyne is a reference to a corporation from Thomas Pynchon's The Crying of Lot 49 which is a strange little book in itself. The president is the creepy bad guy from Raiders of the Lost Ark and from ITV's Jason King. They explain the watermelon in the dvd commentary but I don't remember the explanation. Oh, and volume 1 refers to the current run of a comic book. It's basically the equivalent of a season. So it says "volume 1" but the issue could be like issue 100 or something.
Have always considered myself an 80’s movie nut but am totally ashamed to say have never even heard of this one. You’ve broken me! 😥😥😥 Ps. Do Ladyhawke and Labyrinth.
This is one of my all-time favourites. And just like you, everyone I tell about it thinks I'm just making it up. Sometimes I pull out my bluray copy just to watch the end credits. Tell me this though: have you seen Megaforce?
The watermelon did finally get explained at a sci fi convention. It was a project they were testing to see if they could engineer watermelons that could be safely air dropped without parachutes but still be able to be cut open and eaten. That was why it was in a hydraulic press.
😭😭😭😭😭😭💀☠☠☠💀☠
Don't bullshit a bullshiter. Everybody on Team Bonsai knows about the watermelon. It's related to a bio weapon counter intelligence vector. The rest is classified
@@nickkuzinski5380
You must be level 1 Team Banzai 👍👍👍.
I've never even met one of you guys in person, what an honor.
Damn ! After 41 years . Well slap my nuts off ! 😅
Back in the 80's there was a theatre in NYC called "The Waverly" that had Saturday Night Midnight showings of Buckaroo Banzai. I must have gone about 15 times. One of my all time favorites. This was one of those movies that I saw in the theatre, bought it on VHS when it came out, then bought it again on DVD when that became available. I still watch it at least 2 or 3 times a year since then. It's great to be reminded that there are a lot of other people who love this movie as much as I do. 👏 Thank you.
That's awesome. My first time watching was the VHS version. I was 13 and my friend was like "check this weird movie out" history ever since lol
I worked comic conventions back in the mid 80s. I first heard about it at one of those, and I even had my Buckaroo Banzai headband that I wore to opening day. I have loved this movie for decades now, and I was always so sad there was never a follow up.
I remember the Waverly Theater for The Rocky Horror Picture Show that was always being shown there!
I remember the DELI right outside the theater. It had DOZENS of imported beer cans and bottles in the windows, and was the first place I ever saw "Theakston's Old Peculier" (an especially dark ale from Britain). That was back in the late 70s or early 80s. Good times...
We're going to watch Buckaroo Banzai again!
When are we going to watch it?
Real soon!
So the cast includes Peter Weller before Robocop (1987), Jeff Goldblum before The Fly (1986), Christopher Lloyd before Back to the Future (1985), and John Lithgow.
I got a feeling it had a large role in establishing those actors as the characters they tend to play.
The thing that's weird is it was a massive flop, and no one really saw it until it got heavy rotation on cable. I think the actors were just destined to be stars, and this came out too early to benefit. Some of them had small parts in movies already, like goldblum in body snatchers, and some were actors on Broadway. Oh, and Lloyd was a well known television actor.
The amount of character actors who agreed to be in this movie is legendary. I mean, imagine being John Lithgow or Clancy Brown and getting this script to read. Gotta love when truly bonkers, wholly original films like these get made.
This is one of those underrated gem with an All star Cast
I was 6 when this movie came out, and my dad was a big fan of it. We had a VHS copy we watched on occasion, so there are a lot of sense memories attached to this movie for me. Just a fun movie in so many ways.
This movie is a classic! It's so delightfully weird, I love it! I don't know why but everytime I see Jeff Goldblum's character say "Why is there a watermelon there", it cracks me up! Plus, John Lithgow is so over the top in this. Definitely an underappreciated gem of a movie. Thanks Red Eye!
I mean this is the best possible way.
It's like a kid wrote the movie. It's essentially a scientist, who is a model, an explorer, a rock star, a race car driver, an actor, hero all in one.
As a kid I would invent heroes, and the hero would be great at everything because it's what I wanted to be when I grew up.
@@Mark_Knight Exactly! That's probably why I thought it was so cool when I was a kid, and it's still a fun watch as an adult. Also, you left out brain surgeon and samurai!
@@danielbullock1019 LOL, yeah surgeon and samurai and I am sure an MVP superbowl champion somewhere.
I saw this renting a video in the early 90s and wondering what I just saw. Another part of me didn't care what I just saw; but only that it was a great movie. What makes it so great is that it is a comedy that acts like a serious movie. Everyone is playing the characters with absolute joy.
You nailed it 👏
Fun fact, the roll of John Endall was played by Rosalind Cash who starred with Charlton Heston in the sci-fi classic The Omega Man.
My Mom took my Brother and I to the Movies to see this when it first came out(I was 9yrs.old,lol)...All three of us, LOVED THIS MOVIE!!!! I own it in my collection. All of the actors in this movie, went on to do bigger and bigger projects over the years...and all starred in hit Television shows.
That's a wonderful memory
This was one of my absolute favorite movies growing up lol. Now that I said that out loud that explains a lot about me.
Me too & I was 28 when I saw it!
You know that guy Lizardo murders on his way out of the asylum is Mike from Breaking Bad? Crazy. Everyone was in this movie.
Dude it's has so many people in it. It's amazing.
Haha. Reminds me of of how Hank from Breaking Bad is a mutated human in Arnold Schwarzenegger’s Total Recall.
No, that was FBI Agent Frank McPike from the series Wiseguy.
That end music is amazing & permanently etched in to my brain
Damn dude. I love this movie. Been one of my favorites since I was a kid.. Your picks for reviews are awesome. I hope there's more Peter Weller content.
This is a classic! My friends and I would watch this movie (along with UHF) every Friday night back in the day. We had almost the entire dialogue memorized. lol
UHF! Another of my favs too!
I just found your channel in the last couple days and I just wanted to say I love it. This is one of my favorite movies and your take on it was as perfect as Perfect Tommy. BTW, the "sequel" just came out - a novel called, waitforit.... "Buckaroo Banzai Against the World Crime League". It's a novel that came out in November and it's awesome! I'm going through your catalog of videos and I'm loving your content. Keep it up!
So glad you found it! I love this movie so much. I want to get the book!
Saw this when it first came out and have been a BBI ever since! This is a cat of actors all on the brink of discovery. Whenever I tell people to watch this I always tell them who is in it and they're surprised this cast is all in the same film. I'm glad you noticed all the weird background stuff (is never noticed the lava lamps) as they make watching and rewatching the film a blast. If you haven't seen the alternate opening I strongly suggest you do so as it completely changes the rest of the movie.
The guy with the gun that you pointed out is Billy Vera, an actual musician who had a big hit song called "At This Moment" which got popular because it was featured in the sitcom Family Ties.
Ok, since you said you wanted people who have seen it to comment, here is my buckaroo banzai story. I am not sure how we came upon this movie, but I was 11 or 12 and my father and I went to see it when it was released in '84. I was a smart ass kid, as most of us were/are at that age, and we get into the theater just as the movie is starting. There is only one other person in there. So I told my dad, "watch this". I went up to that one guy in the theater and asked him if he could slide over so my dad and I could sit in our "favorite seats". He actually got up and moved before he realized I was just messing with him. It's a memory that my dad and I still talk about to this day (I'm 50 this year and he will be 80). As for the movie, your review is spot on. Under viewed and therefore greatly underappreciated. In my home office, I have parephanalia for my 12 favorite movies of all time, and this one is amongst that group. Fun fact, LL Cool J references Buckaroo Banzai in his song I'm Bad (1087). First time I heard that back in the day I flipped out. Take care. Thanks for all the videos
Love the channel.
That is an amazing memory haha. Sounds like something Mel Brooks would do to someone.
Some just released a Buckaroo novel. That is supposed to be a sequel story to the movie. Haven't read it yet though
YES!!!!!!!!! Great review, this is my most favorite movie! I am so glad I'm not the only one who not only knows about, but likes "Buckaroo Banzai." Loving your reviews please keep them coming! Also Tommy is so perfect that he changes jackets in the closing credits.
Thank you! I love this movie
I am turning 47 this year and was raised on horror, slapstick comedy, and tons of sci-fi from the age of 4. I saw this in the theater with my dad, which is why i was there, and had no idea what was happening, but it was awesome!
And then watched it later on life, and still lost, I don't know what's going on, but I know I love it. Then you cover it, and I just found your channel about 6 our more months ago, but I have watched every review so far, and I'm re-watching this one for the first time and taking you up on you asking for comments.
I love your show, and love that you actually pointed out things for me about this movie that I never noticed before that made it all make a little sense as it's supposed to make.
Used to watch this every time it would pop up on HBO back in the 80's. Definitely a movie that requires more than 1 viewing.
I love the end scene. That it clearly inspired the end scene of another fantastic movie with Jeff Goldblum, The Life Aquatic, is just perfect.
2:16 - Wow, Lewis Smith (as Perfect Tommy here) is a spitting image of Guy Pearce (as Leonard in Christopher Nolan's 2000 movie Memento).
This movie has been one of my favorites for decades. Like others here, I own it on DVD. One of my favorite things is that all of the wonderful character actors playing the red lectroids are recognizable in their red lectroid makeup. It's pretty awesome that the makeup artists could turn them into aliens, but still leave them recognizable.
I have no less than 5 copies of the movie on DVD, two tshirts, a movie poster, a fridge magnet, several cosplay identification badges, quite a few pins, a copy of the Marvel comic book adaptation and the topper is a YoYodyne Propulsion Systems coffee mug. To this day the movie remains my favorite of all time. I might attend a Comic-con soon and get a pic with Buckaroo Banzai (Peter Weller). Buckaroo Banzai was my first real action hero even before they were called that. Peter Weller in an interview once said Buckaroo isn't a superhero and is made better by the people he surrounds himself with. Those hard rockin' Hong Kong Cavaliers, Buckaroos most trusted inner circle. Turning 60 this year reminds me that next year the movie celebrates its fortieth anniversary. I even have my
I turn 59 this year, we were the right age to appreciate the humor of this movie at the time, old enough to get the humor in it but not old enough to think it was stupid.
And yea, I've had my eye on a Yo Yodyne coffee mug for a while now, maybe I'll finally get off my ass and order one today.
I still have a Yoyodyne t-shirt I bought at an SF con decades ago.
@kdkittehmama9490 I bet it's worn and faded. My wife got me a no matter where you go tshirt.
@@geo386 Actually it isn't. I knew it was a future collectors' item so I rarely wore it. It's in my trunk with all my other collectable clothes. The shirt is black with 'Yoyodyne Propulsion Systems. A Growing Excited Company. The Future Begins Tomorrow.' And it has the Yoyodyne logo.
@kdkittehmama9490 That sounds like an awesome tee. If I buy any more Buckaroo Banzai shirts, I think my wife will brain me.
Used the 'no matter where you go there you are' in my archaeology and heritage degree dissertation. My peak in life
Thanks. I've seen it. I own it. I love it! Everything in this movie is comedy gold. It's so weird, awkward, and off-kilter in a genius way. And it's got an all-star cast to boot. I'd love to have been in the casting room while they explained the plot to each of these amazing actors. That would probably have been comedy gold in itself. There could never be a sequel or remake of it. It's just one of those things no one can capture twice. tavi.
Omg I love buckaroo bonsai and for years I was used to walk around and I used to say no matter where you go there you are and I never remembered where I heard that until you played it on here and it was so crazy I had to call my wife and tell her I love the review keep up the great work !!!!
It's one of the best movies ever made! Very entertaining! Makes no sense, but it's awesome! I watch it since the 80s. But your review unveils so many things I haven't noted at the movie before. And remember: No matter where you go..... there you are! :)
Great how you picked up on all the little side dealies and background shenanigans that help make this movie so great. A couple you didn't mention: after the sophisticated, high tech, dimension-spanning jet car passes back out of the mountain and Banzai bails out while it's slowly rolling to a stop, you can hear the engine sputtering and dieseling, just like any normal vehicle in need of basic maintenance. Also some of the other random bits of dialog that come out of nowhere..."Banzai's fast, I'll give him that...but one heat seeking missile and he's history."
Haha it never dawned on me that the rocket car made standard engine noises
@@RedEyeReviews I never noticed all those lava lamps. Now you've done it, I have to go watch that dang movie again.
You forgot the scene at the beginning during brain surgery: "No, no, no, no. Don't tug on that. You never know what it might be attached to."
This has been my windows sound for 'system error' ever since.
That's a fantastic sound clip to use
Another amazing cult classic featuring an incredible ensemble cast: Peter Weller (in his best movie aside from Robocop, John Lithgow, Jeff Goldblum, Christopher Lloyd, Clancy Brown, Dan Hedaya (sp?) and more. Great soundtrack, especially the closing song where they are all walking along the LA river waterway.
My buddy actually named his bowling team the Blue Blazer regulars and had shirts made up with the insignia and everything.
I would have loved for them to make the follow up sequel but my dream has yet gone unfulfilled.
Around 1990 i worked on an adolecent unit. The supervisor would bring this movie in on a weekly basis for the kids. I had already seen and loved it before! One of my all-time favorites! Almost has a Doc Savage vibe to it! Thanks for the review and getting the word out! God bless!!
I never noticed Perfect Tommy's outfit change during the credits walk until you pointed it out. Awesome!!!
Nice review! Had a videotape of this movie back in the 80's and watched it so many times. Was my comfort movie back in the day.
I picked this up free at the library one day years ago cuz I saw Peter Weller on the cover and I'm the BIGGEST robocop nerd of all time and I had no idea wtf I was in for. John Lithgow blew. My. Mind. 😆
Oh what a great mystery movie to get. It's one of those movies where after you watch it, it doesn't make sense that no one has heard of it. It's SO good
My wife and I went to see it when it first came out. As we were leaving after it she said to me. "What the hell was that we just watched?" My response was, "I don't know. But I know I effin' loved it!!!"
Machinery on the wall at 1:17 looks like Spongebob Squarepants. Several years before he was created.
This is unquestionably the best Robocop movie.
Somehow, I saw the preliminary test promotional artwork for it, probably in my senior year of high school, which set the main character, Buckaroo Banzai, as the hero of a Japanese comic book. Thus, when the movie came out, I had to see it in the theaters. It was truly amazing and bizarre at the same time, like a remake of Doc Savage.
This is about the fifth time I've listened to this video, again, thank you for doing this review!
I remember that at the end of the 80s, most of the open television channels in my country became private, especially one called channel 11, every Saturday at 5 in the afternoon during all of 1989 this film was shown
This movie was metaphorical and beautiful. Wordplay was awesome and totally unexpectedly fun to watch.
I think the biggest mystery of this movie is how did perfect Tommy eventually end up as Lazlo in Mitch's closet in the movie Real Genius.
Love your review! Watched this over and over for like 5 times !
So glad you like it!
Caught this movie a few months back and boy wasn't disappointed. The star power and over the top story is part of what made the eighties so great. Bonzai was that guy...rockstar, scientist, psychologist, lover....this guy does it all
The guy with the gun who is excited to be there is Billy Vera I believe
I remember watching this a few times in a theater in the late 90s and early aughts. They screen this on the weekends in some places, like how they screen The Rocky Horror Picture Show.
It's one of the better cult movies out there, so it's shocking that more folks haven't seen it.
“No matter where you go, there you are” is a saying that means you can run from your problems, but you’re always stuck with yourself (the one who created your problems).
It's almost as zen as "whatever happens, happens" from Cowboy Bebop.
It's also on the christening plaque on the bridge of the USS Excelsior (from the Star Trek series).
"No matter where you go, there you are." Its perfect, its Zen... just like Buckaroo.
This one of those movies that is so crazy and often that can be a bit exhausting but this movie has so much going on plus I love the cast and crazy set design. The plot is there but it’s also extremely freewheeling and keeps your attention because it dares you to make sense of what you are seeing. I always wished that they had a sequel. Great fun crazy movie.
Saw this as a “movie of the week” on local TV in the 90s, and have been a Blue Blaze Irregular ever since… and “Damn John Whorfin and the horse he rode in on!” is part of my daily vocabulary…
Man I wish i saw this as a kid, feel like this woulda been one of those films you never forget but no one else has seen. Man this looks whacky and epic!
I think I saw this for the first time around 87-88’ age 9 or 10 Since then I’ve probably watched this over a hundred times. So underrated, so incredibly ridiculous that it’s a brilliant flic. Makes my top 10 on a lot of lists.
Oh man, you picked one of my favorite little known classics. One thing I remember is that the John Lithgow character, Dr. Emilio Lizardo, calls Buckaroo Banzai a "farging bastage", his failed attempt at swearing. Like you said, so many gems in this movie. Of course, I have to watch it again, thank you very much. I only wish I had discovered your channel during the lockdown period of the pandemic. But, better late than never. Thanks again.
I love this movie. It's crazy that whenever I talk about it to a friend they always go "what movie? I've never seen it" its so good. And no one has seen it lol
@@RedEyeReviews I’ve told lots of friends about it. But, I guess the title is so strange that it doesn’t stick, so they never watch it.
@@AllThingsFilm1 thats a good point. The title is so weird lol
I don't remember that. I do remember Moroni from the spoof of 1930's mob movies Johnny Dangerously calling people 'farging iceholes' ('Do you believe the mouth on that guy?')
Glad you got around to The Adventures of Buckaroo Banzai - one of my favorite quirky "cult classic" movies of all time. Up there with Flash Gordon (1980) and Repo Man (1984). Would love to see you cover the latter two!
It's like a film that fell from an alternative dimension. Close enough to be familiar, but completely bonkers. In that dimension, it's a huge hit and part of an extended universe.
This is one of those movies I have watched many times, and am still not sure it really exists. It is more like a fever dream than an actual movie.
Ah, The Adventures of Buckaroo Bonzai… Such a big part of my youth!
We moved around a lot and in the eighties we lived in Micronesia for a few years. It was awesome fishing, playing in the jungle and exploring WWII war equipment, but being an outsider meant I didn’t have very many friends. So, and when we occasionally had electricity (it was intermittent back then), we would watch movies over and over again. And this was one of them! Haha, I love it! Thanks for the nostalgia!!!
That is such a cool story. You gave Bucakroo your electricity. Which in a way helped him see those Electroids.
@@RedEyeReviews Haha. He needed it! But yeah, this movie is the shit!!
Though, I always felt bad for Peter Weller because he never was a big time star and mostly known for Robocop…until he was the bad guy in Star Trek Into Darkness. He’s actually not that bad of an actor.
@@losttribe3001 yeah he honestly did great. He was exactly what he needed to be for this movie. I would have loved more Buckaroo even. Like a trilogy or the long overdue sequel.
@@RedEyeReviews Agreed. I know there are rumors of a remake, but time will tell. I know I’ve been expecting a Highlander movie remake for years.
But it wasn’t just Peter Weller that made this move; John Lithgow, Christopher Lloyd, Tom Clancy and, as always, Jeff Goldblum, made this a solidly acted movie.
@@losttribe3001 oh man a Highlander remake would be amazing! I love the originals.
Agreed everyone rocked in this movie, Jeff Goldblum is so great
Buckaroo Banzai! I'm mighty tempted to change my username right now. Enjoying the review.
Oh man it's a great movie! It would be a golden username for sure.
“Nothing is ever what it seems, but everything is exactly what it is.” ❧ Buckaroo Banzai
What really sucks is that at the very end of the credits they say that Buckaroo will return. But it never happened, Kevin Smith was going to head up a series on amazon but it was scrubbed.
Oh man Kevin Smith would have been amazing at making these
It's a hardcover book!
Craziest movie of my childhood. I remember being confused as all hell, but everything in it was awesome, beyond what awesome normally entailed.
I think i need to re-watch this one. Saw this when it came out on VHS and didn't appreciate it much. It seemed that all the actors playing the Cavaliers were cos-playing, jumping round corners with their guns. Interesting to see Clancy Brown in there though, pre Kurgan. The concept of this super-genius with his cohort of specialists seems like an update of Doc Savage, The Man of Bronze.
Having recently watched the 1975 Doc Savage film, I was about to say the same thing.
I love how it covers all types of movies in just one movie. :)
Just saw this. One interesting background detail is that the chatter you hear in the background as they're prepping the jet truck is the readout of a checklist for a Cessna airplane. And then there's the jet truck mission control monitor that reads: "Sined, Seeled, Delivered" riffing from Stevie Wonder's soul/motown song.
Picture the scene:
I'm watching the Sci-Fi channel late one night. I fond a film where Quincy's mate is running around with old man make-up and a forehead tattoo and he's talking to Robocop. Then Jeff Goldblum turns up dressed as a cowboy. Every actor from the 80s troop through.
A guy breaks into a compound dressed in a silver suit. Someone off screen asks them, "what's in the box?"
"It looks super suspicious ".
GOLD.
FUCKING GOLD.
The ending credits is the first of two 'all characters walk to no where' sequences that Goldblum has been involved in. The other is the end of Life Aquatic.
I LOVE this film! I first saw it at a party when it was on VHS. It confused the heck outta me. Another partygoer tried to explain it but left out all the details. When I finally bought my own VCR, BB was one of the first VHS I bought. I also bought the original paperback at an SF con. I still have all of these.
Every time I watch this movie I notice more details. It's incredible -- the cast, the sets, the plot. John Lithgow gives one of his best performances in BB. Lizardo/Worfin was my favorite character along with John BigbooTAY.
I just wish there could be a sequel! And an original soundtrack album! The music was fabulous.
Thank you. I watched this movie a few times when I was kid and never under it. Well done. That wasn’t an easy job.
I saw this movie in the '80s when I was living in Iceland and I've got hooked on it. I do have a DVD of it and I haul it out for my friends every now and then and we use it as a sanity test for me green
literally my favorite movie...thanks for a great review
I remember when this came out, the studios were worried about the title for the release in Japan because Buckaroo was too close to an obscene word in Japanese.
Ooo that's interesting
Watched this movie shortly after it came out - loved it then, love it now! Interestingly, from watching interview with members of the cast, almost all of the cast (Peter Weller, Clancy Brown, and John Lithgow, had no idea what the movie was about after reading the script; but it was so new and interesting that they signed on to do the film. Lithgow even stated that of all his movie performance, BB is by far his favorite to re-watch.
@RedEye Reviews, fun fact; the basic set-up of this movie is based on the Doc Savage character from the eponymous pulp magazine of the same name created by Lester Dent that was popular in the 1930's and 1940's.
At work, we use to go around the table and give a closing thought or comment. When it came to me, I really wasn't in it and said, "No matter where you go, there you are." The group collectively went "Okay..." It took me a couple of days trying to figure out where I heard it. I was standing in line in I think was a Popeyes and just announced, "Buckaroo Bonzai." Needless to say, not too many people bothered me for a couple of days.
Hahaha that is amazing
Me and my wife saw this on date night in 1984. Loved it. Bought the VHS then the DVD you couldn't get this movie made today. To me this movie speaks of the eighties. The quirky side of the 80s that took itself semi-serious
Of course he has a different jacket every time, cause he’s perfect, the perfect outfit for the perfect occasion
I agree that this is one of the most entertaining movies EVER!
Try watching Reno Williams: The Adventure Begins
It’s got Fred Ward, Wilford Brimley and Kate Mulgrew in it. It might be something you’d enjoy…I did as a kid.
Done and done. :)
A sure sign of a quality movie is if the GET OFF MY TRAIN guy is in it. No joke.
And Clancy Brown, not being scary for once (10:12)
Train guy from Under Siege 2. He's in my video lol
@@RedEyeReviews Also I think the very tall, wild-haired guy who played one of the aliens was the ghost on the train in "Ghost."
@@parisgreen4600 the gangly guy? I think he was too
Never heard of this movie, but after this, I must watch it with my family; it’s great comedic writing! How in the world is not better known??!!!! 😂
Supposedly this was Muammar Gaddafi's favorite all time movie. I remember reading somewhere an entire tv channel in libya was dedicated to only showing this movie over and over everyday just for Gaddafi.
Haha that is incredible
Friends showed me this movie one night, many years ago and every so often I remember this movie and wonder was it really as crazy as I remembered, no it was crazier.
I grew up with this movie and love it, haven't seen it in a few year though so I need to rewatch it soon, and I need to get the new book that came out recently
I also need to buy the book! I hear mixed reviews on it though
Oh hey! One of my favorite movies. The whole, Happa born to a japanese father bit and super neurosurgeon chad-erh Rennisance man was pretty weird. Like who was the guy that wrote this and slapped it down to producers to get it going since like, you go in swinging with that title crawl and neurosurgery bit. Lithegow and the aliens are pretty cool and the ship in the end is pretty bomb. I wish the sequel had gotten made.
Yay! This movie is great! But for real. Buckaroo is a God of skills and talent lol. And Lithegow was genuinely entertaining and awesome.
I have only recently heard of this film due to RUclips. The title did sound really familiar from childhood though. Hmmmm..
Great video. Well done and good luck 👍 👏
Carl Lumbly is the John that hit his head. He went on to play the J'on Jones...the martian manhunter in the justice league.
It's a pretty insanely packed cast - an inordinate percentage went on to have at least one notable role, and plenty more were a 'that guy'.
Another solid effort. Thanks.
I saw this movie at the Michigan Theatre Ann Arbor when I was in college. I was interested in seeing it because I liked the Philip Kaufman Invasion of the Body Snatchers and Brubaker, which WD Richter, the director of Buckaroo Banzai, had written, and I enjoyed this movie enough that I watched the John Belushi biopic, Wired, because Earl Mac Rauch, the writer of Buckeroo Banzai, was the screenwriter. The thing that stuck out the most for me about this movie was Chritopher Lloyd's glasses being completely reflective as he examined the spaceship and constantly correcting the pronunciation of his name.
i happy your channel become more noticable i subscribe when you only have 1k+ subscriber n now u got 20k good job rr
Thank you so much!
Perfect Tommy looks like the lovechild of Guy Pearce and a young Johnny Depp
I am sure that this movie particularly the speed experiment scene had direct influence on "Back to the Future". Escpecially the Overthrust Oscillator which allows you pass through matter and Flux Capacitor which allows you to travel in time.
"A little town in New Jersey". Grover's Mil. 1938. That's a reference to where and when the aliens arrived on Earth in Orson Welles' radio version of War of the Worlds.
Yoyodyne is a reference to a corporation from Thomas Pynchon's The Crying of Lot 49 which is a strange little book in itself.
The president is the creepy bad guy from Raiders of the Lost Ark and from ITV's Jason King.
They explain the watermelon in the dvd commentary but I don't remember the explanation.
Oh, and volume 1 refers to the current run of a comic book. It's basically the equivalent of a season. So it says "volume 1" but the issue could be like issue 100 or something.
Great movie. I bought it on VHS when it was new.
Have always considered myself an 80’s movie nut but am totally ashamed to say have never even heard of this one. You’ve broken me! 😥😥😥 Ps. Do Ladyhawke and Labyrinth.
Oh man you HAVE to watch this one!
This is one of my all-time favourites. And just like you, everyone I tell about it thinks I'm just making it up. Sometimes I pull out my bluray copy just to watch the end credits. Tell me this though: have you seen Megaforce?
Can’t imagine the pitch session for this movie.
I love this movie so much. I watched it over and over as a kid. When are we going? REAL SOON! always killed me.
"IT'S BOO TAY!" 😄