ALL SCI-FI

[MetroPolly]

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Okay, I've been loping around this site and I noticed there's no thread for the Adventures of Buckaroo Banzai.

I respectfully ask, why not? I know it's not to everybody's taste, but it counts as scifi, and yeah it's tacky, 80s camp, but that was the point. You're not supposed to take it seriously. One of the aliens was named Bigbooty, fer crying out loud!

I just would like to know what exactly everybody has against it.

[orzel-w]

It may have been one of the titles that hasn't been replaced since the Great Crash of the old All Sci-Fi website. I'm pretty sure we had a thread for it at one time.

You could revive it by starting a new thread, Polly.

"What are we going to have?"

"A new thread for The Adventures of Buckaroo Banzai Across the Eighth Dimension!"

"When are we going to have it?"

"Real soon!"
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...or not...

WayneO
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[Zackuth]

This is a fun movie. I saw it when it came out in the theatre and have had a copy of the movies in my collection. John Lithgow played a great villain and Peter Weller made a great Buckaroo Banzai. I waited for the sequel until I learned years later the movie tanked at the box office and a sequel would not be made.

Remember, no matter where you go, there you are.

[Bud Brewster]

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Never let it be said that All Sci-Fi doesn't do its best to fans the flames of enthusiasm for any-and-all sci-fi movies!

I fixed up a nice Brewsterized version of the gorgeous poster (with color and clarity enhanced), and I've posted the trailer below. This thread is now in the alphabetical and chronological indexes, of course.

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___ Adventures of Buckaroo Banzai Official Trailer #1


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Is there no man on Earth who has the wisdom and innocence of a child?
~ The Space Children (1958)

[Gord Green]

Buckaroo and his Caveliers was to be a modern version of Doc Savage. Great ending too! Tied in Orson Wells, HG Wells and fast cars, hot babes and Rock music!

[Bud Brewster]

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Well, heck! I guess I'll just have to download and watch this unappreciated gem on a hot Saturday afternoon like today. Would this be a three-beer movie or a full-six-pack feature?



Oh my goodness. Definitely a de seis paquete pelcula! *

* six pack film
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Is there no man on Earth who has the wisdom and innocence of a child?
~ The Space Children (1958)

[MetroPolly]

I dunno, I usually watch it while drinking tea. Anyhoo, glad I'm at least getting some positive feedback here.

BTW Bud, not to complain, but could you warn me next time you "Brewsterize" my original post? I guess the admin can fiddle with anybody's stuff, but I would like to know about it.

Still, nice poster.

[Bud Brewster]

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You'd be amazed at all the "Brewsterizing" I do around here!

Correcting misspelled words, putting in missing punctuation, adding capital letters at the beginning of sentences, reducing images that are too damn big, finding replacement jpgs that have stopped displaying — the list goes on and on.

I myself actually get frequent PMs from a very knowledgeable member who alerts me to the numerous typos I make, so I can go back and fix them! In fact, he's proofreading my current novel for me (and being paid for his professional services), so that my novel will be in good shape when I publish it!

I taught school for18 years, and now I'm a published author — so I can't resist polishing people's post just a bit to make us all look smarter. Message boards are dying, and I'm doing what I can to make this one better than all the rest, by fixing the flaws that are killing all the others.

People who write interesting messages don't always write them very well . . .

Consider us a team, Polly. You write the interesting posts, and I'll spruce 'em up a little with my fabulous art and literary talents! No charge for the service.

You wanted positive feedback? I helped you get it, You're welcome.
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Is there no man on Earth who has the wisdom and innocence of a child?
~ The Space Children (1958)

[MetroPolly]

In that case, Brewsterizing accepted and with gratitude. I can use a little flair in my posts.

[Bud Brewster]

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Thanks for understanding!

You'd be amazed at the dozens of typos my brilliant copy editor reveals in every chapter of Sail the Sea of Stars. The corrections and suggested changes he sends me are making my novel much better, and I'm equally grateful for the daily PMs I get from him about typos in my All Sci-Fi posts.

In fact, yesterday he sent me a PM to point out that in my post above, when I said I was, " . . . correcting misspelled words, putting in missing punctuation, adding capital letters at the beginning of sentences . . .", I had misspelled capital!

So, everybody needs a little help sometimes — except the gentleman who is serving as the copy editor for my novel. I've never found a single typo in any of his posts!

Not that I'd notice them even if there were any! I'm "typo blind".
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Is there no man on Earth who has the wisdom and innocence of a child?
~ The Space Children (1958)

[Maurice]

Honestly, this is a movie that just never worked for me somehow. I like bits, but I never really thought about it afterwards, nor felt it desire to rewatch it, I did a second time just to see if maybe I didn't "get it" the first time, but, nope, still not much appeal for me.

Clearly, others' mileage varies.
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"The absence of limitations is the enemy of art."
― Orson Welles

[Bogmeister]

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Buckaroo Banzai was created kind of "whole cloth" out of nowhere as a pretender in the realm of classic young man's adventure sci-fi heroics and even super-heroics. It was an old template by that time (1984).

The multi-level genius surrounded by uncommon allies and always in the center of action that actually determines the fate of the world. I was reminded at first — perhaps expected — of Doc Savage and his crew, but Buckaroo (Peter Weller) and his cronies have a much more quirky nature.

Buckaroo is described at one point as a combo Einstein, James Bond, and Batman. In a way, it's a bit too much — this throws so much together to make up Buckaroo's profile that it spills over into the truly absurd. He's a neurosurgeon and also a rock star; these two alone should be too much for any one guy, but he's plenty of other things too, like a scientific genius and inventor.

I think the over-arching weakness to this is that you're not supposed take anything too seriously, but this unavoidably drops the film down a few notches, even if it's all inventive.

_______ Adventures of Buckaroo Banzai trailer #1


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I'm not even too clear on this, but I think he causes the alien invasion problem in the film. The first sequence has him performing an experimental test drive of his Jet Car (a converted truck) which, besides achieving Mach 1, can also drive through solid matter. It's when he drives through a mountain that the aliens appear.

The premise in this film is that when an alien threat rears its ugly head, only Buckaroo — with help from his gang — can confront such a threat on any level. The goal of these aliens, however, is so mixed up and convoluted, I simply did not find them threatening, just strange and annoying.

Buckaroo's team is played by Clancy Brown, Jeff Goldblum and a few others; Ellen Barkin plays the one female who is an ally but not really part of the team. The freaky and dopey villains are played by John Lithgow (not an alien just a crazed Earthling) and Christopher Lloyd.

BoG's Score: 5.5 out of 10


_____ Buckaroo Banzai End Credits (Long Version)


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BoG
Galaxy Overlord Galactus

[Krel]

The movie originally received a Road Show release, because 20th Century Fox didn't know what to do with the film. The studio just had a change of regime, and the new people couldn't figure out what possessed the former studio administration to green-light the movie.

They would have preferred to shelve it, but they were committed. New studio Executives don't like releasing previous administration's films. If it is a hit, it shines favorably on the previous administration. If it is a flop, then they get caught in the blow-back. To them it is a no win situation.

To their horror, despite the limited release, it turned out to be a popular film. For years there was talk of a second film. Clancy Brown used to laugh that he was signed for the sequel, and his character died in the movie.

It is reported that the script for the sequel was used as the bases for "Big Trouble in Little China".

They tried to do a TV show in the 90's. The late Ron Thornton's Foundation Imaging did an effects reel for the show.

David.

[ralfy]

There was even a video game for this, using interactive fiction with graphics:

_______ Atari 800 XL - The Adventures of Buckaroo Banzai


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[Bud Brewster]