MovieChat Forums > The Adventures of Buckaroo Banzai Across the 8th Dimension (1984) Discussion > Pretty low rating for a film thats suppo...

Pretty low rating for a film thats suppoesed to be this cult behemoth

posted 9 years ago by chrysalis1814
11 replies | jump to latest

80s cult Films like your Big Trouble in Little Chinas, your Heathers or your Manhunters all have pretty healthy 7s on Imdb making Buckaroo Banzai's paltry 6.4 pretty curious. Where's the rabid fanbase supporting this supposed cult-classic?

Personally I've never understood what the big deal was with this movie but I just figured I didn't get it (though I have considered giving it another shot with this new Shout Factory blu ray coming out soon) but somehow I wonder whether this film's FOLLOWING is also somewhat overrated? A 6.4 is a "some people really dig this movie but it's somewhat forgotten now" rating not a "this film is an massive cult classic with hordes of fans" rating.

For the record I don't take Imdb ratings as gospel but again the new blu ray made me curious to google the film again and I was quite surprised by that score.

[–] dijomaja-382-516639 9 years ago

Well, I suppose that's the definition of a "cult" film. A relatively small group of people really like something that's not known and/or appreciated by the larger audience. As for ratings, who cares? I don't know how they reckon them but the difference between a 6.4 and a "healthy 7" is probably not that significant.

As for the "FOLLOWING" being "somewhat overrated" - by whom? Fans of this film are generally more intelligent and have better senses of humo(u)r than the mass audience. And we don't worry about stuff like this. If someone admittedly doesn't "get it" that's fine. I never understood the impulse to assume that people who do "get it" are somehow wrong. I say find something you do like and write about that. Makes you less grumpy.

[–] chrysalis1814 8 years ago

As for the "FOLLOWING" being "somewhat overrated" - by whom?

By no one. Look My whole point is that this movie is seen as one of THE cult films of the 80s. As a result I would THINK it would be appreciated a little more on imdb based on comparisons to other films of the same era with similar reputations. Maybe the cult of this film is smaller, yet louder than the next 80s cult film I don't know. I'm just speculating here.

[–] rndhyd 8 years ago

Those who like a movie enough for it to be considered a cult film are only a subset of all those whom watch. Therefore, there are many people who watch & score on IMDB at a lower level sufficient to bring the score down by at least 0.6, which isn't very much.

You're not very proficient in math, huh? Sorry to mention the probable harsh truth, but you should be aware of your limitations.
 

[–] CathodeRayTubesRock 8 years ago

Who the *beep* cares. If you enjoy the movie, then enjoy the movie. People like you are so obsessed about ratings, what "everybody thinks", and forget to actually just *beep* enjoy a movie. If you don't then don't.

Sig, you want a sig, here's a SIG-sauer!

[–] chrysalis1814 8 years ago

Not obsessed. Just an observation and comparison. Calm down.

[–] dijomaja-382-516639 8 years ago

Huh. Chrys's post replied to my question, "As to the following being 'over-rated', by whom?" The reply was "by no one". Well, by Chrys in the original post for one and that was a quote.

[–] Lucky_Man 8 years ago

Well, as an independent grown man with as minimal responsibilities as possible, I don't have ALL the time in the world to watch turd movies. So, I use the IMDb rating system as a sort of barometer to determine which movies may or may not be "worth my time," so to speak.

I don't go into movies blindly since I will purchase them rather than rent them about 90% of the time. I will research and possibly watch any movie rated 5.8 or higher.

I feel this gives enough leeway to the movies that a lot of the raters simply do not understand. Most people are very dumb and like to think they are not and I have to take this into account when I start relying on their opinions to determine my sources of entertainment.

So, I too feel that the standpoint of others regarding these films is somewhat important... at least to me, in this small way.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S2uOzV4glRs

[–] dijomaja-382-516639 8 years ago

To each, their own. I personally don't put any stock in a rating system that allows hard-core fans to give something a "10" and lets the trolls put in a "1" thinking that they're being clever.

But the initial post referred to the "cult" status of some movies and my point was that the definition of a "cult film" was something deeply appreciated by a relatively small group, hence the disparity between the rating and the appreciation among fans.

[–] chrysalis1814 8 years ago

Right but there's different levels of cult films. My OP was underlining the level of cult status for this film which from what I understood is VERY high. You find this film on countless 80s cult film lists snd it is always mentioned when discussing the subject of cult films in general. So really the group that appreciates Buckarro Banzai SHOULDN'T be that small and the rating SHOULD be higher given the supposed reputation.

[–] dijomaja-382-516639 8 years ago

Well, for me ratings and status (cult or otherwise) are completely beside the point. If I like a film (or book or band, etc.) I really don't care if everyone else likes it or no one else likes it. The idea that there are different sub-categories of cultdom may be perfectly valid but what does it tell us? I can't imagine spending much time on any 80s cult film lists, much less "countless" ones.

Maybe the group that likes this film is smaller but they like it more intensely. Also, they may be less "other-directed", as the psychologists say, and they really don't care what sort of cult status they have in the eyes of others.

[–] chrysalis1814 8 years ago

Why is whether or not YOU care relevant? I never said it MATTERS or makes a difference as to whether the film in question is worth liking.

It's JUST an observation in terms of comparing the ratings of different films from the same period with the same level of cult fandom.

The fact that Big Trouble In Little China (another WD Richter project) has a 7.3 while this film has only a 6.4 is a little weird to me considering their relatively equal standing in 80s cult cinema. I do happen to read a lot about these kinds of films and Buckaroo comes up as much if not more than Big Trouble and the like.