How come this is not in IMDB Bottom 100? - The Adventures of Buckaroo Banzai Across the 8th Dimension (1984) Discussion

[–] invadertk 19 years ago

It's not my G*D* planet -- understand, monkeyboy?

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[–] MeanMachine2005 19 years ago

I'm actually surprised this movie isn't ranked higher on IMDB. Terrific cast, excellent plot, keeps the viewer's attention. I think you have to have a certain perspective and sense of humor to truly appreciate this film.

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[–] 19 years ago

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[–] Mr-Fusion 19 years ago

It never takes itself seriously and is just totally fun to watch. The humor is so dry you need lotion to watch it.

I'm glad it never had a sequel. It stands alone as a true gem in cult cinema.

Nail on the head

Feed me a stray cat.

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[–] migunz 19 years ago

Some one above mentioned litmus test and I quite agree. This film has served me well as a makeshift compatabilty profile. The people who enjoy the campiness and off-the-wall humor tend to be people that don't take themselves too serious and are able to suspend their disbelief. For the most part I find those kind of people a lot of fun to be with. As for those that label the film stupid or nonsensical well,... you can't have everything. "More power to him, Bigboote!"

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[–] zamwes 19 years ago

I watched it twice in one nite last week. Also plan on getting a BB tattoo. It's like BB is the true test of a sci-fi geek. (no offense anyone.)
I laugh just as hard at it now as I did 20 years ago. Plus all the little things going on in the back ground. My favorite is when Buckaroo and Perfect Tommy are in the police station, and while Buckaroo is talking to Penny in the background you hear one of the women in a jail cell say "Oh muh Gawd! Tommy!"
Every day I just feel like I need see Buckaroo Banzai! I just continue to need more!!
By the way, anyone read the new comic yet? I have yet to track down a copy.

-zamwes

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[–] 19 years ago

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[–] bmorris206 19 years ago

Brain seizing....

Eyes watering....

Pulse rizing....

Focus....focus....focus....focus.

OK. Sorry about that. I can really think of nothing to say. My love for this film is so deep I can not imagine ANYONE could dislike it so much.

I mean, come on, John Bigbutte'? How could you not love that?

A man named BUCKAROO BANZAI who is a BRAIN SURGEON, PHYSICIST, LEAD GUITARIST of a band called THE HONG KONG CAVALIERS, and the leader of a VIGILANTE GANG called TEAM BANZAI.

He is James Bond for geeks.

Wait. That's it. YOU ARE NOT A GEEK! That explains everything!

Too bad, it's your loss.

"Seal you with a curse,
as sharp as a knife.
Doomed is your soul
and damned is your life."
Lord John Whorfin

"All these moments will be lost, like tears in the rain. Time to die." Roy Batty

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[–] drolston 19 years ago

The reason the original poster doesn't like the movie is exactly why I love it. It is truly a cult classic (cult meaning a small group very outside the mainstream). Because it is a cult movie I, unfortunately, believe that the majority of people would be completely disinterested by this movie. I hate to make assumputions but I would guess that the poster tends to like more mainstream movies.

PS I used to watch this movie just about every month from when I was 5 years old up until 10 years old. It may be my favorite movie.

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[–] kitty-city 19 years ago

I like your tag line from Blade Runner. I assume you are a BR fan as well? Only people who watch the evening news and never ask what was left out would dislike BB, across the 8Th (what ever). I have the feeling I left something out?

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[–] NoGuff 19 years ago

This movie is the "Caddyshack" of Sci-Fi.

You may laugh at "Caddyshack," but the average person is missing at least half of the humor in it. Same with "Buckaroo Banzai."

Plus, it defies categorizing. It's a sci-fi comedy rock-n-roll action-adventure pulp comic book farse.

And don't feel confused that you are confused at being confused because some humor doesn't cross cultural lines (meaning; you may not get it, doesn't mean the movie is bad ..... MONKEY BOY!!!).

"Damn John Whorfin and the horse he rode in on."
- John Bigboote

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[–] FungusLord 19 years ago

This movie is comic sci fi pulp dry humored, odd humored gold. I love it. Oh god do I love it.

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[–] leibniz_blue 19 years ago

Exactly, it is a good movie! Movies are now just clitches....always been clitches, character developements, plots, and scripts just repeitition. Buckeroo Banzai should be given oodles of credit with creativity, originality and cleverness.

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[–] rmohan80 19 years ago

whoa...never imagined i'd get so many replies....i thought this post would quickly disappear into the archives of IMDB...

anyways, since so many of you are saying, it's good, i'll give it another shot and come back with my comments...

ps: the copy i watched was not exactly very good and the audio was pretty bad, so i'm assuming this movie depends quite a bit on dialogue and maybe was something that i missed!

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[–] peter-1700 19 years ago

I'm Australian & loved it - you've gotta love ANYTHING that's original & a bit bizzare these days.

This film was a fav of a mate & mine back in '85 - we'd watch it every Sunday night after a day at the pub..

Am I right in saying this was Ellen Barkins first film??

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[–] peter-1700 19 years ago

I agree - this film is a litmus test for people worth knowing. Small, narrow minds just don't get it and never will.

Their best bet is to stick to watching crap like MI3 and talk about how kewwwwllll all the explosions were.

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[–] supichoo 19 years ago

I'm with you on this, the ultimate test is Forbidden Zone.

The people commenting about whether or not you have to be american to get this flick just does not compute with me.

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[–] kitty-city 19 years ago

My skin started to crawl when supichoo mentioned Forbidden Zone. Somehow I can't viaualize these two movies on the same list. Does anyone remember a product called Screeming Yellow Zonkers? Lord Worfin got a box of them in his care package while at the hospital.

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[–] blammo_kaboom 19 years ago

they still make screaming yellow zonkers, in fact they sell them at the dollartree [a dollar store] right down the street for 99 cents a box.

it's basically a crackerjacks type food "product".

not too bad actually.

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[–] 19 years ago

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[–] NoGuff 19 years ago

Well, I never said anybody had to be American to like the film, I just said that they if they weren't American not to worry about being confused at it because some humor, in general, as a rule of thumb, doesn't cross cultural lines. And it is an odd movie in many ways.

"Pi-co-and-Se-pul-ve-da!"

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[–] Frankiegth_77 19 years ago

I saw this movie when it first came out and was like....What The Hell Is This???
Second Time seeing it: I GOT IT!!! and it was TERRIFIC!!!

Buckaroo Bonzai is an ULTIMATE CULT CLASSIC.....you should have this movie with you if you land on a deserted island.....especially if you like the '80's.... very, very '80's

It's "BIG BOOTAY"!!! "BIG BOOTAY"!!! by the way

1) you have an All Star Cast of actors.....all Terrific

2) Dr. Emilio Lezardo and "Big Bootay" are priceless, best acting ever by Lithgow...he's like my favorite character....

3) This movie outdoes all 3 of the latest Star Wars movies put together.....sorry, but it does....

4) Most movies in the 90's and '00's have been crap compared to this.
you can tell that they put excellent work into this......

5) The B-movie cheesiness just works so well with this movie, it needs to have it

6) This movie is up there as a Cult with "Rocky Horror", "Mad Max", Blade Runner, "Dune"...etc.

7) Ellen Barkin is "Hott" in this.....

8) I want the Soundtrack....nothing beats the music.....and the end march is just great with it.....I watch it all the way through, every time

I love all the "Dr. Lezardo" scenes from where he's giving himself electroshocks to arguing with "BIG BOOTAY"

Big Bootay might flick Lezardo off, but he shoots Bootay in the ship......so, Shut Up Monkey Boy.....

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[–] Mr-Fusion 19 years ago

Am I right in saying this was Ellen Barkins first film??

IMDb has her first credited role in Diner (1982)

"When Alexander saw the breadth of his domain, he wept for there were no more worlds to conquer."

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[–] 19 years ago

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[–] NoGuff 19 years ago

"If you were smarter..."

I LOVE IT!!

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[–] cuberule 19 years ago

Firstly, may I just say that "Buckaroo Banzai is interesting, fascinating, fun, unique. It's like no other movie ever made. That's why it's not in the IMDB bottom 100 you mealy-mouthed crotch pheasant. " may be my most favourite IMDB quote ever.

But seriously, this film is weird, twisted in soem ways, and definitely dated, but I love it.

It's BEAR good.

And who hasn't wanted to be a neurosurgeon/incredible scientist AND the frontman of a successful rock band?

Probably a few people.

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[–] hick_spacer 19 years ago

BB is an acquired taste I've found, or in the words of Dr Phil, "Either you get it, or you don't!"
Some people dont get any jokes that aren't bodily function, insult, injury or profanity related and never will.
Others don't "get" acute comic observations. It's all a matter of taste.

"Turn up on time, know your lines, do the job."
Sir Anthony Hopkins on the "secrets" of acting.

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[–] matt-hepler 19 years ago

I quoted Buckaroo in my senior yearbook, not knowing that Buckaroo himself was quoting someone else, i forget who.

"Where ever you go, there you are." Who said that? Besides Banzai.

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[–] eljayhalflife 19 years ago

I believe it's an Americanized version of a saying by Confucius: "Wheresoever you go, go with all your heart." I'm sure Dr. Banzai, being a very well-educated man, had read extensively of the great philosophers of the past, including Confucius.

On a more realistic note, I love this movie. Not everyone gets it, it's true, but those of us who do get it adore it.

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[–] shane-305 17 years ago

Apparently the quote is actually biblical.

http://www.figmentfly.com/bb/popculture4.html

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[–] CoffeeGoddess 19 years ago

You either get this movie or you don't. I believe the original poster is in the latter catagory.

I mean, how can you hate a movie where the villian is doing an Il Duce impression?

"Where are we going?"

"Planet 10!"

"When?"

"Real soon!"

I still laugh my backside off every time I see it.

The inner machinations of my mind are an enigma -- Patrick Star

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[–] opos1 19 years ago

YES! YES!

and misquoting phrases and song lyrics!! Perfect!! In that outrageous Italian accent!!

"Home, home is where you wear your hat...I feel so breakup, I want to go home!"

"Character is what we are in the dark"

"We return to Jersey..."

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[–] mathue 19 years ago

The reason it's not in the bottom 100 is because there are thousands of much worse movies out there. It's hardly an epic of writing and technical effects but that doesn't make it a bad movie. Devil Fish, 4 or 5 of the Sandy Frank Japanese import sci-fi films from the 70's, the blacksploitation flicks of the 70's (pick just about any MST3K'd movie). My goodness there are SO many FAR FAR FAR FAR more terrible films out there.

It has many flaws such as poor pacing, widely varying prop quality, rather over the top acting and the ever strong reek of the 80's, the 'New Jersey' locations that look like SOCAL. Even with these and many more it's nowhere near a bottom 100 film.

As for not coming from the 'states', I can see a few cultural aspects and brief jingoism that might not work. That being said I would expect that most anyone who is an English speaking WASP and actually went though the 80's one should get most of the allusions.

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