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Collection ID
1464
Director:
W.D. Richter
Starring:
Peter Weller, John Lithgow, Ellen Barkin, Jeff Goldblum, Christopher Lloyd
Genre:
Sci Fi, Fantasy, Adventure, Comedy
Studio:
Sherwood Productions
Release date:
1984
Rated:
PG
Language (Country):
English
(USA)
Summary:
Brain surgeon, rock musician, adventurer Buckaroo Banzai is a modern renaissance man and has made scientific history. Shifting the Oscillation Overthruster into warp speed, he's the first man to travel to the eighth dimension - and come back sane. But when his sworn enemy, the demented Dr. Emilio Lizardo, devises a plot to steal the device and bring an evil army back to destroy Earth, Buckaroo goes cranium to cranium with the madman in a battle that could spell doom for the universe. With the help of his uniquely qualified team, the Hong Kong Cavaliers, Buckaroo is ready to save the world on a moment's notice.
My Rating:
My Review: This is a cult movie. You either love it or you hate it. Well, color me luke-warm. I'm sitting in the middle. Starring: Peter Weller, John Lithgow, Ellen Barkin, Jeff Goldblum, Christopher Lloyd, Robert Ito, Vincent Schiavelli, Dan Hedaya, and many others. The cast was great, but the acting terrible. Everyone (except Peter Weller) overplayed their roles. The story was an unfathomable sci-fi tale where Buckaroo Banzai (Adopted by Japanese parents) is the head of a group of Rock-N-Roll superheros. He seems to be the head of some sort of super law enforcement agency (The Hong Kong Cavaliers). He's also a brain surgeon, rock star, particle physicist, samurai warrior and comic book hero? While he's experimenting with an oscillation overthruster, he breaks through the solid matter barrier and experiences the eighth dimension. That's when he discovers the presence of the Red Lectroids from planet 10. Living inside our Earth, and walking among us, they've been banished to Earth for some unspecified crimes (I think). Now they're after Buckaroo. They need the oscillation overthruster in order to escape from the Earth. When other Lectroids (from outer space), show up to help the Earthlings (help them destroy the Earth if they fail), it becomes a melee of mind boggling proportions. The movie flies along at break neck speed, and I couldn't really understand everything that was going on. There are lines that make no sense, and set ups that are missing their punch lines. The costumes, music and special effects were the worst I've seen, or heard, in many, many, years. The only redeeming feature of this movie was some of the lines. Extracted from the context of the film, they're quite humorous. "Sealed with a curse, as sharp as a knife. Doomed is your soul, and damned is your life." "Evil, pure and simple, from the eighth dimension." "Laugh-a while you can, Monkey boy." "Hey, hey, hey. Don't be mean. We don't have to be mean because, remember, no matter where you go, there you are." "Warning, warning, there are monkey boys loose in the facility." The intense parody, and great lines brought this movie up out of gutter. It's too bad the writers didn't take more time with the plot of this movie. 4 out of 5.
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