Customer Reviews

Big Top Pee Wee

5 star:		(19)
4 star:		(5)
3 star:		(5)
2 star:		(7)
1 star:		(11)

 

 

paul reubens character was one of the greatest comedic events of our time.. From the early variety show, to the playhouse, to the big adventure - pee wee could not lose.. I remember seeing big top pee wee in the theatre - and feeling very dissapointed with a movie that was just not very fun or interesting.. Whereas 'pee wee's big adventure' explored more of pee wees quirkiness (remember the scene with the tape in the bathroom) 'big top pee wee' tried to take the character move him to a different setting and make a sort of romantic comedy.. This is probably where it all falls apart.. pee wee should not be a romantic figure - he is the opposite.. he is best when he remains a sort of neuter or man child.. the second romance enters the picture.. pee wee loses all of his charm and comedy.. there are a few funny moments in big top pee wee but on the whole it falls flat.

Okay so it isn't as innocent and charming as Pee-Wee's Big Adventure but Big Top still has a place in my heart. The movie isn't really a sequel, it has none of the same characters as Big Adventure just Pee-Wee living the life of a farmer in a small town. The story depicts Pee-Wee as the town idiot in the eyes of all the other elderly citizens. With the help of a hot dog tree the story plays out and is sure to leave a smile on your face. May I also say the scene of Pee-Wee and Gina and the depiction of their actions with (fireworks, mud wrestling, and a train) may be one of the finest scenes of cinematogrophy ever* please do not watch this movie expecting the charm of Big Adventure, if you like Pee-Wee and a good comedy this may be worth a peek.

Granted, Big Top Pee Wee does not promise the type of guffaw humor we enjoyed in Pee-Wee's Big Adventure, but it is a really good movie. The humor is a bit more mature. This might be considered a weakness of the film on the surface. It is the immaturity of the humor that we loved so much in Big Adventure. However, having been of the target age when Big Adventure and subsequently Big Top came out, as I grew up, so did Pee-Wee.

My favorite is still the opening dream-sequence in which Pee-Wee is incognito, dressed as Abraham Lincoln to avoid his inexplicably large group of post-adolescent female fans who are waiting for him outside of the venue in which he performed his trapeze act. One fan, unaffected by the fact that a man who had been dead for almost a hundred years at that point, breathlessly asks for "Lincoln's" autograph, professing "I'm such a big fan!" Pee-Wee's phony Lincoln beard is then ripped off and the girls shriek with delight and chase after him.

This opening sequence, though not the only highlight of this campy delight, truly captures the essence of Pee-Wee humor. It is above all bizarre. But the uniqueness of Pee-Wee's world is its ability to transcend time, dimension, and most of all, logic. This was true in Pee-Wee's Playhouse and Big Adventure, but I think Big Top captures this most.

The common dream sequence as an opening scene to each movie sets the tone for each movie. When comparing the two, the dream sequence that opens Big Adventure pales in comparison. Big Top maintains the surrealistic tone of the Lincoln scene throughout the film. The circus owner's wife, Midge Montana is just a few inches tall. Innuendoes between her and her husband set the imagination free. Pee-Wee's compulsively keeps lunch date records in his personal organizer, despite the fact that he has lunch at the same time with the neurotic girlfriend. Pee-Wee's inexplicable agricultural genius made for one of the most enduring images of my childhood-the hotdog tree. This is really funny stuff.

The movie is not without its faults, of course. Most of them are found in the somewhat schlocky romance between Pee-Wee and the female acrobat. I also didn't care for the ending, where Pee-Wee solves the circus' financial crisis by turning all of the grumpy towns people into children. It sort of gives off a creepy Cocoon-like feeling, which I didn't particularly appreciate as an end-note.

But otherwise, I hold this movie dear. Almost as dear as his first movie, but in movies we rarely see a sequel (of sorts) outshine the original.

I don't like to say it as a major Pee Wee fan, but this movie can get as low as the ground Pee Wee walks on. It has too much kissing, and even though it starts out all right, it starts to get weird and boring. The tricks are not at all mysterious, and I have come to expect a lot more from Pee Wee. It has a couple tiny laughs, but they don't last long. I don't think this movie was one fifth as good as the other, 'Pee Wee's Big Adventure'.

The setting for the story is in a small western town apparently in the middle of no where. Pee-wee is engaged to a beautiful school teacher by the name of Winnie. One day a tornado hits the town. When Pee-wee comes out of his house he finds a circus has landed in his front yard. Being the kind fellow that Pee-wee usually is, he invites them to stay. One of the main problems with this movie is that all the characters are so flat, boring, and unoriginal that you just want to drop a nuke to kill the whole bunch of them. Although Pee-wee does a fairly good job at acting in this movie, the director is unaware of Pee-wee's weaknesses and puts him in situations that stretch his limits to far. Pee-wee is supposed to be childish and lovable. However in this movie his hormones are raging and he cheats on his fiance. The worst part of this movie is by far the ending. Montana (the circus master) states that he has come up with a new idea for the circus that will shock the world with its innovative and cutting edge design. His new idea is to replace the circus with a spicy little number he calls the American Farm Circus. This "great" idea turns out to be one of the lamest scenes ever to come out of Hollywood. This movie is worse than bad. It is in the range of "Leprauchan 4: in space" and "Dune." I would strongly recommend not renting this movie. However, if you ignore my advice then may god have mercy on your soul.

Incredibly bad follow-up to the classic Pee-wee's Big Adventure is unfunny and bizarre. Randal Kleiser, the director of such films of Grease and The Blue Lagoon, flubs up Pee-wee's second and ultimately last feature. The movie starts off OK, with Pee-wee hamming it up as a Frank Sinatraesque crooner but then goes down hill from there. Movie somewhat redeems itself with the longest screen kiss in movie history but then finally hits rock bottom. The ending is horrible, and leaves a feeling of insecurity and confusion. When I first got this movie, I was expecting a funny movie, what I got was an overly bland mess of a movie. It still is interesting to watch but doesn't leave a feeling of satisfaction. When Pee-wee's room isn't even a little bit unique, you know there's something wrong.

I'm sorry if I might sound like an unloyal Pee-Wee fan, but all I can say is that if you loved "Pee-Wee's Big Adventure", then you will probably hate "Big Top Pee-Wee". While watching the movie, I was extremely disappointed. Like for example the fact that Pee-Wee has this hyper-active libido. He's supposed to be child-like, and immature. Not sex-crazed! Plus I think I laughed like twice during the movie, as opposed to being doubled over in laughter every time I watch "Big Adventure". There was also a sloppy finish, and not to mention the non-existent climax! Anyway, you can watch this film if you want, but be prepare to write a review like this one afterwards.

Come on! This movie isn't as bad as all that! What about the egg salad part?! That's hillarious! This movie is excellent, and I would buy the video in a second, but I'm holding out for a dvd version, with special features akin to the Big Adventure dvd. Paul Reubens is amazingly funny!

What else can I say. Pee-Wee rules. Great animals, great actors, great Pee-Wee comedy. Order it from a highly rated reseller or Amazon and you will not be disappointed.

Movie arrived in timely fashion and in good condition. Thanks
I was very happy to find this film and it's sequal they made great gifts.