The Adventures of Buckaroo Banzai Across the 8th Dimension (1984)

Adventurer/surgeon/rock musician Buckaroo Banzai and his band of men, the Hong Kong Cavaliers, take on evil alien invaders from the 8th dimension.

Director:

W.D. Richter

Writer:

Earl Mac Rauch

Stars:

Peter Weller, John Lithgow, Ellen Barkin

5 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Peter Weller	...	Buckaroo Banzai
John Lithgow	...	Lord John Whorfin / Dr. Emilio Lizardo
Ellen Barkin	...	Penny Priddy
Jeff Goldblum	...	New Jersey
Christopher Lloyd	...	John Bigboote
Lewis Smith	...	Perfect Tommy
Rosalind Cash	...	John Emdall
Robert Ito	...	Professor Hikita
Pepe Serna	...	Reno Nevada
Ronald Lacey	...	President Widmark
Matt Clark	...	Secretary of Defense
Clancy Brown	...	Rawhide
William Traylor	...	General Catburd
Carl Lumbly	...	John Parker
Vincent Schiavelli	...	John O'Connor

Storyline

Neurosurgeon/Rock Star/Superhero Buckaroo has perfected the oscillation overthruster, which allows him to travel through solid matter by using the eighth dimension. The Red Lectroids from Planet 10 are after this device for their own evil ends, and it's up to Buckaroo and his band and crime-fighting team The Hong Kong Cavaliers to stop them.

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Plot Keywords:

creature | musician | alien | rocket car | motorcycle | 

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Taglines:

Expect the unexpected. He does.

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Genres:

Adventure | Comedy | Romance | Sci-Fi

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Certificate:

PG

Details

Official Sites:

MGM TV series support site

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

15 August 1984 (USA)

Also Known As:

The Adventures of Buckaroo Banzai

Filming Locations:

609 E. Channel Rd., Rustic Canyon, Pacific Palisades, Los Angeles, California, USA

Company Credits

Production Co:

Sherwood Productions

Technical Specs

Runtime:

103 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby (35 mm prints) 70 mm 6-Track (70 mm prints)

Color:

Color (Metrocolor)

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

The kanji lettering on Buckaroo Banzai's headband as he drives the jet car reads "seikatsu-bi", which appears to be Japanese, but does not make sense. The first two kanji mean living or lifestyle, but the second character, "bi" (not "bei" as has been reported elsewhere) or beautiful, does not add up to coherent Japanese. It seems to suggest the "beautiful life" but these 3 kanji together do not have a particular meaning in Japanese.

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Goofs

During Buckaroo's guitar solo at the night club, he steps over next to the two saxophone players. As they sway together, the camera cuts to a tighter shot of the two sax players. On the left Buckaroo swings his guitar around behind his back (the guitar body visible over his shoulder) getting ready to grab his trumpet, while his solo riffs continue for another five seconds.

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Quotes

Scooter Lindley: [pointing an assault rifle at McKinley] Get away from that car or I'll drink your blood!
SOD McKinley: [nervously] What'cha got there, son? That's not... real, is it?
[Scooter turns, fires a shot in the air, and turns back to McKinley]
Scooter Lindley: Get 'em up!

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Crazy Credits

During the closing credits, Buckaroo's team assembles, one by one, walking along. Included in the group is Clancy Brown, whose character, Rawhide, dies during the film. (There is a claim that his character is not dead but in a coma under constant supervision and that was simply never dealt with in the film.) Also in the Closing Credits, Perfect Tommy's (played by Lewis Smith) outfit changes

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Connections

References Mr. Wizard (1951)

User Reviews

I had forgotten how good this was!

What a great way to start the New Year! I just watched this flick for the first time in ages and remember now why I agree that it is a "cult classic"!

Made in 1984 way before most of the actors achieved real star status, this movie has so many "inside" references and jokes, it's a wonder that more isn't made of it! And if you are a real Star Trek fan, you will know that Yoyodyne Propulsion is on the commissioning plaque for the Enterprise as well as other Star Fleet vessels. The references to Grover's Mill and Orson Wells along with the whole deadpan tone of the film makes this an unbelievably funny experience. I only wish that "Buckaroo Banzai versus The World Crime League" had been produced.

Peter Weller, Jeff Goldblum, John Lithgow, Ellen Barkin, Dan Hedaya, the entire cast must have had a great time making this movie. It is full of technojargon, double speak and just plain funny stuff that pokes fun at every bad B-movie scifi thriller/comic book/Saturday serial ever made. There is no bad language and no skin and lots to hear and see in this great movie!

It has one redeeming quality above all else for me... it makes the effects on Mighty Morphin Power Rangers and all of those other poor excuses for Saturday kid's entertainment look ridiculous. If the producers of this crap on TV that passes for action need some pointers on how to take useless stuff and make a cool, funny scifi flick, they need look no further that "The Adventures of Buckaroo Banzai Across the Eight Dimension"!