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

Director:

W.D. Richter

Writer:

Earl Mac Rauch

Release Date:

15 August 1984 (USA)

Genre:

Adventure | Comedy | Romance | Sci-Fi

Tagline:

Beings from Another Dimension have invaded your world.

Plot:

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

Plot Keywords:

Alien | Creature | Musician | Bell 407 Helicopter | Flashback

Awards:

5 nominations

Cast

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
Dan Hedaya	...	John Gomez
Mariclare Costello	...	Senator Cunningham
Bill Henderson	...	Casper Lindley
Damon Hines	...	Scooter Lindley
Billy Vera	...	Pinky Carruthers
Laura Harrington	...	Mrs. Johnson
Michael Santoro	...	Billy Travers
Jonathan Banks	...	Lizardo Hospital Guard
Robert Gray	...	Radar Blazer
Gary Bisig	...	Radar Blazer
Kent Perkins	...	Mission Control
John Ashton	...	Highway Patrolman (as John David Ashton)
Kenneth Magee	...	Duck Hunter Burt
James Keane	...	Duck Hunter Bubba
Yakov Smirnoff	...	National Security Advisor
Leonard Gaines	...	Artie Duncan
Francine Lembi	...	TV Anchorwoman
John Walter Davis	...	Star Surgeon
Read Morgan	...	Exhibitor
James Rosin	...	John Yaya
Raye Birk	...	Reporter
Jane Marla Robbins	...	Reporter
Kevin Rodney Sullivan	...	John Gant (as Kevin Sullivan)
Jessie Lawrence Ferguson	...	Black Lectroid Commander
Radford Polinsky	...	Marine Lt.
Sam Minsky	...	Kolodny Brother
Robert Hummer	...	Kolodny Brother
Gerald Peterson	...	Rug Sucker
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Jamie Lee Curtis	...	Sandra Banzai - Buckaroo's Mother (scenes deleted)
James Saito	...	Masado Banzai, Buckaroo's Father (scenes deleted)
Matthew Earnest	...	Drunk niteclub patron (uncredited)
Michele Hess	...	(uncredited)
Greg Mires	...	Young Buckaroo (uncredited)
Matthew Mires	...	Young Buckaroo (uncredited)

Directed by
W.D. Richter

Writing credits (in alphabetical order)
Earl Mac Rauch

Produced by
Sidney Beckerman	....	executive producer
Neil Canton	....	producer
Dennis E. Jones	....	associate producer (as Dennis Jones)
W.D. Richter	....	producer

Original Music by
Michael Boddicker

Cinematography by
Fred J. Koenekamp		(director of photography)

Film Editing by
George Bowers
Richard Marks

Casting by
Terry Liebling

Production Design by
J. Michael Riva

Art Direction by
Rick Carter		(as Richard Carter)
Stephen Dane

Set Decoration by
Linda DeScenna

Costume Design by
Aggie Guerard Rodgers		(as Aggie Guerrard Rodgers)

Makeup Department
Bari Dreiband-Burman	....	makeup supervisor (as Bari Dreiband)
Stephen Robinette	....	hair stylist
Steve LaPorte	....	special makeup effects artist (uncredited)
Tom Woodruff Jr.	....	special makeup effects artist (uncredited)

Production Management
Dennis E. Jones	....	unit production manager (as Dennis Jones)
Michael G. Nathanson	....	executive in charge of production

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Gary Daigler	....	first assistant director
Bryan Denegal	....	dga trainee
Katterli Frauenfelder	....	second assistant director (as Katterli A. Frauenfelder)

Art Department
Tom Cranham	....	production illustrator
Sherman Labby	....	production illustrator
Erik L. Nelson	....	property master (as Erik Nelson)
David P. Newell	....	assistant property master (as David Newell)
Virginia L. Randolph	....	set designer (as Virginia Randolph)
Tom Southwell	....	production illustrator
Mark Sparks	....	propmaker
George Stokes	....	construction coordinator
John Alvin	....	poster artist (uncredited)
Glenn Forbes	....	set dresser (uncredited)
Scott L. London	....	set dresser (uncredited)

Sound Department
David E. Campbell	....	sound re-recording mixer
Doreen A. Dixon	....	adr editor
Gordon Ecker	....	supervising sound editor (as Gordon Ecker Jr.)
Michael Evje	....	production sound mixer
Alfred T. Ferrante	....	sound recordist
Alan Howarth	....	special synthesized sound effects
Bones Howe	....	sound designer
James M. McCann	....	boom operator (as Jim McCann)
Anthony Milch	....	supervising sound editor
John T. Reitz	....	sound re-recording mixer
John Roesch	....	foley artist
Joan Rowe	....	foley artist
Gregg Rudloff	....	sound re-recording mixer (as Gregg C. Rudloff)
Arne Schulze	....	special synthesized sound effects: Bodifications
Marvin Walowitz	....	sound editor (uncredited)
Richard E. Yawn	....	sound effects recordist (uncredited)

Special Effects by
David Blitstein	....	special effects
Henry Millar	....	special effects
Doug Hubbard	....	special effects (uncredited)

Visual Effects by
Mike Beard	....	SEM photography: Greenlite
Scott Beattie	....	motion control assistant: DQI
James Belohovek	....	animator: VCE
Beverly Bernacki	....	optical effects: VCE
Michael Bigelow	....	motion control animator: DQI
Layne Bourgoyne	....	animator: VCE
Steve Burg	....	animator: VCE (as Stephen Burg)
Glenn Campbell	....	matte cameraman: DQI
Chris Casady	....	additional effects animator
Colette Emanuel	....	optical effects: VCE
Michael L. Fink	....	special visual effects supervisor (as Michael Fink)
Linda Fleisher	....	visual effects coordinator (as Linda Fleischer)
Mark Freund	....	optical cameraman: DQI
Rocco Gioffre	....	matte artist: DQI
Ron Gress	....	modelmaker
Steve Grumette	....	computer video consultant (as Stephen Grummette)
Eric Guaglione	....	motion control assistant: DQI
James Hagedorn	....	optical effects: VCE
David R. Hardberger	....	motion control technician: DQI (as David Hardberger)
William L. Hayward	....	effects photography: Greenlite
Rick Heinrichs	....	stop motion animator: Greenlite
Judith Herman	....	computer graphics consultant
Thomas Hollister	....	motion control technician: DQI
Michael Hosch	....	modelmaker (as Mike Hosch)
Fred Iguchi	....	motion control technician: DQI
Gregory Jein	....	miniatures construction
Christopher Keith	....	composite photography: Greenlite (as Christopher L. Keith)
Peter Kuran	....	effects supervisor: VCE
Robin Dean Leyden	....	electronics design
Thomas R. Polizzi	....	effects manager: Greenlite
William Reilly	....	motion control technician: DQI
R.J. Robertson	....	animator: VCE
John Scheele	....	effects supervisor: Greenlite
Dennis Schultz	....	modelmaker (as Dennis M. Schultz)
David Schwartz	....	modelmaker
Keith Shartle	....	production coordinator: DQI
Scott Squires	....	motion control supervisor: DQI
Mark Stetson	....	miniatures supervisor
Rick Taylor	....	animator: VCE
Rick Thompson	....	electronic effects and props (as Richard L. Thompson)
John T. Van Vliet	....	effects animation and design: Greenlite (as John Van Vliet)
Robert Wilcox	....	video engineering consultant
Hoyt Yeatman	....	motion control supervisor: DQI
Jacqueline Zietlow	....	administrator: VCE
Dennis Dorney	....	optical effects (uncredited)
Leslie Ekker	....	model maker (uncredited)

Stunts
M. James Arnett	....	stunt coordinator
Chuck Cooper	....	stunts
Mike De Luna	....	stunts (as Mike Deluna)
Justin De Rosa	....	stunts (as Justin Derosa)
Tommy J. Huff	....	stunts (as Tom Huff)
Gary Hymes	....	stunts
Alan Oliney	....	stunts (as Alan Olney)
Mic Rodgers	....	stunts (as Mic Rogers)
Michael Runyard	....	stunts
Jerry Segal	....	stunts
Frank James Sparks	....	stunts (as Frank Sparks)
Rick Avery	....	stunt pilot (uncredited)
Richard Epper	....	stunts (uncredited)

Camera and Electrical Department
Billy Clevenger	....	second assistant camera (as William G. Clevenger)
Bruce McBroom	....	still photographer
Edward Morey III	....	camera operator
John Murray	....	key grip (as John J. Murray)
Sal Orefice	....	gaffer (as Salvatore Orefice)
Tony Rivetti	....	first assistant camera
Wayne Baker	....	aerial assistant camera (uncredited)
Dave Friedman	....	still photographer (uncredited)
Stephen St. John	....	Steadicam operator (uncredited)
Ron Veto	....	grip: second unit (uncredited)

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Linda Henrikson	....	costumer
Eddie Marks	....	costume supervisor
Radford Polinsky	....	costumer

Editorial Department
Cheryl Bloch	....	assistant editor
John Bracken	....	assistant editor
Larry Fallick	....	apprentice editor
Jane Schwartz Jaffe	....	first assistant editor
Brian Ralph	....	negative cutter

Music Department
Bones Howe	....	music supervisor
Kenneth Karman	....	music editor
Alexandra Leviloff	....	assistant music editor
John Vigran	....	electronic music recording supervisor
George Doering	....	musician (uncredited)

Transportation Department
Gary Hellerstein	....	transportation coordinator (as Gary M. Hellerstein)
Steve Hellerstein	....	transportation captain
Craig Lietzke	....	production driver

Other crew
Selma Brown	....	production accountant: Zeiderman, Oberman & Associates
Chris Collins	....	physical consultant: Mr. Weller
Dena Fischer	....	production assistant
Wayne Fitzgerald	....	title designer
David Gross	....	production intern
Mark Homer	....	production intern
Dan Lupovitz	....	assistant: Mr. Canton and Mr. Richter
Michael Neale	....	location manager
H. Bud Otto	....	script supervisor
Judi Rosner	....	production coordinator
Kathryn Newbrough Sommer	....	assistant: Mr. Beckerman
Robert Michael Steloff	....	production assistant (as Robert Steloff)
Roberto Terminelli	....	dialect coach: John Lithgow
Anne Thompson	....	unit publicist
Dan Roth	....	adr voice (uncredited)
Charles A. Tamburro	....	aerial coordinator/pilot (uncredited)
Dennis Tracy	....	stand-in: Clancy Brown (uncredited)

Production Companies

• Sherwood Productions

Distributors

• Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation (1984) (USA) (theatrical)
• Image Entertainment (1985) (USA) (video) (laserdisc)
• Vestron Video (1985) (USA) (VHS)
• MGM/UA Home Entertainment (2001) (USA) (VHS)
• MGM/UA Home Entertainment (2004) (USA) (DVD)
• Chapel Distribution (1997) (Australia) (theatrical)
• Cannon Screen Entertainment (1987) (UK) (VHS)

Special Effects

• Burman Studio, The (special make-up design)
• Dream Quest Images (motion control photography and matte paintings)
• Visual Concept Engineering (VCE) (animated visual effects) (as VCE, Inc.)
• Greenlite Inc. (8th dimension sequence)
• Available Light (uncredited)

Other Companies

• Bodifications Inc.  special synthesized sound effects (as Bodifications)
• Zeiderman, Oberman & Associates Inc.  production accounting (as Zeiderman, Oberman & Associates)
• Thrust Racing  jet car manufacturer
• Modern Film Effects  opticals
• Compact Sound Services  re-recording sound services
• The Record Plant  electronic music recording
• B.F. Goodrich Co.  special thanks (as Goodrich Tire & Rubber Co.)
• Monroe Shock Absorbers  special thanks
• Ford Motor Company  special thanks

Also Known As:

"The Adventures of Buckaroo Banzai" - USA (short title)
"The Adventures of Buckaroo Banzai Across the Eighth Dimension" - USA (DVD title)

Runtime:

103 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Metrocolor)

Aspect Ratio:

2.20 : 1

Sound Mix:

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

Certification:

Iceland:12 | Portugal:M/12 | UK:12 | Australia:PG | Finland:K-12 | Norway:15 | USA:PG | Singapore:PG | Germany:16

Filming Locations:

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

Company:

Sherwood Productions

Trivia:

Between his escape from the insane asylum and his ransom call, the movie's main villain, John Worfin, is not seen for more than 42 straight minutes - over 40% of the film's runtime.

Goofs:

Continuity: When Secretary of Defense McKinley tries to bribe Blue Blazer Irregular Scooter Lindley with a 20 dollar bill, he is distracted by Perfect Tommy and Scooter snatches it out of his hand. In the wide shot following that close up you can still see the 20 dollar bill in McKinley's right hand.

Quotes:

John Bigboote:John O'Connor, break the window!
John O'Connor:Why me, John Bigboote?
John Bigboote:It might be booby-trapped!
John O'Connor:Oh.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in The Matrix Reloaded (2003)

A witty yet dry 'british stylized' comedy

If you like The Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy or Red Dwarf, chances are you'll enjoy Buckaroo Bonzai. It is full of subtle/dry humor and has an overall upbeat mood. The subtly dry humor is found in the background audio as well as the odds and ends that find their way into the set decor and dialog. These offer a nice array of silliness to punctuate the story with their own unique twists of humor.

The cast is definitely All Star! Peter Weller (Robocop), John Lithgow (Third Rock from the Sun), Robert Ito (Quincy MD), Clancy Brown (Highlander), Ellen Barkin (Wild Bill), and Christopher Lloyd (Back to the Future) all have fun and amusing roles. Even the minor roles are covered well by perhaps lesser known yet veteran cast members such as Rosalind Cash and Matt Clark.

If you're a fan of British humor, you should definitely enjoy this one, even though it may take more than one viewing to catch all the subtleties. If you haven't been exposed to this style of humor, this certainly isn't a bad place to start! If, on the other hand, this style of humor is not what you enjoy, it may not be the one for you. For everyone else, kick back and enjoy! If it weren't a bit of a cult classic, I doubt it would be available on DVD. I give it a 7 out of 10 since it may not be for everyone. Personally, I rate it a notch higher.