Pee-wee's Big Adventure (1985)

When eccentric man-child Pee-Wee Herman gets his beloved bike stolen in broad daylight, he sets out across the U.S. on the adventure of his life.

Director:

Tim Burton

Writers:

Phil Hartman, Paul Reubens,

Stars:

Paul Reubens, Elizabeth Daily, Mark Holton

2 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Paul Reubens	...	Pee-wee Herman (as Pee-wee Herman)
Elizabeth Daily	...	Dottie
Mark Holton	...	Francis Buxton
Diane Salinger	...	Simone
Judd Omen	...	Mickey
Irving Hellman	...	Mr. Crowtray
Monte Landis	...	Mario
Damon Martin	...	Chip
David Glasser	...	BMX Kid
Gregory Brown	...	BMX Kid
Mark Everett	...	BMX Kid
Daryl Keith Roach	...	Chuck (as Daryl Roach)
Bill Cable	...	Policeman #1
Peter Looney	...	Policeman #2
Starletta DuPois	...	Sgt. Hunter

Storyline

The cartoonish and childish character Pee Wee Herman goes on a big adventure for the first time ever when his beloved shiny new bicycle is stolen by his nemesis Francis Buxton, a fellow man-child and neighborhood rich "kid." And he sets off on an obsessive cross-country journey, determined to recover it. Pee-wee's awkward and childish attempts to be cool and mature.

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Plot Keywords:

bicycle | fortune teller | alamo | man child | basement | 

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Taglines:

The story of a rebel and his bike.

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Genres:

Adventure | Comedy | Family | Fantasy

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Certificate:

PG

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

9 August 1985 (USA)

Also Known As:

A Grande Aventura de Pee Wee

Filming Locations:

1846 Oxley St., South Pasadena, California, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$6,000,000 (estimated)

Gross:

$40,900,000 (USA)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Warner Bros., Aspen Film Society

Technical Specs

Runtime:

90 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Professor Toru Tanaka:  Francis's butler.

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Goofs

When Pee-Wee is dropped off by Large Marge at the truck stop, folks at the diner there inform him that she was really dead. They point to a plaque with her picture saying she died that very night 10 years ago - January 11, 1974. The weather throughout the movie shows lots of green vegetation, and living plants, not the characteristics of January weather.

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Quotes

[first lines]
Pee-wee: Look out, Mister Potato Head!

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Connections

Spoofs Goldfinger (1964)

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Soundtracks

"BURN IN HELL"
Written by Dee Snider
Performed by Twisted Sister
Courtesy of Atlantic Recording Corp.
By Arrangement with Warner Special Products

User Reviews

Much more entertaining than Star Wars!

i'm appalled at the rating for this classic. what i gathered from the few negative nellies is that they were (a) not Pee Wee fans or (b) obsessive burton fans who think of this as one of his films, when really the comedy stylings of pee wee & phil hartman, both former groundlings, who are the heart and soul of this movie. i'm not saying burton didn't contribute, but that it was a collaboration between the three.

10/10