Big Top Pee-wee | | Cast : | Paul Reubens | | Director : | Randal Kleiser | | Studio : | Paramount Home Video | | Format : | Color, Closed-captioned, Widescreen, Dolby | | Released Date : | July 22, 1988 | | DVD Released Date : | August 09, 2005 | | Language : | English (Dubbed), French (Dubbed) | | Audience Rating : | PG (Parental Guidance Suggested) | | | BUY THIS DVD FROM AMAZON |
Customer Reviews
| Rating |  | | Date | November 16, 2004 | | Summary | Watch Pee Wee's Big Adventure instead | Content
 | I remember watching this when it first came out and I was around 12 or 13. It was crummy then and it's crummy now. I've read some of Paul Reuben's interviews and even HE said he wasn't too happy with it. Pee Wee's Big Adventure is leaps and bounds better than Big Top |
| Rating | | | Date | November 12, 2004 | | Summary | Something you may not know about Pee-Wee's movies | Content
| Let's put it in context. Paul Reubens' original grand scheme was to create a series of five movies, with Pee-Wee Herman growing up a bit more in each film.
"Pee-Wee's Big Adventure" (1985) portrayed Pee-Wee as an innocent kid, more interested in bikes than girls. His "romance" with Dotti was akin to an elementary school crush.
"Pee-Wee's Playhouse" (1986) was a TV adaptation of the Pee-Wee from the first movie.
"Big Top Pee-Wee" (1988) was the second installment of the big-screen series. This Pee-Wee was like a teenager, still filled with youthful hope and wonder, but keenly interested in girls. He'd given up bikes and toys for more sophisticated interests, like botany. And did you know that this movie contains the longest on-screen kiss in cinema history? It's true!
Now--- we can only wonder at the next three stages of Pee-Wee's cinematic development. Believe me, I've stayed up nights pondering this stuff--- Pee-Wee in college? Pee-Wee in the workplace??? Pee-Wee as a swinging bachelor?! The possibilities are endlessly hilarious and I wish Paul Reubens had been able to complete his progressive installments of Pee-Wee's life.
Paul Reubens does have a script prepared for "The Pee-Wee Herman Story," all about the rise and fall of Pee-Wee as an entertainer. I hope some studio somewhere has the innovative foresight to produce this feature. I'm sure it would be absolutely brilliant.
Paul Reubens is one of the greatest comic actors living today. He's an absolute genius of humorous character study. If I were King of the World, or the snotty heir of some wealthy family, I would gladly give him endless funding to complete his projects. I love everything he's done, including "Big Top Pee-Wee", and I've seen "Big Adventure" so many times that I've memorized most of the dialogue.
So please, have an open mind when you see "Big Top Pee-Wee". He's not Peter Pan, you know--- like all of us, Pee-Wee eventually grows up. This film is great fun! |
| Rating | | | Date | November 09, 2004 | | Summary | Le gasp | Content
| I rented this movie thinking it would be as good as Big Adventure. I was sadly mistaken. The energy of this movie was WAY off. The material...eh, it could have been worked with. And I don't mean that Tim Burton is the only one who could've saved it, I just think it was undeveloped. The pace was too slow, and some parts of it just were NOT relevant to the plot (WHAT PLOT???) I've spent the last week crtiqueing this movie in my head in my spare time. Don't get me wrong, I'm not some kind of a weirdo, I just think it has major potential, but it was taken in the wrong direction.
Now the whole...PW romance issue. No joke, my first reaction-I got sick to my stomach. I REALLY thought I might lose my dinner. However, I think if it had been reworked into a more...mischieviously childlike romance, it could have been really charming. I did enjoy the "I lo...lo...LOVE YOU!" scene, and just, the satisfied embarrassed look on his face as he walked away...yeah. That's how the whole thing should've been. Like when two 2nd graders decide they should "get married" and all the boy once to do is see what it's like to kiss a girl. Instead it came off as...well gross. And WAY to serious. No way was this family oriented. I almost wish i could direct this, I have so many ideas. But yeah, it's not really worth the view, unfortunately unless you want to see how well Pee-wee can kiss. I mean, he's not bad actually... |
| Rating | | | Date | September 27, 2004 | | Summary | Give Him A Beak! This Is A GOOD Movie!! | Content
| Too many people have rated this movie poorly, because of the whole thing that happened in the theater with Paul Reubens. GROW UP PEOPLE! Trace back the history of the character of Pee Wee Herman and you'll be surprised what you'll find. The character from the TV show is NOT how the original character was. He was an adult comedian, under the same character name! In fact, if you don't believe me, rent "Cheech and Chong's First Movie", and you'll see him in there, telling some of his adult jokes and even flipping off Cheech and Chong. So give it up, it's over with, rate this movie for what it is, just a movie. Let the past go.
I'd say all in all this is a descent film. Some funny parts. A cool love story. All in set with the circus back ground. I give it 5 stars proudly! |
| Rating | | | Date | July 14, 2004 | | Summary | GROW-UP! Pee-Wee is a comedian, not BARNEY | Content
| This isn't a 5-star movie but since everybody else is giving it 1 star I feel I need to balance out the overall rating. This movie is pretty funny. Pee-Wee's Big Adventure wasn't funny at all, it was just amusing. Okay the escaped prisoner guy was funny but that's about it. Besides, Tim Burton is WAY overrated. Just look what that fool did to BATMAN and PLANET OF THE APES. When I was growing up, BATMAN and PLANET OF THE APES were the coolest things ever. Tim Burton ruined them with his silly movies. Pee-Wee's Big Adventure was supposed to be silly so I guess it's okay, but it still wasn't funny. All the jokes were recycled from Pee-Wee's stand-up routine of the previous 5 years. Maybe they were new to little kids but I'd heard them all before I saw the movie. BigTop at least has new jokes. COME ON, don't tell me you didn't laugh at the HOT DOG TREE. Sure, if you're 8 (or have the mentality of an 8 year old) you won't get the more subtle humor of Big Top, preferring the over-the-top gags like Large Marge. Go watch that lousy Beetlejuice movie if that's your idea of humor. |
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