Pee-Wee's Big Adventure

by Brian.

Many of my friends think I like Pee-Wee's Big Adventure a bit too much. Just because I constantly find analogies, metaphors, and other forms of comparison between life and this film does not mean that I am unhealthy. The simple truth of the matter is that Pee-Wee's Big Adventure is a very fine film, destined to hold a place in history for many reasons:

This was Tim Burton's first film, and still one of his most enduring and individual. This was also Oingo Boingo Danny Elfman's first foray into film score. Paul Ruebens' character sparked a national craze, branching out to sequels, lunchboxes, and TV shows with talking chairs. On a somewhat smaller scale, I believe that this is also the first film in which studio guards, a rock star, Santa Clause, and Godzilla all participate in a chase at the same time.

In the years since Pee-Wee's fad ended and Paul Reubens' unfortunate arrest, it's become chic to diss the Pee-Wee. I however (as my friends will readily account) have always voiced my love for this film. I love this film because, and I'm willing to admit this freely, I've spent much of my adolescence modeling my Ideal lifestyle after Pee-Wee Herman. All laughing aside, I'd still love an elaborate Rube Goldberg device that makes me breakfast every morning, as I slide down a pole to quickly dress myself, watering my lawn with one of those Whippy Wally Waterin' Sprinklers; continual happiness stemming from an incredible pride of what I do for a living: Nothing. Pee-Wee had it made! The film starts with a dream of him winning the Tour de France, yet he wakes up into an even better dream of every childhood wish fulfilled. Who hasn't thought of putting their fish tank in the window, or having that pool-sized bathtub like Francis, or being best friends with a gag-store owner? In the end we all love Pee-Wee, we're just afraid to admit it.

The film itself, which is still fun after all these years, is a perfectly light Sauvignon Blanc of a film, never getting serious enough to bore. The film is filled with giant dinosaurs, ghostly truck-drivers, badass escaped cons that dare to tear the tag off of bed mattresses, and ox-sized brutes wearing red. The story, excellently scribed by Reubens and comic genius Phil Hartman, turns off of the highway of logic and realism, choosing to drive along that street where each house has Christmas lights all year long and the trees perfectly shield the driver from the problems of smog or rain. Hence instead of the bike-store owner we get Amazing Larry, the mohawked-wiseguy with something to share with all of us; and instead of the beautiful love interest we get Dottie, the girl who just wants to go to the drive-in.

Even though the cruelty of the real world momentarily invades Pee-Wee's aura of fantasy, his cheerfully childlike character sooner or later leads him back to happiness. We should all be so lucky

back.