Pee Wee’s Big Adventure

Directed by Tim Burton
Music by Danny Elfman

Cast :
Paul Reubens
Elizabeth Daily
Mark Holton

“You don't want to get mixed up with a guy like me. I'm a loner, Dottie. A rebel.”

Pee Wee’s Big adventure was Tim Burton’s first full feature film, and he definitely found the right person to work with, the insanely funny Pee Wee Herman, played by Paul Reubens, the star of The Pee-Wee Herman Show. Reuben’s created the character himself when he was a member of The Groundlings, an improvisational comedy ensemble. Tim Burton and Paul Reuben’s really accomplish something special here and it shows; they both have a gift of a unique and all encompassing imagination of the weird and surreal.

Pee Wee lives in a magical and childlike world surrounded with toys and crazy inventions that fill his world with constant fun, the world of a child. He is essentially a child living in an adult’s body. And at the centre of his world is his most treasured possession – his bike. In Pee Wee’s life, nothing has a greater value than his beloved bicycle, which he lavishes all his attention on. This bike has caught the attention of everyone around him, including the obnoxious snobby Francis, who offers Pee Wee large amounts of money to have it himself.

One morning Pee Wee’s bike is stolen and is thrown into a “Big Adventure” which forces him for a time out of his safe existence into the real world, which involves meeting a host of wonderful and interesting characters who help him on his journey. The humour in this film never lets up, its wild, wacky and hilarious, but its real reward lies in showing the life of Pee Wee Herman, the unusual and fascinating existence of a someone who lives in a amazing place of innocence and youth, completely content in his personal vision without embarrassment. Even when faced with problems in the real world he manages to survive with his own bizarre personality.

On his travels he meets Simone, a waitress who has a dream of going to Paris and through meeting Pee Wee she eventually takes the necessary steps to make this dream come true. He meets an over exuberant tramp on the train, who sings songs with the extreme volume and ferocity of someone who has been drunk for several years. This dreadful singing eventually drives Pee Wee to jump off the train and land himself at the Alamo – where he meets a group of hells angels called “Satan’s Helpers” who he charms with his talented “Tequila Dance”.

He finally finds his bike at a Warner Brothers Studios, where he creates havoc after using it to escape security guards, dragging Godzilla and Santa Claus along with him. The chase ends with Pee Wee’s story being made into a cheesy movie starring James Brolin as the Hollywood version of Pee-Wee.

The movie has many moments that are recognizable as Tim Burton’s influence, including the scene with “big marg” who Pee Wee encounters whilst hitchhiking for a lift, Big Marg is a formidable ghost who scares the hell out of Pee Wee with her horrific face transformation. The music is by Danny Elfman and it was the first collaboration between Tim and Danny; the start of a flourishing partnership, which would follow with a succession of movies. The bright colours and retro style used throughout the film heighten the surreal and bizarre atmosphere mimicking the zaniest cartoon imaginable and not forgetting Pee Wee’s infectious laugh that dominates throughout, all in all a fantastic directorial debut by Tim Burton.