The Adventures of Buckaroo Banzai Across the 8th Dimension

Buckaroo Banzai is born of an American mother and a Japanese father. He is a neuro surgeon, an explorer, a gifted fighter, inter galatic hero and even has a comic book series named after him. After he teleports through a mountain he finds evil, twisted aliens are set on evil dealings. They have a plan that will see them steal his device and his girl, murder people and maybe even destroy the world as we know it. Filled with daring do, Buckeroo Bonzai delivers the goods with skills and thrills galore.

What can I say about this? It was released at a time when cinema in America found itself focused on the blockbuster and the visual effect. This came along at the time the orignal Ghostbusters and Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom were hitting are screens. Ladened with both great effects and sharp dialogue, they both smashed the records at the box office. Deservedly for Ghostbusters and far less so for Indy 2. They also wanted too add texture to blockbusters that had started to head toward the empty headed and shallow. Buckaroo Banzai it seemed to me, was if anything headed in the opposite direction. It is also a film that has an abundent supply of special effects, great set pieces and vast moments of strange reality. It uses these to unburden some of the more desired elements of film audiences. Story and characters would be the prinicpal point. Both are utterly absent from the film and almost have been intentionally removed, replaced with a bucket load of people to be side kicks and bullet fodder. Buckaroo Banzai also adds some other things to distract the audience. Like action which is almost always haphazard and dull. Blasts that dont kick. Bangs slip by without a care. We then have some romance, which is sterile with the same grace as a surgeon.

This reflects the complete and utter absence of logic within a script that is bananas. I would usually love this in a film of my childhood but here I have to say I absoultely do not get it. When things were changing in the field of blockbusters and the content became more adult, why do people celebrate this utter turkey? Cult cinema is a fine thing. It has made people aware of some awesome films that define why films should be made outside the studio system. This defines why a film should be buried. The only redeeming factor of this film is the wonderful work done by Arrow. The additional content which is listed below, makes the film just slightly better than it should be considered. I did not get it and have to say that I guess some of you will....

High Definition Digital transfer of the film from original elements by MGM
5.1 DTS-HD Master Audio
Optional English subtitles for the deaf and hard of hearing
Audio commentary with writer-director W.D. Richter and Reno (writer Earl Mac Rauch)
Q&A with stars Peter Weller and John Lithgow moderated by filmmaker Kevin Smith, filmed at Lincoln Center, New York
Buckaroo Banzai Declassified - An original featurette on the making of the film featuring W.D. Richter, stars Peter Weller, Ellen Barkin, John Lithgow and more!
Visual essay by critic and author Matt Zoller Seitz
Alternate opening featuring Jamie Lee Curtis
Closing sequence
Deleted scenes, featuring fourteen scenes from the workprint
New Jet Car Trailer and Teaser Trailer
Gallery
Trivia track by Pinky Carruthers
Reversible sleeve featuring original and newly commissioned artwork by Matthew Griffin
Booklet featuring new writing on the film by critic James Oliver, illustrated with original stills