Pee Wee's Big Adventure

Someone very dear to me advised me to watch Pee Wee’s Big Adventure, released in 1985.

I had watched some scenes of it and was dubious, but in the end that’s what this project is about: watching things I would not necessarily have picked. The movie was directed by Tim Burton, and I got to admit, I was not disappointed.

This is a movie for kids: Pee-wee loves his bike more than anything else in the world and refuses to sell it to his obnoxious neighbor Francis. But the bike is stolen, and Pee-wee visit a psychic who tells him his bike is in the basement of the Alamo in San Antonio, Texas. After realizing that this is a joke, he keeps going on. His adventures will lead him to Hollywood, where he is reunited with his beloved bike and his friend Dottie, happily ever after.

The movie is a succession of short, humoristic scenes, some of them better than other. Having been in Texas recently, I particularly liked these ones, in reference to the pride of Texans for their history and culture:

Additional good scenes include:

1. With Dottie at the bike shop:

Pee-wee: There's a lotta things about me you don't know anything about, Dottie. Things you wouldn't understand. Things you couldn't understand. Things you shouldn't understand. Dottie: I don't understand.

Pee-wee: You don't wanna get mixed up with a guy like me. I'm a loner, Dottie. A rebel. So long, Dott

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mKLizztikRk

2. When trying to get the truth out of Francis, who is taking a bath: Go ahead and scream your head off! We're miles from where anyone can hear you! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WuQDYOrh5wM

All in all, a good moment, once you get over the extremely annoying voice of Pee Wee (played by Paul Reubens). Oh, and way too much make-up on this guy, it doesn’t look natural. Granted, it is probably meant to be so, but that really bothered me. I am not saying it is the best movie of all times, but it is worth taking the time. I liked it.