Written by Reubens, Phil Hartman and Michael Varhol and directed by Burton, the film delivers something quite magical. The filmmakers create a zany and surreal world for Pee-wee yet it all seems perfectly natural and credible. Plus, it's all infused with a subdued yet rampant silliness that's enchanting. The film succeeds because it continually throws comic surprises at you. At one point, Pee-wee encounters a tough escaped convict who's been serving time for cutting off the do-not-remove-tags from pillows, and the con ends up having a soft spot for Pee-Wee. Later Pee-wee wins over a gang of bikers with his coolly nerdy dance to Tequila . Other moments of silly inspiration include Pee-wee walking in the middle of nowhere on a dark night and lighting a match to find himself surrounded by wild animals. These moments are wondrously funny because they are played just right and never milked.
Pee-Wee's Big Adventure is really a kiddie film for adults (although kids can enjoy it as well). Pee-wee is an impish, juvenile character that lives in a world governed by the less restrictive rules of the cartoon universe. Burton is the perfect man to bring that tweaked reality to life on screen. With his background in animation, Burton doesn't seem bound by reality. He endows the film with a bright primary color palette that makes images pop off the screen. He also displays a knack for wonderfully composed shots that make clever use of the environment, as in the scenes with the dinos. The film also marks the beginning of his collaboration with composer Danny Elfman. Elfman's score here contributes much of the humor by perfectly punctuating scenes for maximum effect.
Reubens as an actor completely disappears inside his comic creation. In the press materials for the film, Reubens is only listed as one of the writers and nowhere does it refer to him as an actor playing the character of Pee-wee. His Pee-wee is a great invention. He's a character that would seem incapable of functioning in the real world yet he manages not only to function but also to triumph. Reubens creates Pee-wee from a combination of existing comic icons: he takes a little of Harry Langdon's innocent childlike silent clown; then adds in a bit of Buster Keaton's ineptitude and mechanical ingenuity; throws in a little of Bugs Bunny's resilience and ability to always come out on top; and then caps it all with his geeky wit.
Pee-Wee's Big Adventure (rated PG) has lost none of its charms or quirky originality. It's also interesting to see as Burton's debut because it sets the tone and style that his career would take. There's even hints of Edward Scissorhands , one of my favorite Burton films, in the more innocent aspects of Pee-wee.
Companion viewing:
Big Top Pee-wee, Edward Scissorhands, Vincent, Frankenweenie, Buffy the Vampire Slayer
(the movie in which Paul Reubens appears but not as Pee-wee)
