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List Price: $14.98 | | Label: MGM (Video & DVD)
Salesrank: 2599
Released: January 1, 2002 |
| Our Price: $9.98 |
| Used Price: $6.72 |
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MPAA Rating: PG (Parental Guidance Suggested)
Media: DVD |
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Editorial Review:
"The very oddest good movie in many a full moon," Buckaroo Banzai combines "humor, imagination, a little oriental mysticism and a passel of sharp performances [into] very chic sci-fi" (Time)! Oscar(r) nominees* Peter Weller and John Lithgow team with Emmy(r) winners Ellen Barkin and Christopher Lloyd for a fiendishly clever, action-packed adventure in an outlandishworld you'll want to visit again and again! Brilliant brain surgeon Banzai (Weller) just made scientific history. Shifting his Oscillation Overthruster into warp speed, he's the first man ever to travel to the Eighth Dimension and come back sane! But when his sworn enemy, the demented Dr. Lizardo (Lithgow), devises a plot to steal the Overthruster and bring an evil army of aliens back todestroy Earth, Buckaroo goes cranium to cranium with the madman in an extra-dimensional battle thatcould result in total annihilation of the universe! *1993: Short Film/Live Action, Partners (Weller); 1983: Supporting Actor, Terms Of Endearment (Lithgow)
Description of The Adventures of Buckaroo Banzai Across the Eighth Dimension:
The Adventures of Buckaroo Banzai: Across the 8th Dimension is one of the most agreeably insane movies ever made. Peter Weller stars as Buckaroo, an acclaimed neurosurgeon, particle physicist, and, of course, rock star. He travels with the Hong Kong Cavaliers, a band of hard-rocking scientists who are also really good dressers. Buckaroo's interdimensional experiments with his Operation Overthruster throw him (and the Earth) straight into the middle of an alien war, and before you know it, he's got just a few hours to save the world. Confused? Hang on, we're only 10 minutes into the movie. Buckaroo Banzai hurls you right into the middle of its comic-book universe and keeps going at a breakneck pace. It's chock-full of overlapping jokes (even as we're trying to make sense of Dr. Lizardo's hospital room, a voice calmly announces that "lithium is no longer available on credit" over the PA system), hilarious throwaway dialogue ("You're like Jerry Lewis: you give me hope to carry on."), and weirdness just for the sheer joy of it ("Why is there a watermelon there?" "I'll tell you later."). You'll want to watch it at least twice--there's just no way to catch everything the first time around. Ellen Barkin has a terrific time doing a dead-on film noir moll parody as Penny Priddy, and John Lithgow turns in a brilliant manic performance as Dr. Lizardo/John Whorfin. There is no reason not to own this movie unless you are cold and dead inside. Laugh while you can, Monkey Boys. --Ali Davis
The Adventures of Buckaroo Banzai Across the Eighth Dimension Reviews:
Buckaroo Banzai Rules! 
2009-11-30 - Peter Weller (before Robocop) plays the lead character. This movie seems like its going all over the place, but it is all about an eclectic genius with many talents and cohorts. No profanity, so this movie is great for everyone!
I've been ionized, but I'm okay now
2009-09-29 - 'Buckaroo Banzai' is a cult film, and with good reason. In spite of cheap and cheesy special effects it is very entertaining. In fact, the cheapness and cheesiness contribute greatly to the overall effect and create a comic book world, with a great action hero, Buckaroo, who is quite the Renaissance Man: doctor, inventor, speed racer, martial artist, rock star, who is battling aliens from another dimension to save our planet. Ensuring its place in the cult film cannon, it presents this preposterous premise with the proper wit, camp, parody, and panache it so richly deserves.
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Lord John Whorfin: May I pass along my congratulations for your great interdimensional breakthrough. I am sure, in the miserable annals of the Earth, you will be duly enshrined.
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Peter Weller, who plays Buckaroo Banzai, is quite a Renaissance Man himself. In the film he leads a band called the Hong Kong Cavaliers. He caps off his electric guitar solo with a piccolo trumpet solo. In real life, he plays trumpet in a jazz band with Jeff Goldblum, who played New Jersey, the newest member of the Hong Kong Caviliers in the film. Peter Weller holds a master's degree in Roman and Renaissance art and is working toward a Ph.D. He teaches at Syracuse University. He was Robocop in the first two, but not the third, Robocop movies. He couldn't do the last sequel due to a prior commitment to "Naked Lunch." [Let's do "Naked Lunch." I'll have my people call your people.] In "Mighty Aphrodite" he plays Jerry Bender, who is another Renaissance Man who is seducing Lenny Weinrib's (Woody Allen) wife, Amanda (Helena Bonham Carter). Peter Weller was the perfect actor to portray Buckaroo Banzai, who was not only all of the previously mentioned things, but also a philosopher:
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Buckaroo Banzai: Hey, hey, hey, hey-now. Don't be mean; we don't have to be mean, cuz, remember, no matter where you go, there you are.
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Jeff Goldblum really shines as New Jersey, a doctor who works with Buckaroo and is asked to join the Hong Kong Caviliers. He shows up for what he thinks is the audition dressed in a red cowboy suit. Goldblum's offbeat humor is really perfect for the Cavaliers, who haze the newcomer and rib him about his outfit. Soon he is off on their latest adventure: saving the world from aliens from another dimension:
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New Jersey: Why is there a watermelon there?
Reno: I'll tell you later.
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John Lithgow is totally over the top, and loving every minute of it, as the criminally insane Dr. Emilio Lizardo, alias Lord John Whorfin.
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Lord John Whorfin: Home... home is where you wear your hat... I feel so breakup, I wanna go home.
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Christopher Lloyd is instantly recognizable even though he plays alien John Bigboote behind a cheap and cheesy rubber mask. How is that pronounced? "BigbooTAY!" he keeps repeating, to no avail. [screaming] "BIG-BOO-TAY! TAY! TAY!"
Dan Hedaya, Vincent Schiavelli, and Clancy Brown are just of few of the talented character actors who add so much to the festivities.
Bottom line is Buckaroo Banzai is a unique film that has to be seen to be believed -- and enjoyed. It has built up a richly deserved cult audience, and I heartily recommend it to fans of bizarre, and funny -- if you have a weird sense of humor -- films.
Mulholland Drive (2001) Dan Hedaya was Vincenzo Castigliane
Man on the Moon (1999) (uncredited) Christopher Lloyd was Actor in Taxi Recreation; and Vincent Schiavelli was Maynard Smith - ABC Executive
Starship Troopers (1997) Clancy Brown was Sgt. Zim
Mighty Aphrodite (1995) Peter Weller was Jerry Bender
The Addams Family (1991) Christopher Lloyd was Uncle Fester / Gordon Craven; and Dan Hedaya was Tully Alford, Addams' Attorney
Sea of Love (1989) Ellen Barkin was Helen Cruger
The Fly (Two-Disc Collector's Edition) (1986) Jeff Goldblum was Seth Brundle
Back to the Future (1985) Christopher Lloyd was Dr. Emmett Brown
Footloose (1984) John Lithgow was Reverend Shaw Moore
One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest (1975) Christopher Lloyd was Taber; and Vincent Schiavelli was Fredrickson
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Buckaroo Banzai: I've been ionized, but I'm okay now.
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Disappointed and then satisfied 
2009-09-09 - I was a little miffed at receiving a DVD that I could not watch! I was very happy however that a label was put on the outside warning me not to open unless I was sure that my DVD player could actually Play DVDs from Zone 2 - who knew? Alas, mine could not and I emailed and received direction on how to return the DVD. I did that and have yet to receive a refund but I am patient.
I went back to Amazon.com and found a new The Adventures of Buckaroo Bonzai in the Eighth Dimension that was for Zone 1 and I played it and loved it! It brings back great memories - haven't seen it since the late 80's! So nice to see Peter Weller playing intelligent, tender-hearted, rock star!! =) John Lithgow is "crazy" good and John Big Boote!!!! My kids love Cyberchase and I love telling them that "the Hacker" has been in many TV and movie shows - they've never seen Back to the Future - I do love Christopher Lloyd!!!!
THE biggest waste of time EVER! 
2009-09-02 - Can't believe I sat through this CRAP!!!!
Complete and utter waste of time... I want my 2 hours of life back.....
I only write this so you can avoid wasting your precious time watching this horrible and BORING piece of feces....
Never have I seen a movie so BORING....
WASTE OF TIME.....
Saw this on TV
2009-07-19 - And I had viewed it before but it had been awhile and I had wondered because of it's craziness why at the end of it as to why it reads to 'Look for the next edition of Banzai': called Against the World Crime League" but they never filmed it because I did a search and it does not exist as this and a triple feature version of 2 other movies on DVD come up only - I saw that Peter Weller (who is now a professor and did a documentary for the Nat/Geo Channel on Egypt) never bothered to pursue it because I think that he did the RoboCop Series after this but I think that he's too old now and probably is not interested but I had read something otherwise but he is now too old for the role as of this year 2009 and got/is more interested in his professorship.
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