The Adventures of Buckaroo Banzai Across the 8th Dimension

• (Sometimes shortened to Buckaroo Banzai)
• Produced and Directed by W. D. Richter
• August 10, 1984

Buckaroo Banzai must save the world from a group of inter-dimensional aliens.

Beginning in the 70s and well into the 80s there was a time in movies where anything went. It seemed like they would throw an idea against the wall and see if it stuck. Into this creative era came the movie The Adventures of Buckaroo Banzai Across the 8^th Dimension. I remember seeing this advertised on television and finding it intriguing but it disappeared pretty quickly from theatres. I finally got to see it when it was on heavy rotation during the regular weekend movie marathons on a local station that eventually became a FOX affiliate.

This is a very era specific cast. Just prominent and well-known faces of the time all came together. It stars Peter Weller, Ellen Barkin, John Lithgow, Jeff Goldblum, Christopher Lloyd, Clancy Brown, Robert Ito, Vincent Schiavelli, Dan Hedaya, Jonathan Banks, John Ashton, and Carl Lumbly among many others. Some were/are active beyond this time but when you think of them their work from this era is largely what you recall.

Buckaroo Banzai mixes action-adventure and science fiction film along with comedy and romance. Ultimately the film is more odd and unique than it is anything else. It involves invading aliens and goofy science. Much of the story relies on the famous Orson Welles broadcast being real which was a rather common plot element back in the day.

Peter Weller plays physicist/neurosurgeon/test pilot/rock star Dr. Buckaroo Banzai and delivers some of the corniest and cheesiest dialogue you will ever hear all with a straight face and matter of fact nature that makes it seem all the more stupid yet all the more pleasurable. I don’t think there is anyone else other than Jeff Goldblum, who is in this movie already as Dr. Sidney Zweibel/New Jersey, who could’ve played the part. You need somebody who either could be authoritative in their delivery like Weller or somebody to be quirky like Goldblum and I think the authoritative nature works best. It helps anchor things just enough that the story doesn’t go completely into camp.

Weller is of English, German, French and Irish descent so playing a Japanese-American would be called ‘problematic’ by people today. Not that it is the most prominent feature of the character in the story. Heck, it barely matters to the story other than explaining his name. Though it does little to explain the name of his band The Hong Kong Cavaliers. Would you not pick a name that referenced Japan?

While the aliens are the overarching problem, the main alien is Dr. Emilio Lizardo/Lord John Whorfin (John Lithgow) who was a human that breached the barrier to the 8^th dimension all the way back in 1938 with the help of Banzai’s mentor Prof. Tohichi Hikita (Robert Ito). I am not sure if Lizardo is possessed by Whorfin or if Whorfin is impersonating Lizardo since these aliens can make themselves look human. They never cover that.

In presentation Lizardo is not too different from Dick Solomon in the sitcom 3^rd Rock from the Sun. That gets mixed with a kinda Italian accent and just generally hammy performance that is very physical. Or that is very Lithgow comedy. Take your pick.

When it comes to the sets they are either imaginative or detailed. If you look close enough you’ll see stuff for the general audience and not necessarily the characters. For example when Banzai is in the clutches of Lizardo there is text on a computer screen that says ‘that won’t work either.’ And the jokes can be juvenile. We have misspelled signs on the walls. This is a movie you kind of must pay attention to if you want to see finer details which the filmmakers took the time to put in. It’s not all out in front. It’s just fun and silly. It never takes itself too seriously if it ever takes itself seriously at all. And that’s part of the movie’s charm. This is entertainment with no deep messages.

The costuming is absolutely fantastic. Some of it is very 80s but other is weird and quirky stuff that highlights the characters. Jeff Goldblum going around dressed like I wannabe cowboy is pure gold. Perfect Tommy (Lewis Smith) looks like an 80s fashion plate in each and every scene. And John Lithgow is dressed like he robbed the closet from a whole other movie. It’s just weird yet perfect.

I think what ultimately hurts this is tried to be too big. The stakes were too high for unestablished characters. Buckaroo Banzai teases a sequel which clearly never came about-Buckaroo Banzai Versus The World Crime League. That sounded like a really good movie and probably should’ve been what they went with first. That and it was something that was clearly ahead of its time. I don’t think it would ever have been a roaring success had it come out a few years later, but I think it would certainly have found a much wider audience.

The Adventures of Buckaroo Banzai Across the 8^th Dimension is a unique viewing experience but one that will only appeal to select individuals. I do recommend it though but proceed with caution.