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The Adventures of Buckaroo Banzai Across the Eighth Dimension

Play trailer Poster for The Adventures of Buckaroo Banzai Across the Eighth Dimension PG Released Aug 15, 1984 1h 43m Sci-Fi Adventure Comedy Play Trailer Watchlist
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66% Tomatometer 44 Reviews 69% Popcornmeter 10,000+ Ratings
Buckaroo Banzai is caught with his trusted allies, the Hong Kong Cavaliers, in a battle to the death between evil red aliens and good black aliens from Planet 10. Led by demonic dictator John Whorfin, who has taken over the body of Italian scientist Dr. Emilio Lizardo, the aliens try to get the Overthruster back from Buckaroo Banzai. But the good black aliens are willing to destroy Earth rather than let these renegades return to their planet.
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The Adventures of Buckaroo Banzai Across the Eighth Dimension

The Adventures of Buckaroo Banzai Across the Eighth Dimension

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Critics Consensus

Sci-fi parodies like these usually struggle to work, but Buckaroo Banzai succeeds through total devotion to its own lunacy.

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Critics Reviews

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Richard Corliss TIME Magazine A state-of-the-art spaceship flying at the speed of light without narrative coordinates, Buckaroo Banzai is the very oddest good movie in many a full moon. Aug 20, 2008 Full Review Geoff Andrew Time Out Richter's comic genre hybrid comes complete with its own mythology, and team of established superheroes, and is curiously appealing. Aug 16, 2007 Full Review Variety Staff Variety It violates every rule of storytelling and narrative structure in creating a self-contained world of its own. Jun 5, 2007 Full Review Janet Maslin Video Review Unmistakably tongue-in-cheek, the movie follows Buckaroo (Peter Weller) to the frontier of ultra-hip sci-fi parody. John Lithgow gets a chance to pull out all the stops as a mad scientist, and when things are funny they’re very much so. Rated: 3/4 Aug 5, 2022 Full Review Alan Jones Starburst Too wacky and spaced out for its own good. Jul 21, 2022 Full Review Joel E. Siegel Washington City Paper The movie makes such large demands on one’s powers of concentration and yet, when all of its threads have been followed and its oddities assimilated, all one is left with is a junk construction. May 2, 2022 Full Review Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

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Rex M This movie has little chance of changing your life. It's just fun to watch and bonus the 80s dialog is amusing. That being said, as a Gen X'er, Buckaroo Banzi has its own modest pillar in my temple of favorite movies. Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars 09/08/24 Full Review Ryan M Classic movie with great performances by big name actors that had not yet reached their ultimate prominence. However, Lithgow as Jon Whorfin stole the show. Saw it at the theater back in '84 with my dad and just took my 17 year old to a one-time showing at an old art house style theater this past Saturday. Just as enjoyable as it was 40 years ago. Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars 07/09/24 Full Review This Old G A weirdly insane sci-fi romp that never gets old every time I watch it. Certainly one of a kind Rated 4 out of 5 stars 07/03/24 Full Review G I have no less than 5 copies of the movie on DVD, two tshirts, a movie poster, a fridge magnet, several cosplay identification badges, quite a few pins, a copy of the Marvel comic book adaptation and the topper is a YoYodyne Propulsion Systems coffee mug. To this day the movie remains my favorite of all time. I might attend a Comic-con soon and get a pic with Buckaroo Banzai (Peter Weller). Buckaroo Banzai was my first real action hero even before they were called that. Peter Weller in an interview once said Buckaroo isn't a superhero and is made better by the people he surrounds himself with. Those hard rockin' Hong Kong Cavaliers, Buckaroos most trusted inner circle. Turning 60 this year reminds me that next year the movie celebrates its fortieth anniversary. I even have my eye on an Oscillation Overthruster. Update: I actually now have a screen accurate Oscillation Overthruster I am a bit slow on things sometime, though it gets to my noggin eventually. I was listening to Legendary Labels: Sun Records and just like that the light went on. The Ike Turner song Rocket 88 is the Buckaroo Banzai intro to the short musical piece in the film. Yes, I know it is spelled Rockit 88 in the movie. The Oldsmobile 88 and its Rocket 88 V-8 motor are legendary performers. In fact, they were immortalized in the 1951 hit record, "Rocket 88" by Jackie Brenston and his Delta Cats, who cut the tune that has been called the first rock 'n' roll recording. A rollicking and outlandishly awesome movie Rated 5 out of 5 stars 07/01/24 Full Review Person 1 The first 10 minutes was a bunch of people in costumes clicking sci-fi buttons while saying nonsense sciencey words. And it somehow managed to go downhill from there. Rated 0.5 out of 5 stars 03/19/24 Full Review Mauricio R Dentro de su propio absurdo logra su cometido siendo una comedia extraña, divertida(?), la verdad no entendí de qué trató pero sin duda puedo decir que es una película que existe. Le pongo dos estrellas y media solamente porque salen varias conocidas como un joven Jeff Goldblum y Christopher Lloyd que para mí es de lo poco que salva la película. No olviden que es BigbootÉ no Bigboote. Rated 2.5 out of 5 stars 01/19/24 Full Review Read all reviews
The Adventures of Buckaroo Banzai Across the Eighth Dimension

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Cast & Crew

The Adventures of Buckaroo Banzai Across the Eighth Dimension

The Adventures of Buckaroo Banzai Across the 8th Dimension: Official Clip - Inter-Dimensional Ford The Adventures of Buckaroo Banzai Across the 8th Dimension: Official Clip - Inter-Dimensional Ford 2:20 The Adventures of Buckaroo Banzai Across the 8th Dimension: Official Clip - Awesome Credits The Adventures of Buckaroo Banzai Across the 8th Dimension: Official Clip - Awesome Credits 2:34 The Adventures of Buckaroo Banzai Across the 8th Dimension: Official Clip - Transmission to the President The Adventures of Buckaroo Banzai Across the 8th Dimension: Official Clip - Transmission to the President 2:07 The Adventures of Buckaroo Banzai Across the 8th Dimension: Official Clip - Penny for Your Thoughts The Adventures of Buckaroo Banzai Across the 8th Dimension: Official Clip - Penny for Your Thoughts 1:48 The Adventures of Buckaroo Banzai Across the 8th Dimension: Official Clip - Dr. New Jersey The Adventures of Buckaroo Banzai Across the 8th Dimension: Official Clip - Dr. New Jersey 1:23 The Adventures of Buckaroo Banzai Across the 8th Dimension: Official Clip - Saving the Day The Adventures of Buckaroo Banzai Across the 8th Dimension: Official Clip - Saving the Day 2:38 The Adventures of Buckaroo Banzai Across the 8th Dimension: Official Clip - Dr. Lizardo Loses His Mind The Adventures of Buckaroo Banzai Across the 8th Dimension: Official Clip - Dr. Lizardo Loses His Mind 2:48 The Adventures of Buckaroo Banzai Across the 8th Dimension: Official Clip - Duck Hunting Discovery The Adventures of Buckaroo Banzai Across the 8th Dimension: Official Clip - Duck Hunting Discovery 2:42 The Adventures of Buckaroo Banzai Across the 8th Dimension: Official Clip - There You Are The Adventures of Buckaroo Banzai Across the 8th Dimension: Official Clip - There You Are 3:23 The Adventures of Buckaroo Banzai Across the 8th Dimension: Official Clip - Holographic Warning The Adventures of Buckaroo Banzai Across the 8th Dimension: Official Clip - Holographic Warning 2:05 View more videos
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Movie Info

Synopsis Buckaroo Banzai is caught with his trusted allies, the Hong Kong Cavaliers, in a battle to the death between evil red aliens and good black aliens from Planet 10. Led by demonic dictator John Whorfin, who has taken over the body of Italian scientist Dr. Emilio Lizardo, the aliens try to get the Overthruster back from Buckaroo Banzai. But the good black aliens are willing to destroy Earth rather than let these renegades return to their planet.
Director
W.D. Richter
Producer
Neil Canton, W.D. Richter
Screenwriter
Earl Mac Rauch
Distributor
20th Century Fox
Production Co
Sherwood Pictures
Rating
PG
Genre
Sci-Fi, Adventure, Comedy
Original Language
English
Release Date (Theaters)
Aug 15, 1984, Wide
Release Date (Streaming)
Sep 16, 2008
Runtime
1h 43m
Sound Mix
Surround, Dolby Stereo, Dolby A, Stereo
Aspect Ratio
Scope (2.35:1)
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