Laugh while you can, monkey boy!

October 17, 2001 6:29 AM

Laugh while you can, monkey boy! Buckaroo Banzai is available as a pre-order on DVD. Been waiting for this one for a while, it's got unreleased footage, easter eggs, and director commentary. The release date is scheduled for 1/4/02, according to this link. Campy and very eighties, but oh so worth it.
posted by machaus (27 comments total)

This is the only movie I ever felt compelled to walk out on.

Craptacular.
posted by jpburns at 6:38 AM on October 17, 2001

The deuce you say! This made my morning. If only the TV series rumors would pan out...
posted by disarray at 6:42 AM on October 17, 2001

Craptacular

There are a lot of movies that deserve that description, but BB isn't one of them. This was a witty, clever film that bears repeated viewing and actually deserves all of the fanboy accolades that it receives. I'd show this on a double-bill with Brazil anyday.
posted by MrBaliHai at 6:46 AM on October 17, 2001

Yay! I *heart* Buckaroo Bonzai. I had an unreasonable crush on Perfect Tommy when I was a kid, although subsequent viewings make me think I just had a thing for eighties hair.

Now if The Butcher Boy will only come out on DVD, life will be grand.
posted by jennyb at 7:00 AM on October 17, 2001

"No matter where you go...there you are."
posted by ColdChef at 7:04 AM on October 17, 2001

I vaguely remember this flick, but what I do distinctly recall were many allusions to Thomas Pynchon. Is this just my memory playing tricks?
posted by malwilde at 7:14 AM on October 17, 2001

So what?

Big deal.

:)

The only reason for time is so everything doesn't happen at once
posted by ikareru at 7:14 AM on October 17, 2001

"Laugha while you can monkeyboy."

i guess this mean that i'll finally have to spring for a dvd player... it's a slippery sloap though, first the dvd player, then the larger tv screen, then a trip to surround land. i've seen this happen time and time again.

but for buckaroo banzai? it would all be worth it. it's one of my all time favourties.
posted by heather at 7:26 AM on October 17, 2001

Nope, your memory's fine, malwilde.
posted by disarray at 7:28 AM on October 17, 2001

Now if only somebody would put The Stunt Man on DVD, I'd never have to watch sit-coms again.
posted by realjanetkagan at 7:42 AM on October 17, 2001

John Lithgow rules.

Trust me. I will be laughing when I buy this cult classic bad movie.
posted by Qambient at 7:50 AM on October 17, 2001

Best. Movie. Ever.
posted by kirkaracha at 8:26 AM on October 17, 2001

Yoyodyne Propulsion Systems cribbed its name from The Crying of Lot 49. Here's a little more info.
posted by jga at 8:40 AM on October 17, 2001

John Valuk is dead.
He fell on his head.

yours truly

Kafkaesque Small Berries
posted by Kafkaesque at 8:40 AM on October 17, 2001

Why is there a watermelon there?
posted by xiffix at 9:16 AM on October 17, 2001

Declaration of war ... the short form.
posted by Potsy at 10:44 AM on October 17, 2001

"Buckaroo" gets a little tedious after a while, but the opening 45 minutes or so are a wonder to behold (as I recall, not having seen it for at least a decade). And no movie with Ellen Barkin in it can be all bad. Except "Switch."
posted by diddlegnome at 11:26 AM on October 17, 2001

NOBODY CUMZ IN HERE

-----

SEKRIT

... between this and the special edition of Repo Man, I may have to jump on the DVD bandwagon as well.

posted by whatnot at 11:47 AM on October 17, 2001

I'm curious who else thinks the watermellon in the hydraulic press is a nod to Fred Saberhagen's Beserker series....
posted by nomisxid at 12:25 PM on October 17, 2001

work... work... work...

can anbody get me the full quote from the loudspeaker playing propaganda over the skidrow living quarters?

now I have that damn whistling theme song stuck in my head.
posted by hotdoughnutsnow at 12:37 PM on October 17, 2001

Your overthruster's a piece of sh*t. It'll never work.
posted by aine42 at 1:27 PM on October 17, 2001

Here's a question for you: Is it true that "Big Trouble In Little China" was in fact the sequel to Buckaroo Banzai?

Big BooTAY! Big BooTAY!
posted by Kafkaesque at 1:39 PM on October 17, 2001

I think the connection between "Buckaroo Banzai" and "Big Trouble In Little China" is merely that W.D. Richter directed the former and wrote the latter. I doubt he intended them as sequels. They both share his loopy sense of style, though.

Based on Richter's answer in the FAQ, I'll bet the watermellon gag is actually an allusion to an episode of Monty Python's Flying Circus called "The Cycling Tour", which featured a character who was researching "safe" foods, which could sense disaster coming and eject themselves from moving vehicles in the nick of time.

I'm such a geek.
posted by Potsy at 2:05 PM on October 17, 2001

ah

John Carpenter says it wasn't.

And so does someone else with too much time on their hands.

Interesting!
posted by Kafkaesque at 2:27 PM on October 17, 2001

Isn't yoyodyne also in V.? Which came out first I believe (never seen the film though)
posted by davidgentle at 6:34 PM on October 17, 2001

Mmmmmm .... Ellen Barkin .....

I'm sorry, what were you saying? Oh, yes, I recall being at a con around 1988 or 90 where a guy from the studio was handing out BB promotional materials and stickers for "Buckaroo Banzai vs. the World Crime League". He explained that they couldn't release the VHS or proceed with the sequel because of legal complications involving ... get this ... the soundtrack, because apparently the various distribution deals that were made in the wake of its box office failure added up to something like 150% of the profits (shades of The Producers) and various entities were engaged in lawsuits to protect their shares of nothing.

Anyway, clearly we need that watermelon in Afghanistan today.
posted by dhartung at 9:35 PM on October 17, 2001

Oh shit.

There are exactly 2 groups of people: those who thought this movie was utter crap, and those who are right now chortling as they pre-order it.

I wonder if I should expect browntruck.
posted by ilsa at 11:07 PM on October 17, 2001