boyajian@akov68.DEC (Jerry Boyajian) (08/09/84)
There's a new sf/fantasy film being released this weekend called BUCKAROO BANZAI
Just the other day I finished reading the novelization (by Earl Mac Rauch, who
is the creator of Buckaroo and company and wrote the screenplay). Actually, I'm
not sure that it classifies as a novelization any more than the book 2001: A
SPACE ODYSSEY by Clarke classifies as a novelization of the movie. Anyways, the
book is terrific, and I recommend it regardless of how the movie turns out.
It's a *very* strange book. The story is not an easy one to describe,
nor is the general feel of the book. The best I can do is that it reads like a
combination of Doc Savage, the Illuminati, and the Monkees. And then, it starts
to get weird...
What else can one say about a book that contains characters with names
like Buckaroo Banzai, Reno Nevada, Rawhide, Big Norse, and Dr. Emilio Lizardo?
Not to mention the hordes of Lectroids from Planet 10 (all of whom are named
John), the Nova Police, the Oscillation Overthruster, the Hong Kong Cavaliers,
the Blue Blaze Irregulars, or even the death dwarves.
The only books that I've read that match BUCKAROO BANZAI in weirdness
are the Illuminati books by Robert Shea and Robert Anton Wilson, and a novel by
Jody Scott called PASSING FOR HUMAN. If you liked any of those, you're likely to
like this.
How good the movie will be depends on how well the director (W.D. Rich-
ter, in his directorial debut --- he's previously been a screenwriter) can pull
off the weirdness. If he can, it'll be a hit; if he can't, it'll be a bomb. Any-
ways, as I said, the book is definitely worth reading.
--- jayembee (Jerry Boyajian, DEC, Maynard, MA)
UUCP: {decvax|ihnp4|allegra|ucbvax|...}!decwrl!dec-rhea!dec-akov68!boyajian
ARPA: boyajian%akov68.DEC@DECWRL.ARPAbarnett@ut-sally.UUCP (Lewis Barnett) (08/10/84)
[ ---- ]
I've been seeing trailers for this movie on TV during the Olympics, and I
noticed one thing that really intrigued me. There is a scene shown where
some sort of craft comes crashing through a brick wall. On the brick
wall, there's a painted billboard which says:
YOYODYNE
Yoyodyne was the corporation at the center of the web of intrigue generated
by Thomas Pynchon in his novel "The Crying of Lot 49." Does anyone know if
this was just a quote, or if there's some more concrete connection between
Pynchon and Buckaroo Banzai?
By the way, if you like weird, Pynchon is for you.
Lewis Barnett,CS Dept, Painter Hall 3.28, Univ. of Texas, Austin, TX 78712
-- barnett@ut-sally.ARPA, barnett@ut-sally.UUCP,
{ihnp4,seismo,ctvax}!ut-sally!barnettguy@rlgvax.UUCP (Guy Harris) (08/11/84)
> On the brick wall, there's a painted billboard which says: > YOYODYNE > Yoyodyne was the corporation at the center of the web of intrigue generated > by Thomas Pynchon in his novel "The Crying of Lot 49." While we're on the subject, the original article mentioned "the Nova Police" as appearing in "Buckaroo Banzai"; I've not seen the movie (yet), nor read anything by William Burroughs (yet), but I remember the Nova Police mentioned as something from Burroughs' writing. It sounds like there's More to "Buckaroo Banzai" Than Meets the Eye... - all the more reason to catch it. (P.S. I second your comment on Pynchon.) Guy Harris {seismi,ihnp4,allegra}!rlgvax!guy
djo@sdchema.UUCP (Denise O'jibway) (08/14/84)
I saw Buckaroo Banzai last night and I was disappointed.
What little I had heard about it intrigued me but often
I felt rather bored. The dialogue at times seemed stiff,
partially I think because they were trying to make the
movie resemble a comic book but many times it just plain fell
flat. The acting was not superlative with the exception of
John Lithgow. He made a Dr. Lizardo come alive brilliantly.
I loved the scenes of the 8th dimension and wished there were
more of them. If these folks make another movie, as advertised
at the end of this one, I will certainly give it a try. I think
there is alot of entertainment potential and they may get improve
with the second film. If you like Sci Fi spoofs be sure to check
it out. There are many funny scenes despite my own personal
disappointment with it.
P.S. I also wish there would have been more shown about
Buckaroo's martial arts skill.
Deniseboyajian@akov68.DEC (Jerry Boyajian) (08/14/84)
Well, the Nova *Mob* shows up in a couple of William Burroughs' books. I think
that Earl MacRauch's use of the Nova Police and Yoyodyne are tips of the hat to
both Burroughs and Pynchon. I wouldn't be surprised if there are some other hid-
den references in there, too.
--- jayembee (Jerry Boyajian, DEC, Maynard, MA)
UUCP: {decvax|ihnp4|allegra|ucbvax|...}!decwrl!dec-rhea!dec-akov68!boyajian
ARPA: boyajian%akov68.DEC@DECWRL.ARPAgrw@fortune.UUCP (Glenn Wichman) (08/16/84)
bip.
First read the book. Then see the movie. Don't buy the
Marvel adaptation, the artwork is lousy. The book is serious
and funny. The movie isn't quite so serious or funny as the
book. Buckaroo Banzai is (I hope) going to be the next James
Bond, with a string of movies as long as your arm. The
development of the supporting characters still needs a bit
of work, though.
Casting gets a 12 (out of a possible 12) in my book. Peter
Weller pulls off the very difficult task of being Buckaroo
Banzai. John Lithgow, who I am convinced could play any role
in the world, does just fine as Emilio Lizardo/John Whorfin.
The guy from TAXI and Star Trek III, whose name escapes me,
plays an alien yet again, this time the avaricious John
Bigboote'. (All the aliens are named John in this movie,
but some of the last names bare mentioning:
John Ya Ya
John Repeat Dance
John Small Berries
John O'Connor
John Ready to Fly
and others. This movie could have been better, but not
much. Expect to see Buckaroo Banzai posters, dolls, comics,
saturday morning kid shows, basketballs, neckties, stained
glass windows, and OSCILLATION OVERTHRUSTERS in your toystores
soon.
And remember that, no matter where you go... there you are.
-GlennAlfke.PASA@XEROX.ARPA (09/07/84)
> According to rumors I heard floating around Worldcon, this > movie was removed from circulation because it was not doing well. > Does anyone have any more information?? Well, I saw the movie last weekend in Orange County (i.e. at the same time as WorldCon), so it's probably still playing. I have heard nothing about it's being axed . . . does this mean they won't do "Buckaroo Banzai Versus the World Crime League" ?? -- Peter Alfke "Post No Bills"
SASW%MIT-MC@sri-unix.UUCP (09/11/84)
From: Steven A. Swernofsky <SASW @ MIT-MC>
Date: Fri, 7 Sep 84 11:58 PDT
Re: Buckaroo Banzai
According to rumors I heard floating around Worldcon, this movie
was removed from circulation because it was not doing well. Does
anyone have any more information??
As of today, Buckaroo Banzai was still playing at the Egyptian Theater
in Westwood (Los Angeles, CA). It's not dead yet.
-- Steveewok%ucbingres%Berkeley@sri-unix.UUCP (09/21/84)
From: ewok%ucbingres@Berkeley (Lisa Rodgin) I heard on the radio that KFOG (San Francisco station) is hosting a sneak preview of the movie on September 27. This implies that it will be coming out in theatres soon, yes? -ewok
raj%uci-750a@sri-unix.UUCP (09/25/84)
From: Richard Johnson <raj@uci-750a> I was told recently by a friend that this movie was going to be re-released around Christmas time on the east coast in hopes that it would do better then. Evidently, even though it has quite a few devoted fans (like myself), it just doesn't seem to appeal to the general public. Along other lines, I haven't been able to find a soundtrack from this movie. Has anyone seen one? ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Richard Johnson raj@uci (ARPA) UCI ICS Systems Manager ucbvax!ucivax!raj (UUCP)
Stabron%xls-plexus01.darcom@darcom-hq.arpa (10/02/84)
I just saw a preview of B-B on Washington, D.C. TV this weekend. Looks like it's coming our way after all! Judi
LRC.HJJH@UTEXAS-20.ARPA (10/03/84)
Dunno what's happening elsewhere, but BUCKAROO BANZAI opened here in Austin last week. -------
mwm@ea.UUCP (10/21/84)
Buckaroo recently re-opened (!) here in oklahoma. Good movie, lots of sillyness, but not as good as I'd been led to believe. <mike
mac@tesla.UUCP (Michael Mc Namara) (10/25/84)
Saw Buckaroo & his buddies in New Jersey the other week. I have an
extra interest in the film, and others starring Peter Weller, as he used
to take care of me and my sisters while our parents were away when we all
lived in Germany in the early sixties. I think the film's a lot better
than, although comparisons are difficult, considering the film's basic plot
differences, one of his his earlier films, "Just Tell Me What You Want",
which he played across (and with) Ali McGraw. Peter has been on Broadway
a lot, and does films occasionally.
It's good to see your old babysitter on the silver screen...
..!cornell!tesla!mac Michael Mc Namara @ Cornell University