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One of the most eccentric comedies of the 1980s, Pee-wee’s Big Adventure is a pop-culture touchstone that helped make a manic oddball named Pee-wee Herman—the creation and alter ego of actor-comedian Paul Reubens—into an icon for outsiders of all ages. It also established the distinctive style of director Tim Burton, whose eye-popping visual sense is already on full display in this, his first feature film. Following the gleefully irreverent Pee-wee as he embarks on a road trip to recover his beloved stolen bicycle, the movie unfolds with the antic invention of a live-action cartoon, combining a gallery of memorably wacky characters, colorful, kitschy Americana, and surreal flights of fancy into a joyously uninhibited paean to creativity and the spirit of childhood.

DIRECTOR-APPROVED 4K UHD + BLU-RAY SPECIAL EDITION FEATURES
New 4K digital restoration, supervised and approved by director Tim Burton, with 2.0 surround DTS-HD Master Audio soundtrack
Alternate 5.1 surround DTS-HD Master Audio soundtrack
One 4K UHD disc of the film presented in Dolby Vision HDR and one Blu-ray with the film and special features
Audio commentary by Burton and actor-cowriter Paul Reubens
Audio commentary by composer Danny Elfman (over a music-only soundtrack to the film)
New interview with Burton and actor-filmmaker Richard Ayoade
New interviews with cowriter Michael Varhol, editor Billy Weber, production designer David L. Snyder, and producer Richard Abramson, conducted by critic Mark Olsen
Interview from 2005 with Reubens
Excerpts from the fortieth anniversary screening of the film presented by Nostalgic Nebula and hosted by comedian Dana Gould
Deleted scenes
Trailer
English subtitles for the deaf and hard of hearing
PLUS: An essay by radio and podcast host Jesse Thorn

New cover by Luigi Olivadoti

My write up from the Road Movies List Project

domino harvey wrote: Tue Dec 29, 2015 5:37 am
Pee-wee’s Big Adventure (Tim Burton 1985) Lots of critics at the time noted Pee-wee Herman’s similarity to Jerry Lewis’ adult child act, but few remembered or knew enough to connect the other half of the reference and note how Burton cleverly apes the methodology of Frank Tashlin in presenting this live action cartoon centered on a bizarre figure who’s strangeness has been diluted in the interim by familiarity but is still on full display here. I’m not sure how funny I found the film or Herman’s act, but like John K’s span with Ren and Stimpy, I can respect the clarity of the comic vision here and admire the craft that went into it. Many of the best sequences defy conventional explanation— my favorite being Herman’s “Tequila” dance— but there is a wholeness and internal logic to all of the endeavors.

As a weird side note, I don’t think I’ve seen this since I caught it 15+ years ago on TNT’s Monstervision for some unknown programming reason. Watching Joe Bob Briggs talk about the film at every commercial break, looking even more confused than Count Floyd did post-Bergman screening, has forever been lodged in my mind since. I recall at one point Briggs said something to the effect of, “A lot of people consider that scene of the movie the best part” before looking exasperatingly at the camera, absolutely dead inside.

midnitedave wrote: Sun May 14, 2017 10:53 pm Pee-Wee's Big Adventure
Ernest Scared Stupid
The Room
Short Circuit
Smurfs and the Magic Flute
Chasing Amy (upgrade)

Happy to say that I called this one nine years ago! Still hoping for Ernest Scared Stupid.

This is of course at least as much a Paul Reubens films as a Tim Burton one, but it's still recognizably Burton and maybe my favorite thing he's done this side of Ed Wood. This movie also has unexpectedly(?) great cinematography.

I saw this as a kid, of course, and it's amazing how much of it has been burned permanently into my brain, although repeated exposure to the TV series probably reinforced most of that.

It's too bad that, to my knowledge, the Pee-Wee cable specials from before this film (which are a bit more "adult" than anything he did subsequently) are stuck in nowheresville, home video-wise. Maybe Reubens wanted it that way. Incidentally, this HBO documentary has been on my to-watch list for a few months; anyone seen?

pistolwink wrote: Mon Sep 15, 2025 6:49 pm This is of course at least as much a Paul Reubens films as a Tim Burton one, but it's still recognizably Burton and maybe my favorite thing he's done this side of Ed Wood. This movie also has unexpectedly(?) great cinematography.

I saw this as a kid, of course, and it's amazing how much of it has been burned permanently into my brain, although repeated exposure to the TV series probably reinforced most of that.

It's too bad that, to my knowledge, the Pee-Wee cable specials from before this film (which are a bit more "adult" than anything he did subsequently) are stuck in nowheresville, home video-wise. Maybe Reubens wanted it that way. Incidentally, this HBO documentary has been on my to-watch list for a few months; anyone seen?

It’s a great documentary. Very difficult to watch in parts, especially as Reuben’s’ health declined, as I lost my father to cancer several years ago. Some amazing footage of him at Cal Arts in the 70’s, just a few years before Burton enrolled there (and had to jump to Disney without a degree, as his scholarship money dried up)

My other anecdote about this film is that it was originally released the week of Ebert’s vacation, so he never saw it. Siskel included it in his roundup of the year’s worst films and Ebert remarked that he thought it looked good enough to seek out, despite Siskel’s objections. It later featured in a special episode about “guilty pleasures” where Ebert selected it as one of his, much to Siskel’s chagrin!

domino harvey wrote: Mon Sep 15, 2025 6:57 pm My other anecdote about this film is that it was originally released the week of Ebert’s vacation, so he never saw it. Siskel included it in his roundup of the year’s worst films and Ebert remarked that he thought it looked good enough to seek out, despite Siskel’s objections. It later featured in a special episode about “guilty pleasures” where Ebert selected it as one of his, much to Siskel’s chagrin!

They both disliked Big Top Pee-Wee

Ayoade and Burton sounds wild, may have to get just for that

Is this Tim Burton's first film in the Collection?

Yes, but it's Reubens' second

Had to look this up, but I forgot he was in Life During Wartime - I actually saw that in theaters when it came out in 2009 as it was my first time seeing any of Solondz's films, but I can't remember much about it. (At the moment, I can't even remember anything about the plot.)

Here's the Red Letter Media episode on the film (featuring friend of Rich Evans, Macaulay Culkin!) (Which reveals that this is Milton Berle's second appearance in the Criterion collection; as well as of the little poodle who would go on to appear as Buffalo Bill's dog in The Silence of the Lambs!)

This means that we now have two of the three films from 1985 that open with a 'Rube Goldberg breakfast making machine' in the collection, with Brazil's machines messing up the process contrasting against everything working perfectly here! (The third being the opening of Back To The Future)

On this release, its great to see a packed edition (including that Danny Elfman commentary with isolated score), and I assume it is to keep things Tim Burton-centric more than anything, though it is a little bit of a shame that 1988's Big Top Pee-Wee could not be included for completeness, given that it is unlikely to appear anywhere else. There could even have been an opportunity to create a Pee-Wee film box set with 2016's Pee-Wee's Big Holiday, which being a Netflix streaming film I still have not seen. And it was even made through Judd Apatow's production company, who only a couple of days ago appeared for a Criterion closet video!

colinr0380 wrote: Mon Sep 15, 2025 7:54 pm though it is a little bit of a shame that 1988's Big Top Pee-Wee could not be included for completeness, given that it is unlikely to appear anywhere else.

Terror Vision has been working on a 4K restoration of Big Top Pee-Wee.

colinr0380 wrote: Mon Sep 15, 2025 7:54 pm Here's the Red Letter Media episode on the film (featuring friend of Rich Evans, Macaulay Culkin!)

I agree with the guys here in it being a perfect movie. I saw Danny Elfman play his Coachella set a couple of days after Paul’s death and the cheers that Paul received in the small tribute at the end is something I won’t forget.

Might be the best announcement of the year for me.

pistolwink wrote: Mon Sep 15, 2025 6:49 pm Incidentally, this HBO documentary has been on my to-watch list for a few months; anyone seen?

The doc is great. I've been watching episodes of Pee-wee's Playhouse ever since. Looking forward the rewatching Big Adventure as well.

Too bad they couldn't include the MTV special at the premiere ($$$), at least it's on YouTube.

Surprised the 40th anniversary Q&A is being included––"excerpts" is a clue-in. God bless Dana Gould, but it was chaos: lots of joke digressions instead of moderating, Rich Abramson stonewalled him (likely because of that), Billy Weber could barely hear him, and the Chiodos got ignored. Props to whoever salvaged it, guessing bits with Salinger/Daily are the focus.

okcmaxk wrote: Mon Sep 15, 2025 9:08 pm Too bad they couldn't include the MTV special at the premiere ($$$), at least it's on YouTube.

Reminds me of the other would-be MTV extra, his fearless opening bit at their awards show, his first public appearance since he was arrested, asking the audience if they’d heard any good jokes lately

I definitely prefer the harder edges that Victor J. Kemper brought to this film's visuals as opposed to the stupid rounded cartoony look of seemingly much of Burton's subsequent, often disappointing and dreadful output. He doesn't have a reputation for being a good DoP but this has got to be some of his best work, his colors are a bit washed out, as is the man's wont, but still very lovely.

Comparison between the previous and new transfers:

Spoiler

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New:

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That old transfer does not hold up well at all...

Randall Maysin Again wrote: Tue Sep 16, 2025 12:36 am I definitely prefer the harder edges that Victor J. Kemper brought to this film's visuals as opposed to the stupid rounded cartoony look of seemingly much of Burton's subsequent, often disappointing and dreadful output. He doesn't have a reputation for being a good DoP but this has got to be some of his best work, his colors are a bit washed out, as is the man's wont, but still very lovely.

Not a fan of Peter Suschitzky’s work? It’s notable that Burton worked with David Cronenberg’s DP of choice and his longtime composer, Howard Shore

I like Peter Suschitzky and I don't even know if I've seen any of his collabs with Burton. I just don't like the way Edward Scissorhands, Big Fish, and (especially) Sweeney Todd, a truly awful looking film, strike my eye. (And these 3 are also the examples I use for why Burton's career has been a disappointment, aside from the occasional Batman or Ed Wood. And of course, this film).

Randall Maysin Again wrote: Tue Sep 16, 2025 3:59 am I like Peter Suschitzky and I don't even know if I've seen any of his collabs with Burton.

The only one is Mars Attacks! which I would forgive anyone, even Tim Burton's mother, for not bothering with. I think beamish14 meant to namecheck Stefan Czapsky, who shot a handful of the best-looking films of the '90s and then transitioned to TV and commercial work.

Matt, I haven't seen all of Mars Attacks!, but it seems pretty harmless to me. A film like Big Fish, a real rainy day of a film, is a much bigger failure, if you ask me, because of its extremely hackneyed "imaginativeness" and its grey, dreary, sodden spirit that shrivels all wonder. And Sweeney Todd is a hideous, insipid, totally value-free POS, and as good an example as any of how unfortunate modern cinematography + techniques can sometimes render sets and costumes that are, probably, brilliant or at least pretty good, into a totally dogshit ultimate visual effect. Why is it that the scripts for Burton's films are never, or almost never, even roughly as clever as this one? (Pee-wee i mean) It probably stands to reason he could find better material if he wanted to.

I think Sweeney Todd is one of Burton’s few good films of the 21st century. Despite having more glamorous leads than usual, it stands out as one of the better stage-to-film musicals I have seen and is easily the best screen adaptation of a Sondheim musical. Burton successfully opens up the stage play, while Dariusz Wolski’s cinematography maintains an intentionally artificial aesthetic that serves as a reminder of its theatrical origins. The subject matter hardly calls for a Technicolor look, but when it is used, in one striking scene, it is effective. As for the script, aside from a few tweaks, it largely stays faithful to Sondheim’s original book, one of his best, which is hardly something to be sniffed at.