My random retro-thread: "Pee-Wee's Big Adventure" & "Big Top Pee-Wee" - Sitcoms Online Message Boards

WaterLoo · 02-11-2009, 08:09 AM

I figured I'd start my very own special retro threads here, mostly featuring stuff from the '70s, '80s, '90s and early-2000's. You know, random stuff: movies, music, celebs, ect.

I figured I'd start off by talking about Pee-Wee Herman. I grew up watching him on TV and in the movies. My first memory of PW was watching "Pee-Wee's Big Adventure" when it was on TV. It was 1987, I was 8, and knew who Pee-Wee was from TV commercials and such. But watching this movie peaked my interest. It is one of my alltime favorite movies. Right up there with the "Star Wars" films. I just love this movie. From then on, I became a devout Pee-Wee Herman fan. I started watching his show every Saturday morning. Then I heard they were making a sequel to "Big Adventure", this time set in a circus. I thought, THIS I GOTTA' GO SEE!!!!! I saw the teaster on TV one day and it looked to be alot of fun. He even mentioned having two women after him. I thought, "That would be funny to see". So, I went to see it in the theater when it came out, and....well....I was very disturbed by it. Firstly, Pee-Wee is a man/child. I don't want to see him making out with a woman, no matter how hot she is (and both ladies were, indeed, HOT!!!)

Okay, I'll break it down....I loved "Big Adventure", because it was action-packed, it was funny, lots of sight gags. And we even got a slight introduction into the "Playhouse" at the very beginning of the movie. I loved that "Pancake Man" with the Mr. T cereal. And I loved little Speck. What a cute little dog. Then, of course, his bike. What kid in their right mind didn't want to have a bike like that? Then when he went to see Mario and he had all those neat little tricks and stuff. Even Pee-Wee trying to see a woman with the "X-Ray Goggles" was hilarious. Then his interaction with Dottie, who I thought at first was played by Cyndi Lauper for some reason, but turned out to be an actress who now does alot of voice work. And when he loses his beloved bicycle and goes crazy searching for it, who couldn't relate to that sort of thing? Losing a really cool bike and doing just about anything to get it back. I loved the "Large Marge" scene, the "Mickey" scene (Pee-Wee dressed in drag...LOL

), the "Simone" scene, the "Andy" scene, the "I AM ALWAYS READY!!!!" scene with Jason Hervey and, finally, the chase scene. I won't give away the ending in case some of you haven't already seen the movie. But I will remind you to keep an eye out for James Brolin and the oh-so-hot-beyond-belief Morgan Fairchild.

Then, there's "Big Top Pee-Wee", which for some strange reason, like with "Big Adventure", I sort of feel compelled to watch whenever it's on TV. Well...when I saw it in the theater at 9-years-old, let's just say...I was TRAUMATIZED!!!! Okay, at first, the dream sequence at the very beginning of the movie left me going, "Huh??????". Then, seeing him in bed with a talking pig (who we don't even know is a "talking pig" until about several minutes into the movie) was strange. And he goes from living in a funhouse in California with an adorable little pooch to living on a farm in a sleepy town filled with crabby old poops. However, I loved all the animals. They were all so cute, especially when they were making their own beds. The one funny part in the whole film, I gotta say, was seeing Pee-Wee's creative way of feeding a bunch of baby birds. But he's going around collecting everything from hay, to apples, to carrots, to...even chocolate milk from a brown cow. And we're thinking, "What the hell is he making with all this stuff?????" Turns out he's making pancakes. I'll tell you, I am not eating any pancakes made from apples, carrots, hay and chocolate milk!! Then he skips to have a picnic lunch with a lady named Winnie, who happens to be (get this) his fiance!! Yes, folks, Pee-Wee is actually in a serious relationship. However, she is played by the lucious Penelope Ann Miller. But it was weird to see him jumping all over her every few seconds and then playing with her hair, then getting his fingers stuck in her Aqua-Net. There was a little funny stuff when he was gagging over his egg salad sandwhiches that she keeps making him, insisting they are his favorite. But it was gross to see him spitting it out. So, after another "grope" attempt, Pee-Wee skips along to a tiny shop owned by bushy-browed Mr. Ryan to have a cheese sandwhich. Of course, he has to wait his turn for a couple of bitty old ladies to make a decision on lace, of all things. So, after being polite, Pee-Wee finally loses it and throws a tantrum and hence gets his sandwhich...which he hardly eats, after learning a storm is headed into town. Pee-Wee and Vance, his talking pig, rush home and hide in the storm shelter along with the other animals. The storm ends, and obviously stealing from "The Wizard of Oz", Pee-Wee comes out to find his entire farmland has been invaded by a traveling circus. He meets Mace Montana, played by Kris Kristofferson, and his microscopic wife, Midge, who actually fits into the palm of his hand and even in his pocket. Um....no, I won't go there. He also meets a bunch of kind circus folk, a mermaid (ahhhh....mermaids), a gorgeous brunette and finally a hungry-like-the-wolf lion who goes from wanting to eat Pee-Wee for lunch, to actually being charmed by him. Later on, after unsuccessfully trying to get the crotchety old town's people to agree to a circus, Pee-Wee allow's everyone to stay on his farm. So, he gets to know the "gorgeous brunette" (ahhh....brunettes) as Gina, the tightrope artist and becomes fixated on her. He even faints after getting a glimpse of her "rack", which is where it gets even more disturbing. Later on, as Pee-Wee is about to head out to meet Winnie once again, he instead meets up with Gina and her elephant, Flora, for some scenery....I have to agree with him on this one....Winnie's cute, but come on! Egg-salad sandwiches practically shoved down your throat, or a nice peaceful elephant ride along the countryside with a stunning Italian trapese artist who doesn't use Aqua-net????? Okay, still disturbing, when Pee-Wee finally lays the old "lip-lock" on her, which turns into the longest screen kiss in movie history. Of course, Winnie - who happens to bump into Gina's big brothers en-route to Pee-Wee's to drop off one of her egg-salad sandwiches - catches him in the act. Pee-Wee tells Gina who she is and gets slapped. So, he tries to make amends, first with Winnie, who is caught up in a multiple romance with Gina's brothers. Then, he tries to serenade Gina, but finally wins by telling her he loves her. This leads to her helping him get a spot in the circus. After he fails at his every attempt, Gina takes him to her room and tells him about her late father, giving him his old circus costume. The two have an emotional conversation about her leaving him because of the circus leaving town. We even see Pee-Wee getting emotional, which is WEIRD!!!! Then, it HAPPENS!!!!! No, I won't go there, WAYYYYY too weird and...EWWWW!!!!! So, the circus goes on, Pee-Wee has this tree in his greenhouse that grows hot dogs which all shrivel up and turn into "cocktail weiners", the old town folk turn into 10-year-olds and the circus is on! I know it seems weird that I remember so much from this disturbing film and am describing more of it than the previous film. Rest assured, the first movie is WAY better than this one. Yes, I still watch this one whenever it's on, though I watch the first one more.

Sorry, but give me Pee-Wee going on a cross-country trip in search of his precious bike over being in heat over a hot chick anyday! No offense, but...Pee-Wee getting it on is just gross!!

Well, then shortly after, I heard about his arrest for wacking off in a porno house. Okay, this peeves me to this day, because those cops were in there either trying to catch Pee-Wee in the act, or just looking for a good spank-off. Either way, this was obviously a trap. I even think the whole "kiddie porn" thing from a few year's back was a trap as well. Back to the 1991 incident in the porn theater, I know he's a kid's entertainer, but I think if everyone was to be arrested for wacking off in a porno house, then Hollywood would practically be empty. Okay, maybe he was tired of being a 40-year-old man/child and was acting out of lust, which could also explain his lust-hungriness in "Big Top Pee-Wee". But, still...I miss Pee-Wee.

Got more cool retro stuff to come.

justins5256 · 02-11-2009, 09:37 AM

I was not a huge Pee Wee fan but I LOVED Big Adventure. I still watch it once in awhile and it's one of those films where I occasionally catch stuff I hadn't noticed in previous viewings. I have never seen Big Top Pee Wee. It's funny you mention it being out of character for him to be chasing women because a friend of mine saw the movie and basically said the same thing. In fact, he told me not to see it. He said it will change your whole outlook on Pee Wee and it's not worth it.

Something I always wondered - do you think Mickey knew the truth about Pee Wee's bike? I was always puzzled by that scene where they were in the car and Mickey started cracking up while that truck was driving alongside them and Pee Wee's bike was clearly visible. I have given this some thought and I don't see how Mickey could have known. When I was a kid, I guess I assumed Mickey knew the truth because he was a criminal and I figured that would make him privy to such knowledge. But, why did he start cracking up at that crucial moment?

Any thoughts?

brownie87 · 02-11-2009, 10:26 AM

I'm not all that familiar with Pee Wee because I was born in 1991. But my babysitter was watching "Pee Wee's Big Adventure" one night a long time ago and I found myself watching it with her. Haven't seen this "Big Top Pee Wee" movie you speak of, but if he's getting his "cherry" popped in this film, I think it's best I stay away from it. However, you people of the '80s really had some great kiddie entertainers, whereas we got stuck with a big purple dinosaur, and nowadays all the kiddies get are braindead, badly drawn cartoon characters. Thank god I'm not a little kid anymore.

Adamantium · 02-12-2009, 06:05 PM

As a kid I LOVED Pee-wee's Big Adventure. I never really cared for Big Top Pee-wee. I also enjoyed Pee-wee's Playhouse. I even had some of the Playhouse action figures. I currently own all the Pee-wee DVDs that exist: The Pee-wee Herman Show (HBO special), Pee-wee's Big Adventure, Pee-wee's Playhouse (The Complete Series), Pee-wee's Playhouse Christmas Special and Big Top Pee-wee.

When I was a kid, riding my bike, I'd pretend like I had all those people chasing me, like Pee-wee had. And I know it's just a movie, and he's a fictional character, but I've always admired Pee-wee for facing his fears and rescuing all the animals from the pet shop... even the scary snakes.

Word is Paul Reubens is writing a new movie.

Hollow · 02-12-2009, 09:16 PM

large marge sent me.

02-11-2009, 08:09 AM	#1
WaterLoo Member Occasional Poster Join Date: Jul 26, 2008 Location: Long Island, NY Posts: 86	My random retro-thread: "Pee-Wee's Big Adventure" & "Big Top Pee-Wee" I figured I'd start my very own special retro threads here, mostly featuring stuff from the '70s, '80s, '90s and early-2000's. You know, random stuff: movies, music, celebs, ect. I figured I'd start off by talking about Pee-Wee Herman. I grew up watching him on TV and in the movies. My first memory of PW was watching "Pee-Wee's Big Adventure" when it was on TV. It was 1987, I was 8, and knew who Pee-Wee was from TV commercials and such. But watching this movie peaked my interest. It is one of my alltime favorite movies. Right up there with the "Star Wars" films. I just love this movie. From then on, I became a devout Pee-Wee Herman fan. I started watching his show every Saturday morning. Then I heard they were making a sequel to "Big Adventure", this time set in a circus. I thought, THIS I GOTTA' GO SEE!!!!! I saw the teaster on TV one day and it looked to be alot of fun. He even mentioned having two women after him. I thought, "That would be funny to see". So, I went to see it in the theater when it came out, and....well....I was very disturbed by it. Firstly, Pee-Wee is a man/child. I don't want to see him making out with a woman, no matter how hot she is (and both ladies were, indeed, HOT!!!) Okay, I'll break it down....I loved "Big Adventure", because it was action-packed, it was funny, lots of sight gags. And we even got a slight introduction into the "Playhouse" at the very beginning of the movie. I loved that "Pancake Man" with the Mr. T cereal. And I loved little Speck. What a cute little dog. Then, of course, his bike. What kid in their right mind didn't want to have a bike like that? Then when he went to see Mario and he had all those neat little tricks and stuff. Even Pee-Wee trying to see a woman with the "X-Ray Goggles" was hilarious. Then his interaction with Dottie, who I thought at first was played by Cyndi Lauper for some reason, but turned out to be an actress who now does alot of voice work. And when he loses his beloved bicycle and goes crazy searching for it, who couldn't relate to that sort of thing? Losing a really cool bike and doing just about anything to get it back. I loved the "Large Marge" scene, the "Mickey" scene (Pee-Wee dressed in drag...LOL ), the "Simone" scene, the "Andy" scene, the "I AM ALWAYS READY!!!!" scene with Jason Hervey and, finally, the chase scene. I won't give away the ending in case some of you haven't already seen the movie. But I will remind you to keep an eye out for James Brolin and the oh-so-hot-beyond-belief Morgan Fairchild. Then, there's "Big Top Pee-Wee", which for some strange reason, like with "Big Adventure", I sort of feel compelled to watch whenever it's on TV. Well...when I saw it in the theater at 9-years-old, let's just say...I was TRAUMATIZED!!!! Okay, at first, the dream sequence at the very beginning of the movie left me going, "Huh??????". Then, seeing him in bed with a talking pig (who we don't even know is a "talking pig" until about several minutes into the movie) was strange. And he goes from living in a funhouse in California with an adorable little pooch to living on a farm in a sleepy town filled with crabby old poops. However, I loved all the animals. They were all so cute, especially when they were making their own beds. The one funny part in the whole film, I gotta say, was seeing Pee-Wee's creative way of feeding a bunch of baby birds. But he's going around collecting everything from hay, to apples, to carrots, to...even chocolate milk from a brown cow. And we're thinking, "What the hell is he making with all this stuff?????" Turns out he's making pancakes. I'll tell you, I am not eating any pancakes made from apples, carrots, hay and chocolate milk!! Then he skips to have a picnic lunch with a lady named Winnie, who happens to be (get this) his fiance!! Yes, folks, Pee-Wee is actually in a serious relationship. However, she is played by the lucious Penelope Ann Miller. But it was weird to see him jumping all over her every few seconds and then playing with her hair, then getting his fingers stuck in her Aqua-Net. There was a little funny stuff when he was gagging over his egg salad sandwhiches that she keeps making him, insisting they are his favorite. But it was gross to see him spitting it out. So, after another "grope" attempt, Pee-Wee skips along to a tiny shop owned by bushy-browed Mr. Ryan to have a cheese sandwhich. Of course, he has to wait his turn for a couple of bitty old ladies to make a decision on lace, of all things. So, after being polite, Pee-Wee finally loses it and throws a tantrum and hence gets his sandwhich...which he hardly eats, after learning a storm is headed into town. Pee-Wee and Vance, his talking pig, rush home and hide in the storm shelter along with the other animals. The storm ends, and obviously stealing from "The Wizard of Oz", Pee-Wee comes out to find his entire farmland has been invaded by a traveling circus. He meets Mace Montana, played by Kris Kristofferson, and his microscopic wife, Midge, who actually fits into the palm of his hand and even in his pocket. Um....no, I won't go there. He also meets a bunch of kind circus folk, a mermaid (ahhhh....mermaids), a gorgeous brunette and finally a hungry-like-the-wolf lion who goes from wanting to eat Pee-Wee for lunch, to actually being charmed by him. Later on, after unsuccessfully trying to get the crotchety old town's people to agree to a circus, Pee-Wee allow's everyone to stay on his farm. So, he gets to know the "gorgeous brunette" (ahhh....brunettes) as Gina, the tightrope artist and becomes fixated on her. He even faints after getting a glimpse of her "rack", which is where it gets even more disturbing. Later on, as Pee-Wee is about to head out to meet Winnie once again, he instead meets up with Gina and her elephant, Flora, for some scenery....I have to agree with him on this one....Winnie's cute, but come on! Egg-salad sandwiches practically shoved down your throat, or a nice peaceful elephant ride along the countryside with a stunning Italian trapese artist who doesn't use Aqua-net????? Okay, still disturbing, when Pee-Wee finally lays the old "lip-lock" on her, which turns into the longest screen kiss in movie history. Of course, Winnie - who happens to bump into Gina's big brothers en-route to Pee-Wee's to drop off one of her egg-salad sandwiches - catches him in the act. Pee-Wee tells Gina who she is and gets slapped. So, he tries to make amends, first with Winnie, who is caught up in a multiple romance with Gina's brothers. Then, he tries to serenade Gina, but finally wins by telling her he loves her. This leads to her helping him get a spot in the circus. After he fails at his every attempt, Gina takes him to her room and tells him about her late father, giving him his old circus costume. The two have an emotional conversation about her leaving him because of the circus leaving town. We even see Pee-Wee getting emotional, which is WEIRD!!!! Then, it HAPPENS!!!!! No, I won't go there, WAYYYYY too weird and...EWWWW!!!!! So, the circus goes on, Pee-Wee has this tree in his greenhouse that grows hot dogs which all shrivel up and turn into "cocktail weiners", the old town folk turn into 10-year-olds and the circus is on! I know it seems weird that I remember so much from this disturbing film and am describing more of it than the previous film. Rest assured, the first movie is WAY better than this one. Yes, I still watch this one whenever it's on, though I watch the first one more. Sorry, but give me Pee-Wee going on a cross-country trip in search of his precious bike over being in heat over a hot chick anyday! No offense, but...Pee-Wee getting it on is just gross!! Well, then shortly after, I heard about his arrest for wacking off in a porno house. Okay, this peeves me to this day, because those cops were in there either trying to catch Pee-Wee in the act, or just looking for a good spank-off. Either way, this was obviously a trap. I even think the whole "kiddie porn" thing from a few year's back was a trap as well. Back to the 1991 incident in the porn theater, I know he's a kid's entertainer, but I think if everyone was to be arrested for wacking off in a porno house, then Hollywood would practically be empty. Okay, maybe he was tired of being a 40-year-old man/child and was acting out of lust, which could also explain his lust-hungriness in "Big Top Pee-Wee". But, still...I miss Pee-Wee. Got more cool retro stuff to come.

02-11-2009, 09:37 AM	#2
justins5256 Member Forum 3000 Club Member Join Date: Aug 08, 2002 Posts: 3,866	I was not a huge Pee Wee fan but I LOVED Big Adventure. I still watch it once in awhile and it's one of those films where I occasionally catch stuff I hadn't noticed in previous viewings. I have never seen Big Top Pee Wee. It's funny you mention it being out of character for him to be chasing women because a friend of mine saw the movie and basically said the same thing. In fact, he told me not to see it. He said it will change your whole outlook on Pee Wee and it's not worth it. Something I always wondered - do you think Mickey knew the truth about Pee Wee's bike? I was always puzzled by that scene where they were in the car and Mickey started cracking up while that truck was driving alongside them and Pee Wee's bike was clearly visible. I have given this some thought and I don't see how Mickey could have known. When I was a kid, I guess I assumed Mickey knew the truth because he was a criminal and I figured that would make him privy to such knowledge. But, why did he start cracking up at that crucial moment? Any thoughts?

02-11-2009, 10:26 AM	#3
brownie87 Member Frequent Poster Join Date: Jul 10, 2008 Location: Long Island, NY Posts: 250	I'm not all that familiar with Pee Wee because I was born in 1991. But my babysitter was watching "Pee Wee's Big Adventure" one night a long time ago and I found myself watching it with her. Haven't seen this "Big Top Pee Wee" movie you speak of, but if he's getting his "cherry" popped in this film, I think it's best I stay away from it. However, you people of the '80s really had some great kiddie entertainers, whereas we got stuck with a big purple dinosaur, and nowadays all the kiddies get are braindead, badly drawn cartoon characters. Thank god I'm not a little kid anymore.

02-12-2009, 06:05 PM	#4
Adamantium TVAdam No More Forum Veteran Join Date: Sep 11, 2002 Location: Springfield, Ohio Posts: 7,817	As a kid I LOVED Pee-wee's Big Adventure. I never really cared for Big Top Pee-wee. I also enjoyed Pee-wee's Playhouse. I even had some of the Playhouse action figures. I currently own all the Pee-wee DVDs that exist: The Pee-wee Herman Show (HBO special), Pee-wee's Big Adventure, Pee-wee's Playhouse (The Complete Series), Pee-wee's Playhouse Christmas Special and Big Top Pee-wee. When I was a kid, riding my bike, I'd pretend like I had all those people chasing me, like Pee-wee had. And I know it's just a movie, and he's a fictional character, but I've always admired Pee-wee for facing his fears and rescuing all the animals from the pet shop... even the scary snakes. Word is Paul Reubens is writing a new movie.

02-12-2009, 09:16 PM	#5
Hollow Member Forum Superstar Join Date: Dec 16, 2001 Posts: 30,406	large marge sent me.