The 80's were quite a time for kid's movies. Quality kid's movies. Extremely marketable kid's movies. Probably the golden age if we're being honest. And I think that might have a little to do with the fact that so many of these now old school kid's movies also appealed to adults. There was no Barney. And there certainly were no retard Minions. Just PG movies. They didn't even have to be G rated. Movies like E.T. or The Goonies. And OK. Maybe the movie I'm gonna talk about is a bit sillier than those, but Paul Reubens just died, so, I need to talk about Pee Wee's Big Adventure. And I'll spare you my thoughts on that fucking hack, Tim Burton. I'll just say that in 1985, the guy made a masterpiece. But never mind who directed it. This one is for the star. This one is for Pee Wee.

I must have seen this for the first time as far back as '86 or '87, probably on HBO or something. This is around the time my family got our first VCR, so, I was sure to get this on tape so I could watch it any time. I remember taping this along with the old animated The Lion, The Witch And The Wardrobe. I think I even got a few episodes of Pee Wee's Playhouse on there too. I can't imagine how many times I watched that tape at 7 years old. Especially Pee Wee's Big Adventure. It was my favorite movie. My first favorite movie. So, what exactly is the appeal? Is it the comedy? Or the all around epic nature of the story? It's more than that. This movie offers something more. There's something very surreal about it. Cartoonish and slightly dreamlike to the point that it takes you out of your own reality as you're watching. It feels like you're watching a different world at times, and it's hard to not feel as though you're being pulled into it and are literally along for the ride.

Coincidentally, our story does start out with a dream. Pee Wee dreams of winning the Tour De. France, but before he is awarded his crown, he is awakened by his alarm clock, but it's all good because real life kicks ass too. Pee Wee's lives in a bit of a funhouse with all sorts of bizarre things that don't make sense, as he constantly amuses himself by parodying real life. Pee Wee starts off his morning by using an over-sized toothbrush and putting scotch tape all over his face for no apparent reason. He knows full well this is going to end painfully as he has to pull it off sooner than later, but I guess it was too much to resist. His contraptions then makes this big breakfast with pancakes and everything, only for him to pour Mr. T. cereal all over it. Pee Wee, of course, takes only a bite or 2, leaving the actual breakfast to just sit there, possibly forever.

There's something awfully mysterious about this guy's existence. Pee Wee is like a kid, but he clearly isn't. Not quite a man-child, but he seemed to have made a life choice at some point and stuck to it. How does he support this life though? How does he afford this house and all the cool shit? For such a friendly guy, it seems he has very much embraced a life of solitude. More on that later. But yeah. What about his parents? I feel like they fit into this somehow. Did they die and leave him a fortune? Pee Wee is definitely no man-child, because he is completely independent, yet he has surrounded himself with an existence that would be a child's dream come true. Maybe he's delusional, maybe his dead parents didn't teach him shit, but nothing and no one is going to ruin this guy's happiness.

Well, today, someone is going to try. As it would turn out, happiness is nothing more than a really cool bicycle. Pee Wee has a special hidden place in the bushes. A hidden section in the yard where he keeps the greatest bicycle ever created. A bicycle we, unfortunately never get to learn much about. A bicycle which must have one hell of a backstory, but all we know is that this is Pee Wee's most prized possession. As Pee Wee leaves on his bike to run some errands, he is reminded that the world outside his house can get ugly. Almost immediately affter leaving, Pee Wee is cornered by obese rich kid, Francis. Today is Francis' birthday and he has decided that Pee Wee's bike would make the perfect birthday present. Francis is willing to pay as much as it takes, but is told to get fucked in so many words. Pee Wee's taunts and all around lack of cooperation has angered the effeminate hog, and you can tell he's going to be trouble going forward.

As Pee Wee runs his errands, we are given our first indication that he might be asexual as he picks up a horn for his bike at the bike shop. There's this chick that works there that is not only sweet on him, but clearly makes a habit of asking him on a date. I can only assume Pee Wee isn't interested in going on a date with anyone as this chick, Dottie, is pretty cute. But this date, or even a discussion about a date is just not happening. To each their own, I guess. After Pee Wee has some fun in a magic shop, he makes his way back to his bike, which he chained up outside. He is horrified to discover that his pride and joy has been stolen.

After physically attacking Francis, Pee Wee starts to lose it a little. He then seeks the guidance of a fortune-teller and is convinced that his bike now resides in the basement of the Alamo in Texas. Not being from Texas, this sounds reasonable to Pee Wee, so, he plans an epic road trip. How far is Texas, you ask? Well, we don't know. We have no idea where Pee Wee lives. It doesn't matter where he lives or how far Texas is. Pee Wee isn't going to give up until he is reunited with his bike.

As it would turn out, Francis actually paid someone to steal the bike. He has second thoughts due to the ongoing investigation and gets rid of it. However, the bike does not end up in Texas. Pee Wee, however, does. Apparently, the shit ton of money he uses to keep up his lifestyle isn't quite enough for a bus ticket, so, this road trip will be done the old fashioned way. Pee Wee sets out to hitch hike all the way to the Alamo. First, he gets picked up by a fugitive who is wanted for cutting off a mattress label. Nice guy, but a little high strung. Pee Wee gets ditched in the middle of nowhere after nearly getting them both killed. Pee Wee then gets a ride from a truck driver named Large Marge, who turns out to be a ghost. A ghost that is guaranteed to haunt your dreams forever. Terrifying, but not necessarily malevolent as she does Pee Wee no harm and simply gives him a ride to a near by diner.

After eating, Pee Wee finally realizes the fortune teller stole his wallet, so, he'll be washing some dishes this evening. After making friends with a waitress, Pee Wee watches the sunrise with her inside of a dinosaur, but is nearly killed by her boyfriend. Pee Wee catches a train out of town and makes friends with a hobo who won't stop singing, so, Pee Wee jumps off and is now in San Antonio. Pee Wee then heads straight for the Alamo to pick up his bike, which should just take a minute as these things usually go smoothly. Unfortunately, the bike is not there. And to make matters worse, Pee Wee gets laughed at by a large group of Texans for not realizing there is no basement in the Alamo. Pee Wee goes to the bus station to sulk for a while, but happens to run into the waitress from earlier. The funny thing is that only 6 minutes have passed in the movie since Simone's boyfriend ran him off, so, that's weird...

It almost seems like Pee Wee's waitress friend plans on taking a bus to Paris, but that's neither here nor there. After Simone leaves, Pee Wee runs into her now ex-boyfriend who continues his quest to murder him. Long story short, Pee Wee ends up on a bull and gets thrown off and knocked out. He then goes to a bar and impresses a bunch of bloodthirsty bikers with his dancing skills as a last ditch effort to not get killed. Pee Wee then rides off on a motorcycle because Bikers apparently give them away as presents when they like somebody. Pee Wee immediately gets himself hurt again and wakes up in a hospital. He happens to see a clue on the tv which leads him to his bike. What follows is the single most epic chase scene in film history.

It's certainly easy to believe this movie would lead to a Saturday morning TV show, more movies, merchandise, and Pee Wee Herman basically becoming a household name. And while his bank account probably told a different story, I will always believe 1985's Pee Wee's Big Adventure was peak Pee Wee. The second half of the 80's was no doubt a great time in the life of Paul Reubens as his Saturday morning show, Pee Wee's Playhouse was huge. I, personally, never missed an episode. In 1988, the man finally landed himself a follow-up movie called Big Top Pee Wee. It certainly had its moments, but it just wasn't the same. But they can't all be Pee Wee's Big Adventure, can they?

A few years later, it all, unfortunately, came crashing down. Poor guy never had the luxury of watching his career slowly fizzle out. One big mistake in a porn theater in 1991 would cost him dearly and it would all then just vanish, seemingly over night. Sorta like Guns N. Roses. Even though it may have seemed like it, Paul Reubens never truly went away. Over the years, he popped up randomly in movies and tv shows now and then. Reubens would even reprise the role which made him famous in a Broadway special in 2011. And finally, in 2016, Pee Wee would land himself a true follow up to "Big Adventure", in Pee Wee's Big Holiday. It lacked the magic of the 1985 epic, but a triumphant return, nonetheless. And something special for those who still missed their hero from the 80's, and always wanted another Pee Wee movie. So, yeah. This week, Paul Reubens died of cancer. I can't help but be reminded of the joy and laughter his character and this movie brought me at one time, and I just had to say a few words. I know I'm not alone in my sadness as his fanbase never went away much like he himself never did. I'm sure he hung on for as long as he could these last few years, but time eventually turns on us all. However, not all of us are lucky enough to have ourselves a big adventure. Pee Wee did, and he will forever be immortalized because of it. R.I.P. Pee Wee Herman. 10/10