USA, 1984
103m, 116m (director's cut)
35mm film, Panavision (anamorphic), Metrocolor, 2.35:1
Dolby Stereo, English
An American science fiction film directed by W.D. Richter.
Plot Summary
Rock star, brain surgeon and scientist Buckaroo Banzai and his rock band the Hong Kong Cavaliers battle an alien race, the Red Lectroids (who are all named John) who are planning to invade the Earth from the Eighth Dimension. They need to get their hands on Buckaroo's latest invention, the oscillation overthruster, to complete their plans. Buckaroo gets some unexpected help from Penny Pretty, who looks exactly like his ex-wife, and from another race of aliens who behave like Jamaicans…
Credits
Crew
Directed by: W.D. Richter
© 1984 Sherwood Productions, Inc
Sherwood Productions, Inc. A Sidney Beckerman production
Executive Producer: Sidney Beckerman
Produced by: Neil Canton and W.D. Richter
Associate Producer: Dennis Jones
Written by: Earl Mac Rauch
Director of Photography: Fred J. Koenekamp
Edited by: Richard Marks and George Bowers
Music by: Michael Boddicker
Production Mixer: Michael Evje
Costume Designer: Aggie Guerrard Rodgers
Make-Up Supervisor: Bari Dreiband
Hair Stylist: Stephen Robinette
Special Make Up Designed by: The Burman Studio, Inc.
Special Effects: Henry Millar, David Blitstein
Special Visual Effects Supervisor: Michael Fink
Motion Contol Photography by: Dream Quest Images
Animated Visual Effects: VCE, Inc.
8th Dimension Sequence by: Greenlite, Inc.
Production Designer: J. Michael Riva
Cast
Peter Weller (Buckaroo Banzai)
John Lithgow (Doctor Emilio Lizardo/Lord John Whorfin)
Ellen Barkin (Penny Priddy)
Jeff Goldblum (Sidney Zwibel/New Jersey)
Christopher Lloyd (John Bigboote)
Lewis Smith (Perfect Tommy)
Rosalind Cash (John Emdall, Queen of the Black Lectroids)
Robert Ito (Professor Toichi Hikita)
Pepe Serna (Reno Nevada)
Ronald Lacey (President Widmark)
Matt Clark (Secretary of Defense McKinley)
Clancy Brown (Rawhide)
William Traylor (General Catburd)
Carl Lumbly (John Parker)
Vincent Schiavelli (John O'Connor)
Dan Hedaya (John Gomez)
Mariclare Costello (Senator Martha Cunningham)
Bill Henderson (Casper Lindley)
Damon Hines (Scooter Lindley)
Billy Vera (Pinky Carruthers)
Jamie Lee Curtis [Sandra Banzai – scenes deleted]
James Saito [Masado Banzai – scenes deleted
Alternative Titles
The Adventures of Buckaroo Banzai
A Aventuras de Buckaroo Banzai – Portugese title
Buckaroo Banzai – Die 8. Dimension – German title
Buckaroo Banzai – Italian title
Hotet från åttonde dimensionen – Swedish title
Przygody Buckaroo Banzai – Polish title
Superässä – Buckaroo Banzai – Finnish title
References
Periodicals
American Film vol.9 no.9 (July/August 1984) p.79 – review
Cinefantastique vol.15 no.2 (May 1985) p.44 – illustrated article, review
Cinefantastique vol.21 no.4 (February 1991) p.9 – illustrated article
Cinefex no.19 (November 1984) pp.44-59 – article
City Limits no.289 (16 April 1987) pp.27-28 – article
City Limits no.301 (9 July 1987) p.25 – review
L'Ecran Fantastique no.51 (December 1984) p.38 – article
L'Ecran Fantastique no.52 (January 1985) pp.11; 56-57; 59 – note (Les prochaines sorties); illustrated article (Les aventures de Buckaroo Banzai by Caroline Vié); credits (Génériques des longs métrages en compétition)
L'Ecran Fantastique no.65 (February 1986) pp.48-50 – illustrated article
Entertainment Weekly no.633 (4 January 2002) p.53 – DVD review (by Albert Kim)
Films and Filming no.365 (February 1985) p.29 – review
The Hollywood Reporter vol.277 no.36 (12 July 1983) p.22 – credits
The Hollywood Reporter vol.283 no.7 (7 August 1984) p.4 – credits, review
Monthly Film Bulletin vol.54 no.640 (May 1987) pp.140-141 – credits, synopsis, review
Prevue no.57 (November/December 1984) pp.29-35 – article
Screen International no.608 (11 July 1987) p.19 – review
Starburst no.80 (1985) p.39 – review
Starburst no.81 (1985) pp.20-23 – interview
Time Out no.881 (8 July 1987) p.33 – review
Variety 8 August 1984 p.14 – credits, review
Video the Magazine April 1987 p.8 – review
Books
The 100 Best Movies You've Never Seen by Richard Crouse p.1
The Films of the Eighties by Robert A. Nowlan and Gwendolyn Wright Nowlan pp.4-5 – credits, synopsis, review
Creature Features Movie Guide Strikes Again by John Stanley p.12 – credits, review
The Encyclopedia of Fantastic Film by R.G. Young p.4 – credits
The Encyclopedia of Science Fiction Movies from 1897 to the Present by C.J. Henderson pp.3-4 – credits, review
The Films of the Eighties by Robert A. Nowlan and Gwendolyn Wright Nolan p.4-5
Hoffman's Guide to SF, Horror and Fantasy Movies 1991-1992 p.16 – credits, review
Horror and Science Fiction Film and Television Credits Supplement I p.309 – credits
Horror and Science Fiction Films IV by Donald C. Willis pp.3-4 – credits
Psychotronic Video Guide by Michael J. Weldon p.5 – credits, review
The Stop-motion Filmography by Neil Pettigrew p.32 – credits, note
Variety Science-Fiction Movies by Julian Brown (ed.) p.9 – illustrated credits, review
Video Source Book 13th Edition (1992) Volume 1 p.27 – credits, review
