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Traveta reviews
Across the Eigth Dimension
MGM
- Cert: PG
- Cat.no: 1002040
- Running time: 102 minutes
- Year: 1984
- Pressing: 2001
- Region(s): 1, NTSC
- Chapters: 16
- Sound: Dolby Digital 5.1
- Languages: English, French
- Subtitles: French, Spanish
- Widescreen: 2.35:1
- 16:9-Enhanced: Yes
- Macrovision: No
- Disc Format: DVD 9
- Price: $19.99
- Extras: Alternate opening, theatrical and extended versions of thefilm, Buckaroo Banzai Declassified documentary, deleted scenes, directorand writer commentary, character and personal profiles, Banzai InstituteArchives: film reviews, production materials, movie tie-ins, CD covers,and more. Photo gallery, “Jet Car All Access”, subtitle fact track,teaser trailer, Nuon features, and easter eggs.
Director:
- W.D. Richter
Screenplay:
- Earl Mac Rauch
Cast:
- Buckaroo Banzai: Peter Weller
Dr. Emilio Lizardo/Lord John Whorfin: John Lithgow
Penny Priddy: Ellen Barkin
John Bigboote: Christopher Lloyd
New Jersey: Jeff Goldblum
Perfect Tommy: Lewis Smith
President Widmark: Ronald Lacey
If there was ever a definition for cult favorite movie, Buckaroo Banzai(this is what I will call the movie since the title is way toolong) would be it. Now you’re probably saying right now: what aboutRocky Horror Picture Show,Big Trouble in Little China, orUHF?This one fits the bill alot better. Huge fanbase? Check. Cheesy eighties plot?Check. Weird characters? Check. The movie has it in spades. Andconsidering it’s rocky video past (this is the first time it is inwidescreen – it was full frame even on the laserdisc!) it has been longawaited on DVD.
Buckaroo Banzai tells the story of a successful doctor, BuckarooBanzai (Peter Weller), a member of a band called the HongKong Cavaliers, who is also the head of a place called the BanzaiInstitute, who is also investigating… you know what? He’s just in a lotof stuff. When we first meet him, he is doing brain surgery but then heretorts to the desert. There he has built a jet car and he declares tothe world that he will go through a mountain and into the EightDimension. He succeeds and inadvertedly signals to John Whorfin (who isreally an alien from that dimension) that he can now go home. The plotis very confusing to tell in words so that’s just the gist of it. Butwhat follows is tons of weird stuff that the 80s are known for.
I liked this movie alot. I’ll tell you why. The characters. Theymay not seem like much but I liked how they all stucktogether and their chemistry. The cheesy 80s music is suprisinglycatchy as well. The plot is just very different and enjoyable. Watch thecredits too. It has a cool scene of all the characters together. Trustme, it’s cool.
Into the disc. This is the first time the movie has ever been offeredin it’s 2.35:1 widescreen presentation. The picture is very good. Fleshtones and colors are very solid as are the black colors. I didn’t findany compression artifacts and that’s suprising because of the HUGEamount of extras that are packed on. Very good transfer from MGM.
The sound isn’t exactly as great. I just didn’t think it was loudenough to fit the movie. But people will obviously like the 5.1 trackeven being there at all. It’s not horrible but I think it could havebeen a little louder.
As for extras, Whoa! Talk about jamming a disc. This is by far the most ambitiousproject MGM has done for DVD. I would list it all again but I’d getarthritis in my hand. Deleted scenes, making ofs, you name it and it’shere. Tons of stuff. Theeaster eggs are good too. Very extensive. When it was firstannounced for DVD it was going to be bare bones but then they delayed it andbam, Here’s the final product. My favorite part was the Banzai Institute Archives.There’s stuff like movie tie-ins and CD covers. Awesome.
Overall, if you’re reading this review you’re either curious about themovie, or you’ve seen it before. It’s a good movie that you’ll eitherlove or hate. But for $19.99 and tons of extras, what are you waitingfor? If you get it, find these easter eggs, they’re very cool.
PICTURE QUALITY
SOUND QUALITY
EXTRAS
OVERALLEmailTraveta
Reviewer of movies, videogames and music since 1994. Aortic valve operation survivor from the same year. Running DVDfever.co.uk since 2000. Nobel Peace Prize winner 2021.