The Adventures of Buckaroo Banzai Across the Eighth Dimension Movie Review

After accidentally opening up a gateway to the eighth dimension, our (and everybody's) hero Buckaroo Banzai (Peter Weller) must call on all of his talents in an interstellar battle for the world. Luckily, he is a multi-skilled genius-expert at everything. Race car driver, top neurosurgeon, rock star, diplomat, comic book hero, martial artist, scientist, last hope of the human race…these all describe Buckaroo. Teaming up with the good Black Lectoids, he and his rock ‘n’ roll commandos, The Hong Kong Cavaliers, must go head-to-head against the evil Red Lectoids whose leader inhabits the body of Dr. Lizardo (John Lithgow). Offbeat and nutty, campy and culty, this wacky sci fi moves as fast as Buckaroo's jet-propelled fiesta. Ellen Barkin is great as sweetheart Penny Priddy. Implied but never-made sequel is a frequent request at many a “good” video store. AKA: Buckaroo Banzai.

1984 (PG) 100m/C Peter Weller, Ellen Barkin, Jeff Goldblum, Christopher Lloyd, John Lithgow, Lewis Smith, Rosalind Cash, Robert Ito, Pepe Serna, Vincent Schiavelli, Dan Hedaya, Yakov Smirnoff, Jamie Lee Curtis; D: W.D. Richter; W: Earl Mac Rauch; C: Fred W. Koenekamp; M: Michael Boddicker. VHS, Beta, LV VES, LIV