"The Adventures of Buckaroo Banzai" (1984) with Gerry D & Chad Sheppard

Tim: It's easy to forget how wonderfully weird big studio filmmaking could be in the 1980s. Memory leans towards the iconic Amblin logo and high dollar polish, but studios were still greenlighting wildly original, high-concept swings across every budget. When those bets paid off, you got cultural blockbusters that defined a generation. But this 80s flick is one that didn't quite work, at least not while it was in theaters. It became the kind of film HBO would loop endlessly and the title that video store clerks proudly handed out to make lifelong converts. It's a lean, hyper-stylized pulp comic come to life that completely refuses to explain its own origin. So strap yourselves into the jet car, prepare to cross the barrier and take on the electrodes as Jerry D, Chad Shepard, and I discuss the adventures of Buckaroo Bonsai across the eighth dimension from 1984 on this episode of the 80s flick flashback podcast. All right, well, welcome to the show, everybody. So glad to have you. I am your host, Tim Williams. For a flick this weird and fun, I needed the right co-host to break down what can and cannot be explained. First, a man whose musical prowess and general swagger make him the closest thing we have to a real-life Hong Kong cavalier. Welcome back to the show from Totally Rad Christmas. It's Jerry D. How you doing, Jerry?

Gerry D: Hey, hey, hey, hey now. Hey, don't be mean. We don't have to be mean, 'cause remember, no matter where you go, there you are. I'm I'm doing well I'm doing great, man. Thanks for having me.

Tim: That's it. That that is that is the quote. Yeah, man.

CHAD: That's good.

Tim: And flying right alongside us in the jet car model two hundred eight is a guy who was completely fearless in the face of interdimensional travel, black op science, and deep dive eighty cinema. Ladies and gentlemen, Chad Shepherd. How you doing, Chad?

CHAD: Wait, wait. Is someone crying? I'm good. I'm good. I'm doing well, Tim. How about yourself?

Tim: I'm doing good, man. Glad to have you. right. Well, we're

CHAD: Good. to be here.

Tim: Talking about Buckaroo Bonsai, as we kind of know it, like that's that's what I've kind of known as. But the full title is The Adventures of Buckaroo Bonsai

Gerry D: Right.

Tim: Across the Eighth Dimension, which is a little harder to say and harder to keep up with, but but here we are. So yeah,

Gerry D: It's clunky for sure.

Tim: yeah. But Iconic eighties cult classic for sure. So let's jump right in. so I'm gonna start with Jerry. Jerry, when did you see the adventures of Bookarubansai for the very first time?

Gerry D: It had to have been early, early, you know, like maybe a year after it came out. I feel like HBO showed it a lot.

Tim: Mm-hmm.

Gerry D: but we did see it because and I I think we you and I were talking about this earlier, my cousin is in it. So

Tim: Mm-hmm.

Gerry D: Pepe Serna, he plays Reno Nevada, you know, who ends up getting his arm

CHAD: Wow.

Gerry D: his arm in a sling. That that's my cousin, yeah. So now

Tim: Mm-hmm.

CHAD: That's your cousin. That's awesome.

Gerry D: to be fair, we're like we're like second cousins like

Tim: Yeah.

Gerry D: once removed or something. But still, you know, it it counts.

Tim: Right.

CHAD: Close enough.

Gerry D: he was in Scarface. He's the the friend that gets killed by the chainsaw early on. He's in the jerk. He's one of the the the guys in the car. He's in Caddyshack

Tim: Ha ha ha.

Gerry D: two and he's one of like the the

CHAD: yeah.

Gerry D: workers, Cat Collin, the rich people that

Tim: okay.

Gerry D: so yeah, but he plays Reno Nevada. So I saw it pretty early on and

Tim: Mm-hmm.

Gerry D: I saw it a lot and quite frankly I I really liked it. I didn't always understand it, but I liked it. Same, but it's it's amazing. Yeah.

CHAD: I do have a quick question.

Tim: Still don't understand it. yeah. right, Chad, well tell us, when did you see Buckaroo Bansai for the first time?

CHAD: I didn't see it until I was much older. had to have been a teenager. I wasn't blessed to see it before then, but the first time I saw it I was like, What is

Tim: Ha ha ha.

CHAD: this? then I was like, Okay, well this is cool.

Tim: Mm-hmm.

CHAD: I like this. So yeah.

Gerry D: Yeah. I think that's the usual progression, right? Confusion and then acceptance.

Tim: Yeah. Acceptance. Yeah.

CHAD: Yeah. Right. Well, I'm right there.

Tim: Yeah. So honestly, yeah. Yeah. So for me, I really don't remember when I saw it for the first time. I remember friends talking about it and I think we watched it, but it was not one that I like gravitated towards. Like I knew it existed. There are scenes of it that I remember, but it's not one that I watched a lot like on my own. It was just like my friends were watching it. So I'd watch it with them. so re-watching it again was like almost like watching it again for the first time because there was so much that I didn't remember.

Gerry D: Yeah.

Tim: but then there then there were oddly pots-up parts of it. I was like, I totally remember this, but I don't remember any of the other stuff before this. So

Gerry D: That's for sure.

Tim: but yeah, so it's but it's just that kind of movie. So How long has it been since you rewatched it before we were watching it for the podcast? I gotta make that question better. It's been six years, I still screw it up.

Gerry D: No, yeah, I I I know what you mean. yeah, so I I watched it of course today for the podcast. Before

Tim: Mm.

Gerry D: then I'd watched it a few months ago. this is one that I watch not every year, but like every couple of years. And it's

Tim: Okay.

Gerry D: like and it's one of those where like you're you're just on Tubi trying to find something, you're like, Hey, Buckaroo bonsai Okay, I'll let me I'll t I'll watch that. I got nothing else to watch

Tim: Yeah. Yeah, yeah.

Gerry D: right now. So yeah, it's been a like two years, may maybe a year and a half.

Tim: Okay. Okay. What about you, Chad?

CHAD: Yeah, I I I watched this recently for the podcast. I I came home and my wife hadn't got home yet. And I said, Hey, I'm doing the the podcast this weekend. So she's

Tim: Mm-hmm.

CHAD: like, Okay, well go ahead and watch it and and then you can stop when I get home. So I I got maybe

Tim: Ha ha ha ha.

CHAD: halfway through and and stopped it and then I unfortunately went and saw another movie today, so I'm like, I'm trying to remember what all I saw and what I can remember and

Tim: No gosh.

CHAD: yeah. I told y'all before I saw another movie from the nineteen eighties with a st star studded cast, The Transformers, nineteen eighty six movie. So

Tim: Yes.

Gerry D: Classic, heartbreaking movie.

Tim: Yep. Yep. Yep.

CHAD: Yes. So good. It was it was really good. But yeah.

Tim: Yep. Two two movies that were wildly, wildly misunderstood when they first came out, but have

CHAD: Ha ha.

Tim: definitely become cult classics. So But for me, so I don't remember the last time I watched it. Like I think I I think I might have watched it in the last 10 years. Like it, like you said, it's on Tubi. It's on I saw it on Amazon Prime. That's how I watched it for the podcast today. So if it pops up and it's I think like you, Jerry, it's like it's a good movie just to kind of have on in the background. Like I don't really need to pay much attention because I don't really know what's going on anyway, but it's fun to just pop in.

Gerry D: Right. For sure.

Tim: to a scene or two and catch a line that I remember or like a scene that's cool. So so yeah.

Gerry D: Yeah, y exactly. It's like it's on and then you're like, that yeah, I remember that and then you do what you go back to what you're doing and then man, it's at that part where they're torturing her, you know, or whatever.

Tim: Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah, we're gonna we're gonna talk about it 'cause we have a lot of cast to cover, but it's like it's also like, ooh, that guy's in it. Like it you like you. Yeah.

CHAD: That's that's where I was, It's like I forgot he

Gerry D: There there's a lot of that guy, yeah. A ton of that guy it's

CHAD: was in this, yeah. Most definitely.

Tim: Exactly,

Gerry D: Mm-hmm.

Tim: exactly.

Gerry D: I think this was like my first exposure to John Lithgau. Like I think I remember this first. And then Santa

Tim: okay. Yeah, yeah.

Gerry D: Claus the movie and then Twilight Zone after that, you know. so yeah, I was like, I know that guy. It's you know, Dr. Lazardo.

Tim: What what a right, what a progression. Buckaroo bonsai to Santa Claus to

CHAD: Yeah. Harry and the Henderson's slide zone. yeah.

Tim: what was the last one you said? Twilight Zone. yeah, yeah, then

Gerry D: The twilight zone. The twilight zone.

Tim: Foot Loose, then Harry and Anderson's, yeah. yeah. All right, it's time for the show. We put our 80s flick behind-the-scenes knowledge to the ultimate test. I don't know if Jerry's played this with us before, but it's time for risky quizness. So I've got five statements about the story origin and pre-production of Buckaroo Bonsai. You have to let me know if you think that these statements are true or false. You and Chad work

Gerry D: Okay.

Tim: together as a team. you you it's like the co-host against me. so listeners feel free to play along as Jerry and Chad try to get at least three out of five correct to secure the victory. So you don't have to get them all right. You've got to at least get three out of the five correct. Are you ready? Yeah. All right.

Gerry D: All right, we'll do what we can.

CHAD: And I usually don't do well with this. But by the way I think Nicholas and Lair may both have beaten me. So I've come in second both times, so

Tim: Yeah, yeah. I mean it's good it yeah, it's good when you work as a team, though. That's what that's that's where it makes

CHAD: Yeah, yeah.

Tim: it fun. So

Gerry D: Alright, we'll we'll do what we can.

Tim: all right, here we go.

CHAD: Let's do

Tim: Statement number one. The adventures of Bakaru Banzai was originally conceived as a direct sequel to a forgotten nineteen thirties pulp adventure serial featuring a completely different character named Doctor Synthetic. Is that statement true or false?

Gerry D: That sounds true.

CHAD: I I w I'm I'm agr I think I'd agree.

Tim: Unfortunately, that is false. While heavily

Gerry D: Ha ha ha ha.

Tim: while heavily inspired by 1930s pulp heroes like Doc Savage, Buckaroo was an original creation by writer Earl Mac Rauch. So all right, you're not starting off very well. But we'll you got time. It's okay. It's okay. You like I said, you only gotta get three.

Gerry D: It's it's all right. It happens. It happens.

Tim: All right, here we go. Number two, Peter Weller was not the first choice to play Buckaroo bonsai. True or false.

CHAD: Okay. So this was eighty four.

Tim: Mm-hmm.

Gerry D: Yeah. Before Robocop.

Tim: Before Robocop,

CHAD: Yeah.

Tim: yep.

CHAD: So I would They had to have had other people they thought about.

Gerry D: I think it's true. I think he was not the first choice.

CHAD: Yes. Well that's yeah, that agree.

Tim: All right, you're correct. It is true. At various points in development during the late 70s and early 80s, the project shifted studios and concepts with different actors circling the lead before Weller locked it down. So, all right, got it, you got one right. Let's keep it going. Number three.

Gerry D: Ha ha.

Tim: Director W.D. Richter deliberately instructed the cast to act as if they were already mid-franchise, refusing to add exposition scenes because he wanted viewers to feel like they had walked into issue. Number four hundred thirty four of a comic book True or False.

CHAD: Watching the movie again makes me think that is very true. Yeah. Yeah. Yes, okay.

Gerry D: Yeah, that sounds true to me.

Tim: That is absolutely true. Yes. The opening was a calculated artistic choice to make the world feel massive and lived in from frame one. Yeah, you you you drop right into this movie, like, okay, what's happening again? Like what are we doing now? So

Gerry D: Right. And I mean I know there was like a filmed intro that, you know, it's like with but

Tim: Yes, yeah.

Gerry D: and and it's there on like the D V D like there's the Blu ray. But

Tim: Mm-hmm. Yeah.

Gerry D: yeah, you they cut that and it's like you could tell.

Tim: Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm. All right. So now you got two two right, one wrong. So you just need one more correct to one more. I got

Gerry D: Right, we just need one more. We we're doing well.

CHAD: All right. All right.

Tim: two questions left or two statements left. All right. Statement number four.

Gerry D: D for diploma.

Tim: John Lithgow originally auditioned for the role of the hero Bakaru Banzai before begging the director to let him play the villainous Lord John Worfin instead. True or false?

Gerry D: See, that does sound like something he'd do though. even if it's false, that sounds that like that's plausible.

CHAD: again, where are we in his t career? I think he did

Gerry D: yeah.

CHAD: was a was it was world according to Garp before this for him. Okay.

Tim: It was Yep.

CHAD: So did he did they

Tim: This is

CHAD: give him and then okay, the question is they gave they were gonna offer him the main role? he auditioned, okay.

Gerry D: Well he he auditioned. So like he auditioned for

Tim: He he addition

Gerry D: it and was like, wait and then he like, Wait, I like this one better.

Tim: he addition yeah, yeah. Yeah.

CHAD: We've had two trues. Yeah.

Tim: Ha ha ha

Gerry D: We just need one right, so if we get this one wrong, it's okay. I think it's fair. true.

Tim: Ha ha

Gerry D: I don't know. I it sounds

Tim: Somebody's gotta decide.

Gerry D: true to me. It sounds I'd believe it. I could see him wanting to do that.

CHAD: think he would probably just want I think he would just wanna audition for that role that he got at the

Gerry D: Well it's okay, well we could say false. I'm fine with that. We'll say false.

CHAD: So yeah. Faults.

Tim: Trust your teammate. It is false. Lithgow

Gerry D: So it

Tim: was always eyed for the villainous role, although though he was based

Gerry D: Ha ha ha.

Tim: the eccentric

CHAD: Yay.

Tim: Italian accident alien persona, a wild mix of classical theatrical villains and old Hollywood stars. And actually I read later that actually the screenwriter had Lithgau in mind when he wrote the role. So he wanted Lithgow from the beginning. So

Gerry D: Which is wild because he's supposed to be an Italian scientist.

Tim: Yeah.

Gerry D: And and John Lithgow's Italian is very Mario Brothers, let's put it that way.

Tim: Yes, yes. yeah, we're gonna we'll talk about that here a little bit later too. So all right, so you've already got your three, but let's see if you can get four out of five. So last one.

Gerry D: All right. S smooth sailing.

Tim: The iconic ending credits sequence where the entire cast struts down a concrete alleyway in uniform was originally choreographed and filmed to Billy Joel's Uptown Girl. True or false?

Gerry D: don't recall. that that that score is amazing. I love that. That like that

Tim: Mm-hmm, mm-hmm.

CHAD: Yeah.

Gerry D: whole sequence is like the most memorable part of the whole movie for me. Think it's no, I don't know if that's true. I I wanna say that they it was always to his to that and they played it on a boom box or something. But I could be maybe I'm making that up. I'm gonna say go ahead.

CHAD: I wanna s I would say it would be a I would say it would be a different song.

Gerry D: I don't think it was Uptown Girl.

CHAD: Is it a trick question? Is it another Billy Joel song? But it just wasn't a tip. goodness.

Tim: I as the host cannot give anything away.

CHAD: I know. boy. No. I don't think it was either.

Gerry D: I'm gonna say no, it was not I don't think it was to Billy Joel's. To Uptown Girl.

CHAD: Nope.

Tim: Alright, enjoy your win with three correct answers, but you got that one wrong. That is true.

CHAD: No.

Tim: They hadn't yet secured

Gerry D: I gotcha.

Tim: their rights to the score yet during that shoot day. So the entire cast was strutting and dancing to Billy Joel blasting from a boom box on top of one of the on set. Yeah. I was like, all right, you got you had half yeah, half the memory was right. Yeah.

Gerry D: I I knew was something with the boom box. Yeah. All right. Well my bad. Sorry about that. We got three though.

CHAD: Yay, it's good.

Tim: So yeah, yeah, good job. So yeah, three out of five. It's still a win. Take the win. So

Gerry D: Ha ha.

CHAD: I w I wonder if anybody made like a cut of Uptown Girl with them walking out. That'd be interesting.

Gerry D: To Uptown Girl.

Tim: I thought about it, yeah. I thought about I when I watched it. So I was like, that but if you if you pay attention, like it is the exact same like tempo, like it fits. So so it's kinda cool. So

Gerry D: man, that song so good.

Tim: Yeah. yeah. All right. Well, let us know, listeners, how you did. If you played along, send us a message. send us an email at info at 80sfoot flashback.com. send us a message on social media. You can leave us a comment right here on YouTube if that's where you're watching the podcast. So all right. As I said previously, yeah, it's okay. Yeah.

Gerry D: And sorry for my closet in the background if you're watching.

Tim: They didn't know they hadn't noticed until you said anything. They thought it was

Gerry D: Well now they're g yeah, they're like, Ooh, what what's in his closet? Sorry, we're

Tim: Jerry's not in no no Jerry's not in his closet. He's in the sixth and a half dimension. He just hasn't made it the eighth dimension yet. Right, right.

Gerry D: Yeah.

CHAD: It's it's the wardrobe dimension. Full of wardrobes.

Gerry D: The electroids are green over here, but you know

Tim: Yeah.

CHAD: See that.

Tim: Which side of the closet is yours? That's what I want to know. Or do you have a side?

Gerry D: it's it's this side, but my wife has some scarves on my side. So you can see my ties.

Tim: Of course she does.

Gerry D: There's like a music music tie right there, you know, Christmas

CHAD: I like that one. those are cool.

Gerry D: Christmas tree tie and then just random

CHAD: Yeah.

Gerry D: random shirts that I don't wear anymore. So

Tim: I think I think I found our side project. So we're gonna exploring Jerry's recording studio main slash closet. So

Gerry D: That's right. That's right.

CHAD: That's great.

Tim: behind the scenes. All right, well like a Go ahead.

Gerry D: You know what I I'll tell you what though, I always wanted a buckaroo bonsai toy. Like the si just l just like a G. I. Joe's, you know, three

Tim: yeah, yeah. Mm-hmm.

Gerry D: and three quarters inch. That's all we needed. I think that would have been so awesome and we never got it. So well.

Tim: Nope. They look, there's companies now that are making like toys, like making them look like the old classic toys with with what that or you know. So yeah. Yeah.

Gerry D: Right. yeah, super seven and the reaction line, yeah.

Tim: So now I know what to get you for Christmas. All right, here we go.

Gerry D: Ha ha

Tim: As I said earlier, we've got a lot of people in the cast to cover. Fortunately, a lot of the not a lot, a few of the casts we've covered on previous episodes, so we won't go into their filmography as much. Well, let's just jump right in. So Course, we got to talk about Dr. because he is a doctor, Dr. Buckaro Bonza.

Gerry D: He is, he's a neurosurgeon.

Tim: Yeah, Dr. Bucaru Bonza himself, Peter Weller, who of course we talked about in our previous episode on Robocop, which is what he's most familiar, most

Gerry D: Yeah.

Tim: familiar role, of course,

CHAD: yeah.

Tim: from 1987. so yeah. Any thoughts on Peter Weller? I mean, I I think he was, I think the casting was great. I mean, he is Buckaroo Bonza. I can't imagine anybody else in the role. I did. I did have like you know, a course on any kind of online, like these are the other people that were that were thought, you know, they were auditioned and I was like, They didn't audition these people. Like they were already like huge stars at this point. Like that was not true. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah.

Gerry D: Yeah, for sure. It was like like they dreamed of getting those people. I like r I mean, I like Peter Weller. He does a great job in this.

Tim: Yeah.

Gerry D: liked him in Robocop. I liked him

Tim: Mm.

Gerry D: in what's what was that one where he was like on an alien planet and it was they were like robots like like people for sure.

Tim: Buckaroo bonsai? No

Gerry D: Screamers, I think is what it was. Screamers and then

Tim: Screamers, yeah, I think that's the name of yeah, yeah.

CHAD: Grammar.

Gerry D: and I liked him as Yin in Psyche. But I don't really know him from anything else. So yeah.

Tim: yeah, yeah, yeah. I was getting psych. He's been in a lot of stuff, but it's a lot of like really smaller smaller roles. Yeah, yeah, indie projects,

Gerry D: Like indie projects, yeah. Yeah. But it is funny, he's supposed to be like a a Japanese American and and d I don't see it. Yeah, I don't see it. For cer

Tim: Mm-hmm. Don't see that at all. But that was the eighties, right? Didn't it didn't matter.

CHAD: No.

Gerry D: yeah, definitely.

Tim: Didn't matter, so

Gerry D: Totally.

Tim: All right, so moving right along, we got John Lithgow, Lithgow. I don't I never know how to say his name right. Lithgow

Gerry D: I I'm pretty sure it's Lithgow, yeah.

Tim: as Dr. Emilio Lazardo and Lord John Worfin. we

Gerry D: John Warfin.

Tim: j yeah, we just covered him in our in my last episode, terms of endearment. He has a small role in that. That he was filming the same time he was doing Footloose. So they both

Gerry D: Hmm.

Tim: came out in eighty-four. So it was very busy in the early eighties. So we talked,

Gerry D: Yeah, it was. People were working.

Tim: yeah. Yeah, we talked about his interesting Italian ac accent. So his dialect coach

Gerry D: Ha ha ha.

Tim: name was Roberto Terminelli. He was a tailor on the twentieth century Fox lot with a heavy Italian accent. So John had Roberto speak his lines from the script of a tape recorder, which he then used to practice the accent. John then

CHAD: Nice.

Tim: got him credit in the movie as the dialect coach for his help. So

Gerry D: Well, it comes and it goes a little bit there.

Tim: Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.

Gerry D: But also his him his performance is just fantastic, right? He's crazed but menacing, but

Tim: yeah. Over the top. Yeah.

Gerry D: it's yeah, it's like super campy like 1930s serial villain.

Tim: Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm. Yeah. We've talked about John Lithgow a lot on the show because I've I mean we've covered a couple of his movies already, but he's one of those actors that can literally, literally do anything. Like comedy, whack the wackiness in this, but then very serious. Like, I mean, he's just a phenomenal actor no matter what he's in. So I yeah,

Gerry D: And now he's Dumbledore. So yeah.

Tim: it's crazy. It's

CHAD: huh.

Tim: crazy.

CHAD: I enjoyed him in he was in the first Planet of the Apes movie, the one with James Franco, played his dad. That was that. Like I meant not sixty eight, no.

Tim: yeah, yeah, yeah. The the mm mm mm hmm.

Gerry D: Hmm. I was like, I was thinking back, you said first, so I was like, Charlton Heston? He was in that?

Tim: Yeah. Yeah yeah yeah yeah. Yeah, the the the Plan of the Apes prequel movies that came out. Yeah.

CHAD: Prequel, yeah.

Gerry D: right, right, right.

Tim: Yeah yeah. Yeah. Even if he just has like a small role, he's always memorable in it.

Gerry D: Kills it.

CHAD: and he's the the serial killer in Dexter too. He's real good in that. Yeah.

Tim: Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm. Yep.

Gerry D: that's yeah, that's true.

Tim: Yep. All right. So moving right along. Then I had no idea she was in this with Ellen Barkin as Penny Pretty

Gerry D: Alan Barkin.

CHAD: Yeah.

Tim: or Peggy Bonsai. Her breakthrough role was in the 1982 movie Diner. And the following year she started starring roles in films such as Tender Mercies in 83, Eddie and the Cruisers in 83, The Big Easy in 86, Johnny Handsome, and Sea of Love, both in 1989. So

Gerry D: I actually know her mostly from this, honestly. And I know she's

Tim: Yeah.

CHAD: Yeah.

Gerry D: like those other movies are b bigger, more popular movies, but I know her from this, so

Tim: Mm-hmm. yeah. Yeah.

CHAD: No yeah.

Tim: Yeah. This would definitely have been like the first movie that I saw her in. Like maybe I might have seen her Eddie and the Cruisers, but she was probably a little bit more memorable in this. But she was she kind of like 80s was click. She was had those small parts. She really did more like in the 90s. That was really more when she was more of a popular name for sure. But

Gerry D: g gotcha.

Tim: but yeah. But I I liked her in this. Like she didn't have a whole lot to do. I wish she would have had more of a character, but Yeah. But she's still good in it, so

Gerry D: Well it they try to squeeze in a lot and it's it definitely feels like late seventies, early eighties comic book. Like it it really

Tim: Mm-hmm, mm-hmm.

Gerry D: does, where they're like just trying to cram it all in because they don't know if they're gonna get a next issue or you know, like like one of those kind of comic books.

Tim: Mm-hmm. Yep, for sure, for sure.

CHAD: it wasn't for until the rewatch I realized so his wife was his sister, twin sister. That that they didn't yeah, she didn't know about him.

Gerry D: was her twin. Yeah, her her twin sister. They were separated at birth. he he he married the wife, I guess she passed away, and then

CHAD: Yeah.

Tim: Mm-hmm.

Gerry D: and then yeah, Penny just kinda randomly appears and he's like, whoa

Tim: She looks just like yeah. That was the that was the whole thing, yeah.

CHAD: Mhm. I love her hair in this movie. I know that's weird, but it's great, great hair.

Tim: I mean

Gerry D: Yeah, no, I agree. Yeah.

Tim: I mean I'm I'm gonna say it. She's a beautiful woman. I mean I'm I didn't mind

CHAD: yeah.

Tim: I didn't mind her being in the movie at all. I'm just gonna say that.

Gerry D: Ha ha ha.

Tim: So so yeah. Okay, let's yes. Moving right along. So next on the

CHAD: I I had a comment but I'm not gonna I'm not gonna say it. Yeah. She was great

Gerry D: Got to Yep.

CHAD: she was great in this she looked great in this movie, yes. That's

Tim: Yes, yes.

CHAD: all I'll say.

Tim: Okay, sounds good. All right. So then we got Jeff Goldbloom as Dr. Sidney Zweibel or

Gerry D: Yeah yes, New Jersey.

Tim: New Jersey. the the outfit. I mean,

CHAD: Yes.

Tim: let's just talk about

Gerry D: Yeah.

Tim: the cowboy outfit. I mean it was a choice. Yeah, yeah.

Gerry D: Okay, 'cause they're the c they're called the Hong Kong Cavaliers, right? So but they have like kind of a Western theme. There's Reno Nevada. There's a guy named Pecos, right? There's a perfect Tommy. There's a yeah, I

Tim: Right, right. Mm-hmm.

Gerry D: mean it's like a whole like Western Posse kind of vibe. I mean his name is Buckaroo Bonsai, you know? So he dresses

Tim: Mm-hmm, mm hmm. Right, right, right.

Gerry D: up, he thinks like, we're gonna have a rehearsal and

CHAD: Western

Tim: Yeah.

Gerry D: it's all Western theme. And it is it's like what

Tim: Not.

Gerry D: a nineteen fifties Western, like you would think. Like it reminded me of Back to the Future 3, right? With the Yep.

Tim: Mm hmm. Yeah. I was but about yeah, I was about to say that.

CHAD: Mm. Who dressed you in that outfit? You did. Yeah. Exactly.

Tim: Yeah.

CHAD: No, you're good. Good.

Gerry D: this is where I first know Jeff Goldblum. You know, and then I saw the fly and then I saw the other things. But like

Tim: Mm, mhm.

Gerry D: like this is where I know Jeff Goldblum from. Like this you know, that

Tim: Mm-hmm.

Gerry D: this was my first exposure to him.

Tim: Yeah, yeah.

CHAD: And he was so very Jeff Goldblum too. Like like

Tim: for sure. Yeah. yeah.

Gerry D: Yes.

CHAD: again, I did not I guess I didn't realize it in the beginning, but you know, seeing all his stuff he's done, he was so still Jeff Goldblum. And I love it. I

Tim: Mm.

CHAD: don't want him to ever not be himself or I know he's playing a character, but

Tim: Yeah, yeah. Mm-hmm.

CHAD: what he brings to these characters is so him. And it was it was it

Tim: Mm-hmm.

Gerry D: Right. Right.

CHAD: was great.

Gerry D: He's also a neurosurgeon that just happens to play, you know, an instrument and I mean it's it's like you

Tim: Mm. Yes. Yeah. Yeah. He can

CHAD: Yeah, an instrument. And he didn't play the piano, right? Did he not play the piano in the movie? I didn't did he? I didn't later on, okay.

Gerry D: He does later on, yeah. He plays

Tim: Yeah, later on, yeah, yeah.

Gerry D: the the theme the theme that's when they're walking at the end, he's actually plays

Tim: Mm

Gerry D: like a simple version of it.

Tim: hmm. Mm-hmm.

CHAD: That's right. That's right.

Tim: Yep. So yeah, good old Jeff Goldblum. So

CHAD: Yeah. Yeah,

Gerry D: Yeah.

Tim: All right, and then we've got Christopher Lloyd as John Big Boute. that's ex that booty, that's how I gotta say it. Yeah. So

Gerry D: Yeah. A big boot, don't you know?

CHAD: Say

Tim: previously covered in past episodes, Back to the Future trilogy, of course. And we did Who Framed Roger Rabbit. So you go back and listen to those to talk about. Yeah,

Gerry D: And clue is another one.

Tim: yeah, it was in clue. That's right. Yeah. So gr the great Christopher Lloyd, always.

Gerry D: Mm-hmm.

CHAD: I got got my picture taken with him last year at Dragon

Gerry D: that's awesome.

CHAD: Con. Yes.

Tim: Nice, nice.

CHAD: Had breakfast well, I didn't have breakfast. He was the table over, but

Tim: Ha ha ha.

CHAD: I say we had breakfast together. And Miss

Gerry D: Ha ha ha ha.

CHAD: And Mr. Strickland was there last year too. And he was even he was

Tim: Yeah, yeah, yeah, from back to

CHAD: even closer to our table, so.

Gerry D: wow.

Tim: So you had breakfast in the same room with them. So that

CHAD: but I did. Breathed their air. I was

Gerry D: I think you can count it.

Tim: you count it, yeah. I had breakfast with them.

Gerry D: You could yeah.

CHAD: And you know how big of a back in the future fan I am. So it was awesome. Yeah.

Tim: yeah, exactly. Yeah, so that's that is cool. Very cool. All right, then we got Lewis Smith as perfect Tommy. he's best known as Bobby Fontana and the Heavenly Kid. Also came out in ninety nineteen eighty four, which is a movie that I definitely watched a million times. Yes, yes. All the time, all the time, yes.

Gerry D: I I love the heaven. Same. That's another one that they showed all the time. The there's

CHAD: I Yeah.

Gerry D: that Jolyn Turner song, She's Heart Heartless or She's Heartless, something like that that's

Tim: Mm-hmm.

Gerry D: in there. It's just fantastic. But yeah, they HBO, you know, the same thing. And that's the only other thing I know him from.

Tim: Yeah. Mm-hmm. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. So yeah, those so when he popped up on the screen, I was like, I know this guy. Like, what is this guy in? Like I was like, I know I

Gerry D: Yeah. What's his deal? Yeah.

Tim: know this face. But I'm you know, the blonde hair was throwing me off. Yeah. And then then it hit me, I was like, that's the heavenly kid. So yeah. Yep.

CHAD: He's not blonde, yeah. my gosh. Why I y'all have blown my mind. I just I just now realize they

Gerry D: Right. Ha ha ha ha.

Tim: Yeah, so which I think Heavenly Kid is also on Amazon Prime. So you want a good double feature, just go ahead and watch watch both of us together. I I've got a cover Yeah, I've got to cover

Gerry D: Yeah, for s yeah. A Lewis Smith double feature.

CHAD: Yeah.

Tim: I've got yeah, I've got to cover the Heavenly Kid very so I rewatched it a couple of years ago. It's yeah,

Gerry D: So did I. Yeah.

Tim: it's it

CHAD: They

Tim: it's totally nostalgia now. Like it's it's total nostalgia now. It's fun.

Gerry D: yeah, it's it was never quite quality to begin with, but it felt like it, you know, 'cause

CHAD: I don't I don't know if all of it was filmed in Atlanta, but I know the last scene where he's going the heavenly kid going to heaven

Tim: Mm-hmm. Yeah.

CHAD: was the escalator from at Marta downtown.

Tim: yeah, yeah, yeah. Yeah. Yeah.

CHAD: So yeah. So I don't know if the whole thing was filmed here, but I know I know that scene was. Yeah.

Tim: I do remember reading that. So probably not. Yeah. I don't know. We'll see we'll I what we'll when we cover that, we'll definitely talk about it. We'll

CHAD: We'll dive into it.

Tim: talk about it. So yeah. But yeah. It's all right.

CHAD: Sorry.

Tim: All right. And then we got Robert Ito as Professor Tochiki. I'm not I messed up the road. You who I'm talking about. he's known for his television and film work, including roles of Sam Fujiyama in the NBC series Quincy MD. He was also on the a 1980s CBS primetime soap opera Falcon Crest. And he's done a variety of voice acting for animation. So, yes, Dr. Robert Ito. And then the great Clancy Brown as Raw Hyde.

Gerry D: Yeah.

Tim: of course, we know him from Highlander, Pet Cemetery 2, The Shawshank Redemption, Starship Troopers, and the list goes on and on. Voice of Lex Luther. Yeah, exactly. So.

Gerry D: Lex the voice of Lex Luthor and the

CHAD: Next, Lex Luthor. Yep. Mr. Krabs.

Tim: Yeah.

Gerry D: Yeah he's just he's phenomenal. And

Tim: Mm-hmm.

CHAD: yeah.

Gerry D: it I remember it being sad when he died. I I mean, you know, in on screen, I mean. Yeah. I was

Tim: Mm-hmm. Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. Yeah, that

CHAD: Yeah.

Tim: was kind of I wasn't expecting that for sure. Like, you know. Yeah, exactly.

Gerry D: Like there's actual stakes. Someone you know s so

Tim: Exactly. and then we got Carl Lumbly as John Parker. He's known for Mantis from 1994 to 97. Also had television roles on Cagnan Lacey and Alias. he's also was in the DCAU

Gerry D: Martian Manhunter, yeah.

Tim: Marsha Man and

CHAD: Martian

Tim: his father and Supergirl,

CHAD: Menhunter, yep.

Tim: that's what I remembered him from. And of course, he's been recently Isaiah Bradley, a super soldier in Falcon of the Winter Soldier and Captain America, Brave Dew World. So yeah, when he's when I saw his face, I was like, I know that guy too, but he's much younger now, or much younger

CHAD: Yeah.

Tim: in this movie. So then when I saw,

Gerry D: Right, yeah.

Tim: I was like, yeah. But I like I was kind of introduced to him from the Supergirl show. We were big fans of that. So when he popped up on there, and then I kind of knew more about his past. past shows he was been a part of. So yeah.

CHAD: Yeah, I saw his

Gerry D: Yeah, too.

CHAD: name pop up on the c on the opening credits and then when I saw him

Tim: Mm-hmm.

CHAD: I it did not dawn on me that was him

Tim: Yeah.

CHAD: because he's like you said, he looks a lot younger than what I what I'm used to. I'm used to older older gentleman.

Tim: Yeah. Mm-hmm.

Gerry D: Well and he's got the dreads and he's got the mustache and so yeah.

Tim: Mm-hmm. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah.

CHAD: Yeah.

Tim: He does he definitely looks he looks different, but you can still like yeah, yeah,

CHAD: I got the Jamaican accent, man. Yeah.

Tim: yeah.

Gerry D: That's right.

Tim: Yeah. But he's yeah, certain features I could tell that was like it's like I know that guy. So

CHAD: Mm-hmm.

Tim: a face that you could never forget, Vincent Shavelli as John O'Connor.

Gerry D: Yeah, yes.

CHAD: Yeah.

Tim: Of course, we've talked about him. He was in Better Off Dead, he in Fast Times at Ridge Mount High.

Gerry D: Yeah, yeah. Using ghost.

Tim: He's been in a ton of other movies. Yeah, he was in Ghost. He was the Subway Ghost. He was the organ grinder in Batman Returns.

Gerry D: Yes, he was.

Tim: yep. So but yeah, the the great Vincent Shavelli. And then Dan Hadea as John Gomez. We just talked about him a couple episodes go ago on Commando, but pr probably

Gerry D: Yep, yep. Well and and you and I talked about him on when we did vice versa. No, no, not vice versa. What's the other one? Running Scared, that's the one, yeah. Right.

Tim: n no, running running scared. He was the police detect he was the the the captain in running scared, yes.

Gerry D: I was like, it's one of Which was it? yeah, yeah, that that's right. Vite no, vice versa

CHAD: With the one with Billy Crystal and Jeremy Hines.

Tim: Yeah, yeah, yeah. I'll say maybe he was in.

Gerry D: has not quite has not quite Dan Hadaya. Yeah,

Tim: Right. Yep. Yep. Gregory Hines.

Gerry D: Gregory Hines, yeah.

Tim: Yep. Did you say Jeremy Hines?

CHAD: Did I? I met Gregory, yeah.

Tim: That's what I was I was trying remember. All right.

Gerry D: it's all good.

Tim: and then I did not even recognize him until like the very we're kind of getting into like cameos now at this point, but I didn't recognize him really until the very end. And that is Billy Vera of Billy Vera and the Beaters as Pinky Carruthers. but there's a reason why he's in the movie because most of the band playing with Buck Rubanzai is Billy Vera and the Beaters. And so, and if you're like, who is Billy

Gerry D: That's it's amazing.

Tim: Vera and the Beaters? Then if you ever watch Family Ties. Then you know about the song What Would You Do at This Moment? Which was a huge hit when it came out.

CHAD: What do I do at this moment?

Tim: It's a great song, still one of my favorites. That's it. That's it. So don't sing too much. I don't have the rights. so

CHAD: Okay. Sorry.

Gerry D: Yeah.

Tim: and then I don't even remember, like I saw it on the cast list. Like I don't know how I missed this, but Yakov Schmirnoff was the national security advisor another cameo. I as soon as I saw him, he was the hospital guard, is Jonathan Banks. you know him from

CHAD: yeah.

Tim: Airplane, 48 Hours, Beverly Hills Cop, Armed and Dangerous, Under Siege 2, Dark Territory, Identity Thief. He's been in a ton of stuff. But yeah. Yeah. Mental tuition, yeah. Yeah,

CHAD: Mike Ermintrout.

Gerry D: yeah, that's right. He was at the at the mental institution that Lazardo was at, yeah.

CHAD: Mike.

Tim: yep, yep. And then I don't know if you recognized him, but he I had to search for him in the credits. But also from Beverly Hills Cop one and two, Sergeant John Taggart, whose name is John Ashton, he was the highway patrolman in this movie. Yep. Yeah. When they're when they're

Gerry D: was he? I missed that. I completely missed that.

Tim: when they're looking at like the huge rock or whatever that has the lectoids inside, like he's one of the, like he's talking to at the very end. I'm like, I know that, like, I know that face. And then I was like, it's Taggart from Beverly Hills Cop. But once again,

Gerry D: Wow, I missed that.

Tim: yep. I I guess a year before Beverly Hills Cop. was probably when he filmed this. So yeah, they got everybody in this movie. so that's everybody that's in the movie. Anyone that I miss besides Jerry's cousin that I didn't talk about, but I think yeah, he was yeah, yeah, yeah.

Gerry D: He's we've mentioned him already, no big deal.

CHAD: Yeah.

Gerry D: Ray Burke. I did he so he's just plays a a reporter, but you might

Tim: Mm-hmm.

Gerry D: know him as Mr. Papshmere from The Naked Gun. Yep.

Tim: Yes, yes, yes. There were a few others, like the the the guy playing the president was actually from Raiders of the Lost Ark. He was yeah.

Gerry D: Yeah, it's taut, right?

CHAD: the the secretary was Matt Clark. Matt Clark was the

Gerry D: Back to the future three, yeah.

Tim: Yep.

CHAD: yeah, the bartender at Back to Future Three, yes.

Tim: He's definitely one of those that guys. He's been in a ton of stuff. So yeah.

Gerry D: For sure, yeah. That dude. You're like, that guy.

Tim: Yeah, exactly. All right, so someone who was in the movie but got cut, Jamie Lee Curtis played Buckaroo's mother in a flashback, but this scene was deleted. The scene is available on the recent

CHAD: What?

Tim: DVD release as an optional prequel to the theatrical version and a special feature. Jamie Lee Curtis is visible in a photo on the dashboard of the jet car in the widescreen version. So yep. There you go. What a movie to have all these people in it for sure. So yeah.

Gerry D: Right?

CHAD: Indeed.

Tim: What a cast. All right, let's all right, let's talk about iconic and favorite scenes. So if someone says to you, the adventures of Bakuru Bonsai, what's the first scene that pops in your head?

CHAD: W I I like the one where they're wearing these special glasses with the the bubble wrap around them.

Tim: The bubble wrap? Yeah, yeah. Mm-hmm.

CHAD: The bubble wrap glasses, those that was awesome. I really wanted a pair of those.

Gerry D: I always thought it looked like like reptile skin, you know.

Tim: Yeah, what about you, Jerry? What's your what's your iconic scene? I think you mentioned it already, but you can say it again.

Gerry D: Yeah, for like when they're when they're walking at the end. I mean that's like that's the scene, right? Everybody, you know, and it's got the song

Tim: Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm.

Gerry D: and it's just jazzy and going, like that's the most memorable part. But if I

Tim: Mm-hmm.

Gerry D: had to pick an actual scene from the movie, it would probably be where Penny it like is all tied up or whatever, and then they

Tim: Mm-hmm.

Gerry D: put that weird creature on like the slide.

Tim: yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.

Gerry D: And it's like coming towards her and 'cause I remember just thinking like, What is that? as a kid, just you know, getting freaked out about it but And he just picks it up and throws it.

Tim: Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm. Yeah. And then like, don't touch it, he just picks it up and throws it off throws it away. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. For me that the iconic scene was the same. It was it's the closing credits. Like that that's what I remember. Like

Gerry D: Right.

Tim: like did I fall asleep every time I watched the movie and woke up and saw the credits? Like I don't know, but that's the scene that I most remember. So but yeah. Yeah. Yeah.

Gerry D: I think you probably just started playing with your toys or something 'cause like at a certain point it just you know, it's like what's going on? Yeah.

Tim: It it just it yeah, it's just it's pretty weird, but but anyway, so what what other favorite scenes do you have or scenes that you want to talk about?

Gerry D: definitely when the the red electroids like invade the the compound, you know, and they're shooting like those little star spidery things.

Tim: Mm-hmm. Yeah, yeah. Mm-hmm.

Gerry D: yeah, that's always really cool to me 'cause like they they hit the first guy, you know, he's like, Hey well, who did that? What's going on? And they hit him. He just like flies backwards

Tim: Mm-hmm.

Gerry D: and then when they get like rawhide and he's just on the floor, you know,

Tim: Mm.

Gerry D: it's like those things freak me out.

Tim: What about you, Chad? Favorite scenes?

CHAD: I like the explanation of how John Lithgow y made contact and he went in head first from that little train even though they were trying to stop him. That was that was funny and his

Tim: Mm-hmm.

CHAD: his feet were dangling.

Tim: So was that an actual flashback to the thirties or not? That's what I couldn't understand. Okay, good. I'm not the only I'm not I'm not the only

Gerry D: I don't know, man.

Tim: one that doesn't know. So yeah. It is like a 30s car

CHAD: I thought it was the forties.

Tim: that he's riding on, but it's or 40s or whatever. But still, it would have been 40 years before this, and he looks exactly the same. It's not like he was a kid, so but yeah. but yeah, that's that's but yeah, that was a cool scene. I like the the scene of them actually like right after the whole the whole opening sequence and they're like he they're playing a gig and he's like, I don't care what you did, but you're in New Jersey.

Gerry D: yeah, that's a good one. Yeah.

Tim: When you're in New Jersey, you're gonna play us play yourself. You want hear a song, let's play it. And like they start a song and then stop. And then he played like plays a song. W am I the only one that like thought this was going to be more of a musical when you watched it. Like if they t you know,

Gerry D: Ha ha ha.

Tim: they're a traveling band. I expected more musical numbers or is that if is that just

CHAD: Yeah. Yep.

Tim: me?

CHAD: No.

Gerry D: so I never thought that, but I was disappointed

Tim: Yeah.

Gerry D: that he stops the song 'cause like they were jamming. It's like a killer it was a killer song, man, and then he

Tim: Mm-hmm. They were jamming. Yeah. Yeah.

Gerry D: just stops and I was like, how does it end? Like what's the climax? You know, I mean

Tim: Mm. Mm hmm. Right.

Gerry D: it's just it's great. And

Tim: Mm-hmm.

Gerry D: that was sweet. I do remember, you know, where she's about to and then they move her hand

Tim: Mm-hmm. Yeah. Right.

Gerry D: and yeah. So but that was a cool that was a cool scene. I did like that.

Tim: Once again a very Yeah.

CHAD: I did like that one.

Tim: Once again a very odd scene though.

CHAD: Well that since I don't have you

Gerry D: I mean the other

Tim: Any

Gerry D: Yeah, since I don't have you. Right.

Tim: Yeah, since I don't have you as the song. Yeah. Yep. But he did a good job. It was a good it was a good version of it. I don't think he has the

CHAD: No.

Tim: best voice in the world, but he he was doing all right.

Gerry D: I mean, you can't be great at everything, right? So you're already a neurosurgeon, he disc particle physics, you know, explored.

Tim: Yeah. You can't yeah, yeah, yeah. Yeah.

Gerry D: I mean, you know, it's But now I mean it's it's strange because I remember like not quite scenes. It's almost more like just glimpses, like images, you know, like

Tim: Ha ha ha.

Gerry D: the the crashed like electroid pod and and them like trying to to bang on it. Like I remember that. And then when they're

Tim: Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm.

Gerry D: having like the press conference, I remember that. But

Tim: Mm-hmm.

Gerry D: you know, like it's little things that I that stand out rather than like a full right.

Tim: Full sequence. Yeah. Yeah. It is kind of choppy in that way. It's a very it like you but like you said, they're trying to cram so much into the movie. It kind of it which is good because the pacing is fast, but you're kinda like, Okay, what's going on? What just happened?

Gerry D: It's yeah.

Tim: Yeah, like you can't you can't look away for too long if you were trying to keep up. But I think even if you do keep up, yeah, you're still lost. So

Gerry D: Right. And plot is like just it's like major plot points are like just spat out like willy nilly, you know? Like like

Tim: Mm-hmm.

Gerry D: it doesn't really evolve. It's like the you know, like, by the way, you know, this is John Warfin, he's the leader of the red electroids, they're bad. We're gonna destroy

Tim: Mm-hmm.

Gerry D: your planet if you don't stop him. I mean like that's it. So if you zone out, especially as a kid, you know, I was four years old

Tim: Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm.

Gerry D: when this thing came out, so I you know, I was zoning out for sure. I I missed all that until later on.

Tim: Mm-hmm.

Gerry D: It's like, I get it now.

Tim: For sure. Any other scenes we want to talk about before we jump into trivia? may think of some others.

Gerry D: no, I think I'm good.

Tim: Okay. Alright, so a few things here. I got in the original script, Buckru was supposed to have an arch enemy named Hanoi Exin X A N

Gerry D: I I think I I used to know how to say that. I think it's

Tim: Yeah.

Gerry D: sh it's either Zan or Shan, but I don't know I don't remember. But yeah.

Tim: Okay. I take your word for it. he was never

CHAD: See.

Tim: seen but referenced to by Buckaroo and other characters. All scenes containing dialogue regarding Zan were deleted from the film's theatrical release but are now available on DVD. Zan was supposed to be the mysterious head of a crime syndicate called the Qu World Crime League and also the man who murdered Buckaroo's parents and his wife Peggy. So

CHAD: Both of them? Wow.

Gerry D: Again, would have been awesome to know that, right? Like

Tim: Yeah. Yeah. What some things would have made a little bit more sense, but yeah, yeah, for sure.

Gerry D: so they do the Space Balls thing where they like tease, you know, they they tease the sequel and the never happened. And I

Tim: Yes, yes, the sequel. Yep. Nope.

Gerry D: don't know if they really were trying to make a sequel or if it was just like,

Tim: They were

Gerry D: okay, yeah. So I mean you gotta re have you gotta make money to have a sequel, so I

Tim: Mm-hmm.

Gerry D: get it, because this thing is is odd, it doesn't make sense. It's there's a lot of cool set pieces, but you know, it they do that whole thing and it's like this just would have been great to flesh out. And so I

Tim: Mm-hmm.

Gerry D: I like that you threw me in, but also I we needed a little bit more introduction, I think.

Tim: Yeah. Yeah. So the movie's ending invites the viewer to watch the upcoming film Buckaroo Banzai versus the World Crime League. This was the title for a sequel that Sherwood Studios planned to make if the film had been successful. Unfortunately, it bombed at the box office and Sherwood Studios went bankrupt. However, after its release on video and cable, the film became a cult favorite, Legal wrangling due to the bankruptcy prevented any other studios from picking up the sequel rights. And even many years later, MGM had to fight through a pile of red tape simply to get the okay to re-release it on the DVD. In twenty twenty one, the novel Buckaroo Bonsai Against the World Crime League was finally released. So they do have there is an actual book, and I think there's a they did a comic book of it as well. that did come out as the sequel that never got made. So yeah. And the wreck Yeah, looking for it. Yeah.

Gerry D: That's awesome. I know what I'm scouring eBay for after this.

CHAD: Ha ha.

Tim: And on top of that, there were two attempts have been made to adapt it into a TV series. In 1998, Fox Network planned one with the title Buckaroo Banzai Ancient Secrets and New Mysteries, for which they created a short animated test reel. However, the series was not picked up. And then in twenty sixteen, Kevin Smith announced that he'd be working with MGM television on a series and that a deal with Amazon Studios was in negotiation. Smith later left the project after MGM filed a lawsuit against the original creators. So T V series would have been great. I would I would

Gerry D: yeah.

Tim: take a T V series

CHAD: yeah.

Tim: all day long. So

Gerry D: For sure, 'cause it would have been, you know, like it's serial, so it's

Tim: Mm-hmm.

Gerry D: it's definitely more comic booky. Like you could

Tim: Mm-hmm.

Gerry D: have you could have had a villain of the week, but with an overarching like crime, you know, World

Tim: Yeah. Mm-hmm.

Gerry D: Crime League plot. I mean, yeah, there's a lot they could have done. So it

Tim: Mm-hmm.

Gerry D: I think they kind of missed the boat, but at the same time, you say Buckarubansa and no one knows what you're talking about. So you know,

Tim: Ha ha ha.

Gerry D: so it probably was probably okay.

Tim: Mm.

CHAD: I wouldn't mind a reboot.

Tim: Yeah. But it was the ad yeah. yeah. Yeah. Yeah. I think that would

Gerry D: Yeah, same, same.

Tim: yeah. I think it's a different time now. I think people would appreciate it more now than they did

CHAD: yeah.

Tim: back then. Like, you know, talking about, you know, the nerd culture or whatever. But like, you know, there's more of us out there that would that appreciate kind of the weirdness. Maybe not lean into the weirdness as much, give us a little bit more plot. But but the but the characters

Gerry D: Well, yeah.

Tim: are great. Like the ki there's there's The characters are fun enough that I'd want to know more about them and get to know like the characters a little bit more about them. So

Gerry D: Right. Yeah.

Tim: yeah. I think it would it would be interesting. So

Gerry D: Agreed.

Tim: all right. In the film, the Marvel Comic based on Bakuru Bonsai is shown. Marvel Comics did release a limited two issue series based on the film, written by Bill Mantlow and drawn by Mark Texaria. So okay, th I'll this will be my last little fun fact here because I had to talk about it. go ahead. Say go ahead, Jerry.

Gerry D: I no, I will say that one thing I did notice, and this is a different fun fact, is

Tim: Mm-hmm. Yes.

Gerry D: as they're there in the in the the bivouac or whatever, you know, the the

Tim: Mm-hmm.

Gerry D: their compound scene, there's they come upon it's like a weird nest, right, with just junk everywhere, like they're just like hoarders and collectors. There

Tim: Mm-hmm. Yeah.

Gerry D: is a mobile, like a child's mobile that's that's hung,

Tim: Yes.

Gerry D: and there's a little mouse, which it looks like Topojijgio. And he's got his Susanna hat on and he's got a wreath and I was like, Christmas movie. That's I'll make it work, I'll find a way.

Tim: There you go. There you go. However, you can make it work, right? Yep. Yep.

CHAD: Yeah.

Tim: I thought when you start talking, it's like, he's gonna talk about the scene I'm gonna talk about. So yeah, there's a scene in the movie where Reno and New Jersey go through a room with a watermelon and a machine really out of place. Reno says

Gerry D: Aye.

CHAD: Yes.

Tim: he says, Why do you have a water watermelon? And Reno says, I'll explain it to you later. In the Blu-ray audio commentary, filmmakers explain that they had a confrontational relationship with one of the producers. When they stopped receiving notes from the production, they decided to put the watermelon in a scene with no mention about it anywhere on the script. When they received no questions about it, they deduced that no one was screening the dailies anymore and they could make keep making the film the way they wanted to as long as they remained within the budget. So it was basically there as like a

CHAD: Nice.

Tim: kind of like a little, you know.

Gerry D: We know you're not mess you're not watching us.

Tim: We know yeah, we know you're not paying attention, so we're we're gonna just do whatever we want. I thought but it was funny because when I saw that scene I was like, they're gonna talk about it later and they never bring it back up again. Like I was like, Why why is the watermelon there? So they were saving

Gerry D: Hehe We'll explain it later.

Tim: they were saving it for the sequel. That's what's so so when you when

Gerry D: That's right.

Tim: you read the book, let us know about the watermelon. So

Gerry D: I mean I'd take a sequel now, honestly.

Tim: Yeah. Okay. All right, let's jump into box office. so Fox hired Terry Erdman and a team of publicists, including Blake Mitchell and Jim Ferguson, to promote the film at Star Trek conventions with a few film clips and free bonsai headbands, which have since become highly sought-after collector's items by fans of the film. The studio made no attempts to sell the film to a mainstream audience with traditional promotion, although there were some magazine advertisements. Primarily in Marvel Comics Studio publicist Rosemary La Salmandra said, Nobody knew what to do with Buckaroo Bonsai. There was no simple way to tell anyone what it was about. And I'm not sure anybody knew. Lifgau even said, I've tried to explain the storyline to people, and it takes about an hour.

Gerry D: That's for sure. Yes, like totally. It it doesn't okay, so there's there's a planet of in dimension,

Tim: Right.

Gerry D: you know, the the dimension eight or you know eighth dimension. There's

Tim: Mm-hmm.

Gerry D: sorry, we looks like we lost Chad, but

Tim: Maybe you'll come back.

Gerry D: it, you know, and it's like there's these two warring factions and one of them's trapped, and then there's a scientist

Tim: Mm-hmm.

Gerry D: who runs this does this experiment and unleashes one of them, 'Cause he's like a warlord and wants to get back to his home and take over and so I mean it's it's wild.

Tim: So Buckaroo Bonsai was originally scheduled to be released on June 8th, 1984, but was pushed back to August 10th. It opened on 236 screens and faced stiff competition against the likes of Star Trek III, The Search for Spock, also featuring Christopher Lloyd, Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom, and Ghostbusters. It only made six hundred and twenty thousand dollars in its opening weekend before finally grossing six point two million dollars in North America. earning back less than half of its production costs. So yeah.

Gerry D: Oof. Yeah, I mean, there was no way that was gonna get a sequel. even with its cult sta you know, its cult status, like And especially it's like a hard sci fi, right? I mean, but at the same time

Tim: No. Yeah. Well that came much later. Yeah. Yeah. Mm-hmm. Yeah, it is.

Gerry D: it's also like it's also not. It's also like a weird like pulp serial. So

Tim: Mm-hmm. Yeah, yeah.

Gerry D: like there's no way this thing was gonna succeed mainstream back then.

Tim: Mm-hmm. Yeah, we've talked about in other episodes like the especially like this time, like eighty-three, eighty-four, eighty-five was really when they were like trying to like merge genres together. They were trying to like,

Gerry D: Yeah.

Tim: you know, sthusters works because you mixed horror with comedy. Like those two things hadn't really done, hadn't really blended very well together. So but you have others that don't, like Howard the Duck didn't mold together very well. It

Gerry D: Haha No

Tim: Still one we talk about and I s I still enjoy. So but but yeah. Right,

Gerry D: me too. I I watched the heck out of that one too.

Tim: right. But once again, another cult classic. So

Gerry D: Right.

Tim: audiences didn't get it at the time. But so yeah, but but this one I think is I think you're right. It's like it's pretty heavy duty sci-fi. It's trying to be cool. I think if they would have had more music in it, even the soundtrack is awesome, but I think having them more of like a band that did more band things together, I think would have helped helped it. But it

Gerry D: Probably.

Tim: is It is kind of like just like clips of

Gerry D: There's

Tim: like yeah, it just jump it jumps around too much. So yeah, exactly. We'll

Gerry D: Right, there's a dartboard. Let me throw something at it. You know.

Tim: see something of this will stick. So now it's time to take a look at how well this 80s flick holds up today. It's the rewatchability nostalgia meter. It's our way of measuring how enjoyable a movie is for repeat viewings along with the waves and nostalgia it brings. Here's how it works. It's a one to ten scale. Any number between one and ten will do, but here are a few parameters to help you decide. At the bottom of the meter is a number one. It means I saw it once and that was enough. And five in the middle, it's a good rewatch every couple of years. And at the top of the sk the meter, the highly rewatchable and full of nostalgia 10. So, Jerry, we'll start with you since Chad is trying to get back in.

Gerry D: For me

Tim: where does Buckaroo bonsai rank for you on the rewatchability and nostalgia meter?

Gerry D: I really like this movie because I watched it all the time. So I have like huge nostalgia for it. That being said, there are a lot of like weird things with it. The plot is is kinda

Tim: Ha ha ha

Gerry D: wonky. the acting is phenomenal. Everybody's acting their hearts out, but they're over the

Tim: Mm-hmm. Yeah.

Gerry D: top and I think they're you know they were supposed to be, that's what they were going for. But

Tim: Right, right.

Gerry D: overall, like this is a good I'd say six.

Tim: Okay. I thought you were gonna go higher than that, but okay.

Gerry D: I want to but like the plot is is pulling me back in. Like the nostalgia factor, I'd I'd put it like a nine, but

Tim: Mm. Yeah.

Gerry D: yeah, it's it's it's it pulls me down.

Tim: Gotcha. Yeah. This is gonna be pretty low for me just because, like I said, I don't really have like fond nostalgia for. Like I said, I remember friends of mine like really loving it.

Gerry D: Right. Right.

Tim: I just could never really get into it as much as they were, but I was happy to watch it with them. But it's not one that I watch on a regular basis. So this one's gonna be

Gerry D: Right.

Tim: like a four, three point five, maybe, just because it is one that I'd probably watch every once in a while, but it's not one that I'm gonna go to on a on a consistent basis. So

Gerry D: Right, right. Well like I said, it's like i you're flipping this is a flipping channels movie, you know, and you're

Tim: Mm-hmm, mm-hmm.

Gerry D: like, that's on, yeah, I'll watch that. That's fine. You know, it's not

Tim: Yeah.

Gerry D: like, man, I really feel like seeing Buckaroo Bonsai today. I mean y you know,

Tim: Yeah, yeah. Yeah.

Gerry D: like there's enough cool about it that you'd watch it, but

Tim: Mm-hmm.

Gerry D: it's not cool enough to go seek out.

Tim: Yeah.

Gerry D: Yeah.

Tim: This this I I even felt like this when I was watching it. This is the perfect movie for like that Saturday, like middle of the day. Like carto

Gerry D: Yes.

Tim: cartoons are over,

Gerry D: Yep.

Tim: you know, you're just trying to be in from the heat or the cold or whatever part of the part of the year it is, and you just want to like something just on that you can kind of like be playing a game with your family, or you can just be like vegetables on the on the on the sofa. But it definitely has that like it's that matinee. like Saturday

Gerry D: Yeah.

Tim: matinee, you know, movie of the week kind of thing that you would see on T V. So

Gerry D: Right, 'cause 'cause the premiere was coming at seven PM and you're just trying to make it to then, right?

Tim: Yeah, yeah. Yeah, so Well we we we just went through the rewatchability nostalgia meter. So where does Buckaru Bonzaye where do you rate it in the on the rewatchability nostalgia meter, Chad?

Chad: I'd like it to be higher, but it's probably gonna go about.

Tim: Ha ha ha.

Chad: I would say it's a pretty strong four. Yeah, I think

Tim: Okay. Yeah, that's that's about where I had it.

Chad: it's good and I enjoyed it. But I've

Tim: Mm-hmm.

Chad: only rewatched it for like the podcast and I watched it one time before.

Tim: yeah, that's kind of where we were saying. Like it it's it's one that I don't really have a huge nostalgia for it. And it's probably not one that I'm gonna watch very often. But it's still it's still a fun watch when it's on. We talked about it being like it's kind of like that perfect like Saturday matinee movie, like just

Gerry D: huh.

Tim: on on a Saturday. You're it's not like the the main movie you want to watch for the day, but you you're you're happy to have it on if it's on. So

Chad: I agree.

Tim: All right. Well, let us know where you think Buckaroo Bon's eye should rank on the rewatchability nostalgia meet our listeners. Send us an email at info at 80s flickflashback.com. Let us know on social media, or you can leave us a comment right here on YouTube as well. So well, I want to thank Jerry and Chad both for being here. So Jerry D from Totally Right Christmas, what you got coming up? We're about to jump into October and The scary season, which I know you like to deviate a little bit from Christmas to talk Halloween. So what you got coming up?

Gerry D: Yeah, yeah. So I always do in October's when I start a Halloween episode and a Christmas episode every week. So

Tim: Mm-hmm.

Gerry D: for the Christmas, I got America's Top Ten Christmas. That's a Casey Kasem show from like 1981.

Tim: Ha ha ha

Gerry D: Cagney

Chad: Nice.

Gerry D: and Lacey. We're gonna be talking Cagney Cagney and Lacey, you know, a few other things like that. But for Halloween, the Howling, which Tim, you're gonna you're gonna

Tim: Yeah.

Gerry D: be on, The Worst Witch, you know, to commemorate Tip

Tim: Tim Curry.

Gerry D: Tim Curry,

Tim: Yeah.

Gerry D: Unsolved Mysteries. I'll probably do Halloween and and Christmas on that as well. And I've been meaning to do a few others that I don't think I'll get to this year just 'cause I'm running so behind. Like I wanted to

Tim: Mm-hmm.

Gerry D: get Transylvania six five thousand, I wanted to do Knight

Tim: yeah, yeah.

Gerry D: Rider, Halloween night, like all these that I wanna get to and I just there's just there's just too much. So unfortunately

Tim: Mm.

Gerry D: I won't be able to get to it all. But Yeah, I got some fun stuff coming up and then I gotta think about Thanksgiving episodes too, so we'll see.

Tim: Mm-hmm. Awesome. Yep. Definitely check Jerry out on Totally Rad Christmas. Always a good time on that show. So and then Chad,

Gerry D: Appreciate it.

Tim: Chad, you still DJ in down in Jackson?

Chad: yes. Have I talked to you about the Chad's time machine countdown? Have I mentioned that on the other show? know.

Tim: Yes, you didn't mention the last one. you can talk about it again.

Chad: Yeah, I do. it's not every week, but some weeks I will take the Billboard top 100 songs of one single year and 20 songs from like... 2 30 to about four o'clock play 20 and then go all week and then your top 20 on Friday I just this past week before we recorded this it was my birthday and I thought about doing my birthday but already done 1979 so I did 1985 this past week so it counted down the

Tim: Ooh, nice.

Chad: top 100 songs of 1985 so I enjoy it I got a little I do back to the future sounds in the intro and outro of it. And I know, just

Tim: Mm-hmm.

Gerry D: Mm-hmm.

Chad: try to think of funny things to say during the songs and introduce them and I'm having a blast with it. And I'm thinking of trying to do some other things so I could do it. because I don't do it every week, but I want to, I may be doing like an album and I may be doing like eighties and seventies albums and just playing them and talking about them. So

Tim: Yeah.

Chad: looking forward to some stuff like that.

Tim: Very

Gerry D: Right on.

Tim: cool. Very cool, very cool. So you're free if you're in the Jackson, Georgia area, definitely check out, give us the call sign and your best radio voice.

Chad: It's it's

Gerry D: Mm-hmm.

Chad: WJGA 92.1 FM in Jackson, Georgia. I was gonna say, well, the first weekend of October, they're having Stranger Things

Tim: Mm-hmm.

Chad: weekend, or welcome to Hawkins and the whole square

Tim: Mm-hmm.

Chad: and everybody's gonna be celebrating Stranger Things. That's where, like you were about to say, that's where it was filmed.

Gerry D: that's cool.

Tim: Yep. Yep. So if you want to know about where Jackson, Georgia is,

Chad: Yeah, so we're excited about that.

Tim: they filmed a lot of season one and season two of Stranger Things. We've done the tour

Chad: Mm-hmm.

Tim: down there. It's really cool, very awesome. Definitely go check it out.

Gerry D: That is cool.

Tim: Yeah. So, so great. If you wanna see I've got pictures on social on the social media page, on the fa on our Facebook page and Instagram page, definitely go check it out. So but yeah, go go see It's worth it's worth a trip to see

Chad: Yep.

Tim: Well that's a wrap on another trip to the greatest

Chad: You can and listen to me on the radio.

Tim: There, there you go.

Gerry D: Ha ha ha ha.

Tim: there's a there's a billboard for your radio station right there off the square. So All right.

Chad: Mm-hmm. Yes, indeed.

Tim: That's a wrap on another trip to the greatest decade of cinema. If we sparked a memory or helped you rediscover a classic today, please head over to Apple Podcasts and leave us a five-star review. It truly helps us reach more fans like you. To make sure you're always in the loop for our next deep dive, hit that follow or subscribe button right now. And if you want to keep the show running, consider becoming a partner at buymeacoffee.com. For more 80s Goodness, our digital headquarters is always open at 80s flickflashback.com. And while you're there, Check out our T Public store for original designs and movie-inspired merch that'll have you looking like an 80s icon. Thank you so much, Jerry. Thank you, Chad, for joining. Thanks everybody for listening. For 80s flick flashback, I'm Tim Williams. If there's one thing I hate, is to be mistaken for somebody else.