Movie Memories: Pee-wee’s Big Adventure

By Tyler Hodg

I can vividly remember the first time I saw Pee-wee’s Big Adventure. As a child sitting on my Grandmother’s couch, I could not take my peepers off of the television as the scene where Pee-wee realizes his bicycle has been stolen played out. Morbid curiosity got to me during a shot of a mechanical clown taunting the character’s distress, pushing my coulrophobia to the limits, and my interest to an instant high. I watched the movie in wonder until it concluded, and to this day, it’s one my favorite films of all time. I also still hate that damn clown.

As I got older, I no longer obsessed over the importance of the movie to me personally, but over the importance of the film to cinema in general. Pee-wee’s Big Adventure inspired writers, directors, and others involved in the medium to be courageous and take risks.

In theory, a film about a man-child who sets out on a cross-country journey to obtain his stolen bicycle should not have been the success it was, yet here we are 30 years later still talking about it. Paul Reubens, Phil Hartman, and Michael Vorhol put their heart and soul into writing Pee-wee’s Big Adventure, and proved that creating something odd and unique is not something to frowned upon, but celebrated.

Aside from Reubens (Pee-wee Herman, himself), one person’s career in particular greatly benefited from the success of Pee-wee’s Big Adventure—director Tim Burton. Prior to the movie, Burton was a relatively unknown talent, having only released a few short films to a spatter of praise. Reubens saw Burton’s potential and convinced Warner Bros. that he was the man to direct… and boy, was he ever.

I firmly believe that Burton’s input was just as important as that of Reubens, as it’s hard to imagine the movie without his signature, quirky approach to filmmaking. This project helped develop the studio’s confidence in Burton, and he was subsequently chosen to direct a little movie called Beetlejuice. The rest is history.

The impact that Pee-wee’s Big Adventure has had over a 30-year span is insurmountable. Yes, it’s a great source of laughter, but the film is so much more than a few chuckles. I believe that to many, Pee-wee’s Big Adventure represents the childlike innocence that they have lost over the years. When viewing the movie, you’re not thinking about bills you need to pay, or errands you need to run—you’re completely lost in the narrative. That’s what movies are all about.

Nostalgia plays into its legacy, but the universal themes of love and friendship that Pee-wee’s Big Adventure possesses will be forever relevant, just like the film itself.