User reviews

Sequel falls short largely because of stasis -- even though its's a circus theme, the writers/producers kept ALL the action on Pee Wee's farm, unlike the original which was a road trip film. Like the original, many bizarre touches are present and Reuben's portrayal is amusing. Here he's a bit more seedy, including a very funny hair fetish. The romance is unbelievable, though, because unlike the original, here Pee Wee is coupled with two supermodel class ladies. Fine direction, decent acting, lots of freaks. Kristofferson is funny as the perpetual man who knows where everybody should go (he plays that one a lot) in this case with a midget wife who's very very small. Pleasing otherworldly atmosphere enhanced by the circus theme -- if only the producers had sprung for a TRAVELLING circus! Still, this one didn't deserve the acid reviews and fan neglect it received on initial release, and should be given a fair look by fans of Reubens' neo-vaudeville comedy.

In this sequel to the classic Big Adventure film Pee Wee (for some reason) decides to move to a dusty old town that looks like a 1947 time-capsule and is inhabited by hateful, old farts. After a violent storm one night the circus (for some reason) washes up on his farm and from there the film just kind of shifts into idle and coasts blandly until the end, in a series of generic circus hi-jinks and weird romantic encounters. Frankly the films' problems exist at the script level. The whole concept was poorly thought out and executed. In Big Adventure Pee Wee's motivation was simple but effective; to get back his bike. The straight-forward premise then allowed the character to be taken from one place to another in fairly rapid succession, all the while letting each unique situation show a different side of him. The road story was also perfect for quickly establishing what Pee Wee is all about; a grown man who cherishes a bicycle more than anything else in his life. It's sweet, it's something we can relate to in one way or another, but it's also very bizarre. Pee Wee is all of those things. Big Top doesn't take him anywhere, it only thrusts him awkwardly into a love story that is completely unwarranted given his emphatic rejections of Dottie in the first movie. "I like you, Dottie, LIKE!... I'm a loner, Dottie. A rebel." So whoever decided it would be a brilliant idea to build an entire narrative around Pee Wee Herman having a love-life was totally missing the point of the character.

This is a very difficult movie to appreciate. Or it may be a very simple movie to appreciate, depending on who you are.

Have a look at the following movies, and if you see at least 1 that you really like from EACH category, then you'll probably enjoy "Big Top Pee-Wee".

CATEGORY A ----------------------------

Pee-wee's Big Adventure

Edward Scissorhands

The Fall

Labyrinth

CATEGORY B ----------------------------

Free Willy

E.T.

Anything by Walt Disney

The Muppet Movie

Category A movies are fairy tales for adults. Category B movies are straightforward kid's movies. In order to appreciate "Big Top Pee-wee" you have to be ready for either. You have to expect some jokes & gags that only adults will recognize (mildly sexual, cynical or taboo: such as the cranky old lady's hilarious reference to bulimia), but overall the film takes the format of a kid's movie, with lots of cute animals, predictable slapstick and a cheerful approach, right down to the cheezy sing-song finale.

I think it's the latter--the category B "kid" content--that threw off a lot of fans. The original "Pee-wee" was an adult film packaged in a kid's presentation. But this is the opposite: a kid's film in adult clothing.

As such, the gags aren't as subtle & witty as adult comedies usually are. Like a Saturday morning kids show, "Big Top Pee-wee" comes on strong with exaggerated and hyper-enthusiastic dialogue, overt sight gags & corny action. This may turn off a lot of adults expecting the more biting, tongue-in-cheek comedy of the original Pee-wee.

All the same, there are some classic comedic moments that adults & kids alike will enjoy. The whole "I just wanted a cheese sandwich!" scene had me rolling. I also liked the 1st picnic with Winnie which could easily have been a deleted scene in the original Pee-wee. The creepy townsfolk in general, contrasted against Pee-wee's oblivious optimism, provided great entertainment. But be forewarned, these acidic gags are sparsely presented. Most of the film is straightforward silliness, suitable for kids & young minds.

Being a die-hard fan of the original film, and being a fan of adult fairy tales in general, I have a love-hate relationship with this movie and that's why I can't rate it. But I've seen it 4 times if that's any indication of how compelling it is. My gut says I shouldn't recommend it to everyone, but all the same, there will be a few of you out there who will really enjoy this flick. If you're a kid at heart, don't hesitate.

What I love most about Pee-Wee's Big Adventure, The Pee-Wee Herman Show, and Pee-Wee's Playhouse is the fact that the world he lives in is really unrealistic. His hyper, eccentric attitude is matched with how unrealistically realistic the world around him is. Because, as much as I love the character of Pee-Wee, the thought of having him as a neighbor or as a friend sounds annoying and tiring. He's a literal manchild, spoiled brat who makes a scene if things don't go his way. What makes Pee-Wee so funny is how the other characters react to his antics in exaggerated ways.

Pee-Wee's Big Adventure has scenes such as the normal acting "Satan's Helpers Biker Gang", but has a weird after reaction to him dancing to Tequila. It also has scenes of Mickey, the escaped convict, react to Pee-Wee's weird antics by going along with a disguise plan in the middle of a highway checkpoint. These are things that would never happen in real life and it works because Pee-Wee is never annoying to these characters. He makes up for it in the most unrealistic ways he can, and we end up loving him for it.

The reason why I bring up all of what makes Pee-Wee enjoyable in other movies is because it never worked here. Pee-Wee lives on a farm, away from suburban townsfolk, and has a fiancee that loves him. There is a scene in the movie where Pee-Wee literally harasses and causes a scene because he wants a pickle from a busy storekeeper. He literally cheats on his fiancee with another woman and sees no wrong in what he did. Even the circus people he meets are nowhere close to being as weird or interesting as Pee-Wee, and end up being more normal than he is, which makes the movie set in a realistic world where Pee-Wee is not an enjoyable person to be around.

The romance subplot just feels so out of place for a Pee-Wee story. It was funny for Dottie to be in love with Pee-Wee in Big Adventure because he has no interest in girls because he's a literal child. Two women love Pee-Wee and he returns those feelings at the same time, and it's so weird and out of place.

People openly show their annoyance with Pee-Wee, which does not help the audience view Pee-Wee any better. There is a rule in storytelling. If there is an annoying character, make them annoying to everyone else, but never the viewer. What makes Bugs Bunny and Daffy Duck so endearing is how unrealistic the rest of their universe is whenever they do annoying things. When there is too much to compare to Pee-Wee's manchild behavior in a real world where I know I would want to avoid him, I can't help but want to stop watching. Almost no one likes him in this movie.

Pee-Wee Herman is supposed to be a static character who never changes in the end of his stories. Of course, he'll learn some moral, but overall, he stays the exact same in the very end. This is shown in Big Advnture, his two Broadway shows, and every episode of Playhouse. Here, it feels way too out of place for him to learn any lesson about his character.

Overall, the film reminds me about how annoying and not entertaining he would be in real life. I don't want to be reminded of that. I want to enjoy his character, not hate it.

The guy literally cheats on his future wife and starts a tantrum over a pickle.

Ah, the ignorance of being a kid. "Big Top Pee-Wee" had some decent play value back when I was too small to know better. But watching this through adult eyes was a huge letdown. The story's paper thin, the charm is nonexistent and . . . well it's all off. Most of the jokes are dead in the water, and there are long stretches where you hope for something funny, but the laughs just don't come. I kept asking myself if I'm just missing some brilliantly subversive art - but no, I'm pretty sure this is just driftwood. Kristofferson's seemingly wandered into the wrong production, and Reubens is just doing through the motions. Vance the Pig was funny, and the hot dog tree was cute.

But that's about it.

4/10

After enjoying the surprisingly-fun "Pee Wee's Big Adventure," I was happy to give this this a look. Well, one out of two ain't bad, I guess.

That first movie was good; this was not. However, the first 10-15 minutes was prime-time Pee Wee Herman weirdness with some very funny dialog and scenes. I thought I got lucky two times in a row but, alas, the story then concentrates on romance between Pee Wee and a circus lady (Valerie Golino). The romance with Golino takes up some much of the rest of the film that the humor goes by the wayside. Hey, the romance is sweet in a way and Golina is pretty woman but I watch this weirdo (Herman) for his outrageous humor not for his romantic stories. Puh-leeeeeze!

Speaking of beauty, Penelope Ann Miller also is in here. She and Golina both have beautiful faces, but what's with the teeth? Can't these actresses afford an orthodontist?

We somehow went from a rousing cross country adventure that was the first Pee Wee movie with lots of colorful characters and some really strange situations, but overall funny to a one town movie that is strange and not in a good way. We don't get the scenery and we do not get a very good or funny movie this time. Maybe it is because Phil Hartman did not help with the script or maybe because Tim Burton did not direct, but this movie is absolutely nothing like the first film and as I said before that is not a good thing. This time we have Pee Wee on a rather boring farm, where he has a talking pig and the towns folk are a bunch of bores. Then the circus gets blown into town and that shakes things up. That is about it, besides the odd love triangle involving Pee Wee...who for some reason goes from a loner and a rebel to kind of a perv. There are a couple of chuckles to be found near the beginning of the movie, but once the circus hits it is rather tedious to watch. Like I said you go from all the wacky stuff in big adventure to one setting and one setting only. You have a few stars in this one, but they don't add to the movie, only to the misery. The ending is so stupid I could not watch it again. All in all I would say skip this movie unless you are a die hard Pee Wee fan which I am not. He was amusing in the bizarre adventure world, but he comes across as rather embarrassing and even creepy in the Big Top.

While I had this movie on my recording device for months, I only decided to now watch it because of the recent passing of Paul Reubens. This was his second movie as Pee Wee Herman after Pee Wee's Big Adventure. This also came out when he was also doing his TV show "Pee Wee's Playhouse" which was a very popular Saturday morning program for kids. I recognized at the time that Pee Wee was a little more adult-like in some behavior (like what he does to the Penelope Ann Miller character during their picnic scene) and I also knew about the triangle that would develop when Valeria Golino would appear. Still, it's mostly a kiddie-vibe much of the time since in this one Pee Wee lives in a farm with animals he treats like friends and welcomes the circus after a storm brings them to his farm though the other townspeople (who seem mostly elderly) don't welcome them. The first 30 minutes provides plenty of hilarity while the rest of it is more leisurely with some amusements. The ending seemed anti-climatic but I enjoyed this for what it was. A few years after this, Paul Reubens would get scandalized when he got caught doing something in an adult film cinema causing him to be blacklisted for a while. Be that as it may, he was surely one of the most unique of comic minds, that's for sure! Rest in peace.

This is a terrible film and that's really a shame, as I actually liked the first movie, PEE WEE'S BIG ADVENTURE. I think the biggest problem about this film is that instead of the episodic style of the original that placed Pee Wee in so many different situations and meeting so many different types of people, this film is too static. With a more well-defined plot, you are left with the film resting purely on the character of Pee Wee--something I really can't stand for very long. It reminded me an awful lot of PEE WEE'S PLAYHOUSE, in that the going seemed very slow and I just needed a break from the character after a while. This was made worse by a lousy and unfunny script--so it forced Paul Rubens just to mug for the camera again and again! Uggh! Plus, without the wonderful direction of Tim Burton, the film just seems lost and aimless in its pacing and plot.

I'm amazed by the negative reviews, this movie was outstanding! I think you have to appreciate Pee Wee humor, but if you do, then I think you'll agree this movie is brilliant, just like all of Paul Reubens' humor.

One thing to note, I had not watched Pee Wee's Big Adventure when I first saw Big Top, so maybe my expectations were different. And I had to watch Big Top (and Big Adventure) a number of times in order to catch and appreciate all of the subtleties.

Here is a perspective that might help: Pee Wee's movies basically show things from the standpoint of a little kid describing his world once he grows up. For example, a child might imagine that he will have a bicycle that can fly and do all sorts of "cool" things that in reality are impossible, but he doesn't have the cognitive skills to think about whether things like this are possible. He just makes up his story the way he wants it to be. Pee Wee's movies bring those types of childhood dreams to "reality" on the screen, with a bunch of unique grown-up humor and some often strange but appropriate music mixed in. Taken from that perspective, these movies are absolutely brilliant.

...i thought it was hilarious! Silly, stupid, outlandish, and unbelievable. Exactly what any and all of Pee-Wee's adventures should be. Sure it is no "Pee-Wee's Big Adventure", but that one has been done already. We don't need the same old, same old, that's what kills most sequels. That's what kills most everything that comes out of Hollywood. "Hangover 2" anybody? "Basic Instinct 2", can I get a witness?! Or, the worst of the worst, the remakes of incredible foreign films, just because most Americans hate to read. If you are looking for a cinematic experience then rent yourself a Peter Greenaway film, but if you are looking to loose yourself in a fantastic fantasy land full of funny then look no further than "Big Top Pee-Wee".

I've tried watching this movie three times, and can never get all the way through it. Big Top Pee Wee is as bad as Pee Wee's Big Adventure was good. Other than some imaginative effects, Pee Wee looks like he fell out of the sky and landed in this movie. I think Bill Murray would have been better cast in a movie with this plotline, especially in the scenes where Pee Wee is acting like a dog in heat. Murray would make a convicing "hayseed" and slob on a farm. Reubens seems to strain in his attempt to make something of the unfunny material he's given...the characters around him are generally unfunny as well. How anyone came up with this farm, then circus plotline is beyond me. The film is generally devoid of laughs. An overall waste of the Pee Wee Herman character and one of the worst "comedies" I've ever seen.

It just goes to show that if Pee Wee can fall in love, anyone can.

To be perfectly frank, the movie itself could have been slightly more realistic when it came to Pee Wee falling in love. Of course, it's a fantasy world. 3 out of 10.

When I saw this movie, I didn't really like it that much because it didn't have a lot of funny parts and some of the jokes were not that funny. This movie sort of good and funny but not that good. Watch Pee-wee's Big Adventure instead because it is very funny and better than Big Top Pee-wee.

This is the sequel of Tim Burton's spectacular "PeeWee's Big Adventure". Watch this movie if you are a fan of PeeWee. This movie is not a very good sequel, never the less an entertaining PeeWee movie. One of the most noticeable aspects of this movie is the use of animals for comedic effect. Examples are the talking pig, the sleeping horse, and the hippo in love. The important thing is to not take it seriously. It's a comedy.

And a PeeWee comedy at that. Never the less bad writing and silly plot make for a uncomfortable sitting.

But good PeeWee fun. My rating 5/10.

Paul Reubens must have been in a pickle after the success of 1985's "Pee-wee's Big Adventure": how to do a follow-up (without Tim Burton) that didn't cover the same ground as the movie or "Pee-wee's Playhouse" from television. Attracted to the bucolic life (reportedly, Reubens' favorite movie was Disney's "Pollyanna"), Reubens co-wrote "Big Top Pee-wee", placing his quirky, elfin creation on a farm surrounded by animals. That might have worked--the beginning of the film has a jolly feel--but the addition of stranded circus folk taking refuge at Pee-wee's farm was enough to scare away Warner Bros. Reubens sold the idea to Paramount, who unwisely budgeted the project at $20M (when the picture bombed, Reubens' three-movie deal at Paramount was rescinded and he was no longer welcome on the lot, though Paramount should have accepted most of the blame). Pee-wee is not only a farmer here, he's also an agricultural scientist (!) who has invented a serum that makes vegetable plants and flowers grow larger instantly. When Pee-wee meets circus master Kris Kristofferson's wife (Susan Tyrell) and discovers she's Tom Thumb-sized, I expected her to drink the serum and grow taller, but this never happens; in fact, the serum is only used again in reverse, to shrink the rotten old townspeople into children. Pee-wee is also a heterosexual this time--a horny one!--and has two girlfriends: Penelope Ann Miller as a pretty-but-prim schoolteacher and Valeria Golina as a sexy trapeze artist (when Pee-wee sees Golina in her costume for the first time, he faints). So, what was Reubens' plan, exactly? To "normalize" Pee-wee Herman? By making him straight instead of asexual, he takes the naughty kid out of Pee-wee--and pretty much erases his innate kinkiness. This is a more palatable Pee-wee, one without those oddball, self-amused jokes. Director Randal Kleiser is no Tim Burton, though that may have been an attraction too, to keep the edge off. Unfortunately, a hard-working Pee-wee is a dull one; also, his animal family (except for a talking pig) seems to be completely forgotten about once the circus rolls into town and we wonder who's taking care of them. The $20M ensures the picture a good look, but without a great script it all just lays there. What happened to the Pee-wee we loved? He's hiding here: take a look at the magazines in the general store, with copies of Hunting and Cruise in the racks. * from ****

Pee-Wee Herman (Paul Reubens) has a farm. EIEIO. His best friend is Vance the Pig and they have a secret lab. He is engaged to school teacher Winnie (Penelope Ann Miller). After a big storm, a traveling circus led by Mace Montana (Kris Kristofferson) arrives in town. The townspeople are hostile so Pee-Wee invites them to stay at his farm. He falls for trapeze artist Gina Piccolapupula (Valeria Golino).

Pee-Wee engenders some likability from the first movie. I never watched the TV show although I don't know how this ties into the playhouse. I like Pee-Wee but stepping out on Winnie is problematic. Winnie saves it for him. I like the pet pig but I don't think Pee-Wee should own a muddy farm. It's like somebody simply put a farm and circus together in a grab bag.

Ive watched all of the pee wee Herman movies and shows. This one is my 2nd favorite out of all of them. I actually have this movie on my tablet so I can watch it where ever I go. Lol If you give this movie a chance you will like it. It's a Very good movie.

Ah, Pee-Wee Herman. A bizarre, repressed man-child of a character. (Or is he simply just a literal child? The character is as mysterious as he is hilarious!) He's always been a personal favorite comedic character of mine, and I've been of fan of his first film "Pee-Wee's Big Adventure" since I was a child. So when I recently (and finally) had the chance to watch his second feature, "Big Top Pee-Wee", I was excited! What new adventures would Pee-Wee get into this time?

As it turns out... this film (not really a sequel to the original film or related to his fantastic TV-show) wasn't worth the wait at all, unfortunately.

"Big Top Pee-Wee" is a bizarre, unsettling, strangely boring and distressingly darkly toned big-screen follow-up that somehow is able to turn the delightfully quirky Herman into an unlikable jerk who commits infidelity and loses any and all audience appeal. Oh, and there's a talking pig who almost completely destroys the film on his own. Yup... yup.

The film follows Pee-Wee at his new home on an animal farm, where he is conducting chemistry experiments to try and make fruits and vegetables larger, as well as create new breeds of plants, like a "Hot-Dog tree." When a circus is suddenly blown into his backyard during a terrible storm, Pee-Wee decides to help them put on a show, despite protests from the nearby town's ruthless elderly residents. Pee-Wee is also torn by his attraction to circus performer Gina (Valeria Golino) and his engagement to a local schoolteacher. (Penelope Ann Miller)

On paper, that actually sounds like a cute setup for another twisted, quirky, funny film like the first, but it is just so poorly executed that it sort of implodes under its own weight. And it isn't helped by some really hurtful sequences, including the aforementioned infidelity on Pee-Wee's part, when he all but completely cheats on Ann Miller's character.

The acting is, to the film's credit, fantastic. Paul Reubens is great as Pee-Wee, even though the character isn't likable in this film. Valeria Golino is a lot of fun (and very, very sexy) in her role. Penelope Ann Miller is a lot of fun as Pee-Wee's former bride-to-be. And supporting roles by the likes of Kris Kristopherson and Susan Tyrrell are great. The only exception is Wayne White as the voice of Vance, Pee-Wee's talking pig. It's too silly and forced and just doesn't work. The musical score by a returning Danny Elfman is also an absolute blast, and is one of the film's only other saving graces.

However, the rest of the production is just flat as a pancake.

The script by Reubens and George McGrath is aimless and dull, giving Herman little to do in his own film. Though don't worry, other characters have even less to do than him, so he's still the focus. And as mentioned above, it makes Herman too savage and unlikable. Director Randal Kleiser seems in over his head, and his visual style is just poor all around. Many scenes are boringly shot with the camera just sort of plopped down wherever. The set and costume design is also a huge step down after the prior film, cheapening the overall look.

The production and behind-the-scenes work is just too sub-par for this film to function. If this was another Tim Burton film, I think it would have worked a lot better. Because as is, the creative team behind this entry just don't seem like they understand how to make a Pee-Wee Herman film.

Sadly, after the fantastic "Pee-Wee's Big Adventure", this just felt like a colossal letdown. It's boring, unlikable (borderline loathsome) and poorly-shot, with only a fraction of the creativity of other Pee-Wee projects.

"Big Top Pee-Wee" gets a 3 out of 10. Skip it unless you're a Pee-Wee completionist.

I thought Pee-Wee's first movie, Big Adventure, was brilliant. But this one had none of its magic and spunk. Pee-Wee didn't even seem to be himself. The only remotely funny part was when he dredged up the "I know you are but what am I" routine. But even when he did that, he didn't seem that interested. The only thing I remember about this flick was him lying under a tree with his girlfriend. Yawn.

I think Paul Reubens is a genius. But not in this movie.