Pee-wee's Big Adventure

My first Pee-wee outing, and I could not imagine the character as anything other than a sociopath who was treated using hypnosis to regress him to a safe, child-like state, where the hypnotist died of a heart attack 90% into the proceedings. It would at least explain my constant fight-or-flight responses while watching; often couldn't tell whether P.W. was amused or about to murder the shit out of someone. Some fun gags and characters (Large Marge!) but I didn't really get a lot out of this.

For some reason I've always been in love with this movie. I watched the DVD three times in a row when I first got it (it's also the first DVD I ever bought). It never fails to crack me up and make me happy.

I remember...I remember the Alamo!

Carnival unease. I get the sense that when Burton and Elfman hang out all they ever talk about is dilapidated merry-go-rounds and tattered circus tents and dutch angles. For once I think their shtick actually works, the technicolor joy of Herman's world is effectively augmented into something vaguely sinister without its comedic tone being compromised.

Come on now. It's Pee Wee's Big Adventure. No review will either discredit it or do it justice. It stands alone, as the better of the two Pee Wee movies.