NYFF: Buckaroo Banzai Intro + Q&A

Stars Peter Weller and John Lithgow and superfan Kevin Smith introduce W.D. Richter's 1984 sci-fi cult classic "The Adventures of Buckaroo Banzai Across the 8th Dimension" at a special screening during the New York Film Festival.

[@TheGambitMan]

Smith says this movie stays with you. Boy, and HOW! No matter where you go, there it is. ❤

[@billyjoejimbob75]

I'm sure in the miserable annals of the Earth, it will be duly enshrined.

[@TheGambitMan]

@@billyjoejimbob75 The monkeyboys love it.

[@PrimetimeD]

Loved that Peter Weller said that he played Buckaroo as a combination of Jacques Cousteau and Adam Ant :)

[@mattheck1561]

I think it says a lot that almost everyone in this film went on to have astonishing careers and rabid fans. This thing is just a masterpiece of FUN.

[@PervertedPodcast]

Kevin really nailed what I feel about this movie. I've watched it so many times. It's precious to me. John Lithgow was my hero...such a great film!!

[@LeGioNoFZioN]

the story about Lloyd at the end was worth the whole damn thing.

[@franktorres7963]

True that

[@ZyxthePest]

WELLER!!!!!!!!

[@JimSting]

@@ZyxthePest I literally saw him in my mind banging on the window yelling this

[@jt1929]

I’ve never heard of finding an academic chair experience that funny!! It’s usually a stressful process from what I hear

[@johnsteiner3417]

I have been telling people that "Character is who you are in the dark" is the great test of your moral character... from the villain of all people.

[@ScooBdont]

There’s a part in the movie when Lithgows character is in a scissor lift giving a speech to his alien cohorts and the facial expressions he makes are incredible. At one point he says “WE HIDE!.....THEY SEEK!” and then makes a face that perfectly shows his characters absurdity, derangement, and lunacy absolutely perfectly to a genius level. There’s something about that few seconds of film that’s always stuck with me.

[@scrooglemcduck1163]

He's actually channeling Mussolini.

[@NashaWriter85]

I'm so glad this movie has a cult following and is getting some respect that it didn't get back when it came out. It was one of those movies playing on the VCR quite often in my home as I grew up....and I loved it when I was kid just as much as I do now.

[@paulcoy9060]

"Laugh-a while you can-a monkeyboy!" my favorite line. And the end credit music is amazing. I could just listen to that on a loop for hours.

[@RaptureMusicOfficial]

Buckaroo Banzai is one of my fav movies of all time! :)

[@Daskaar]

saw the movie last night after hearing kev talk about it so enthusiastically. and was really surprised how great, creative, funny and irreverent it is. breath of fresh air.

[@tylerrue3108]

I just watched BB again a couple of days ago and man, it is soooooo good. Cheezy, but so good.

[@cotedazure]

I watched this movie so many times on vhs when I was in middle school. I didn't realize there were so many huge stars in it at the time.

[@AlanCanon2222]

They were a lot less huge, back then!

[@Graehaus]

I wish I could of been there, this is my favorite '80's movie.Took me forever to find the DVD, the jewel of my collection.

[@avigutierrez8948]

DVDs very hard to find treasures believe me buddy I know what you're going though

[@bunnylovenuts8680]

I remember when it came out and loving, loving, loving it. It put John Lithgow and Peter Weller on my radar. I've loved this flick since then and as it happens, I too have used it as a litmus test. Buckaroo makes for a great movie night with friends - well, the right kind of friends. :) Thanks so much for posting this!

[@orlandonostagiafever1964]

Always wanted part two with Hanoi Chan!

[@lanceedwards9245]

A real treat for me. Enjoyed every minute. One of my favs.

[@perseus9428]

I’m 59. And I’ve watched all kinds of movies all my life. Buckaroo Banzai is in my top ten all timers.

[@MeanderingMikesManCave]

What a pleasure to watch this all these years later.

[@joyghigliotti8479]

Cool! We were there and Peter Weller was sitting in the audience right behind us. Hypno-Highpoint!

[@kentallard8852]

Basically Buckaroo is a riff on old time pulp fiction characters like Doc Savage

[@daveconleyportfolio5192]

Yup. And so is half the Marvel Universe, including the Avengers.

[@Egilhelmson]

No, the Marvel Avengers are equals, whereas the Hong Kong Cavaliers are The Scoobies from Buffy (or maybe Doc’s group or Captain America’s unit), and the Blue Blazer Irregulars are like the Baker Street Irregulars.

[@Egilhelmson]

@@daveconleyportfolio5192No, Marvel’s Avengers are all superhero levels, whereas the Hong Kong Cavaliers are at the level of Doc’s sidekick group, The Fabulous Five (or Buffy’s “Scooby Gang”, or Captain America’s WWII multinational unit who name I forgot), and the Blue Blazer Irregulars matching Sherlock Holmes’ Baker Street Irregulars.

[@hbk42581]

Best hour I've ever spent on the computer at work and I haven't even seen the movie. I'll be checking it out this weekend for sure!

[@ryangettig274]

Bucking Frilliant!!:)I've loved the film since '84 when i was a 13-year old boy,Loved the film since Forever:).....

[@travorptrebor3358]

NICE

[@yuplusjin]

Seriously I almost lost it at Christopher Lloyd impressions 🤣🤣🤣

[@IsaacRuggles]

This was terrific, One of my favorite films. Looking forward to the upcoming Buckaroo Banzai TV series Kevin is working on.

[@Mike-hj7gg]

man... kevin smith can talk about any movie, and make it seem fucking magical.. he could the sell "the room" im sure..

[@26Theophilus]

It just the same phenomenon as it is with Tarantino; You could not give a shit about movies or popculture, after listening to these guys swarming about it, you certainly do.

[@MiaMooreVibes]

The Room is an easy sell. That movie fucking rules.

[@buzzawuzza3743]

Saw the film in the theater and was unable to explain it terms that people who hadn't seen it could understand. Still can't explain it, really.

[@JimSting]

That's the point - you have to see it to get it

[@Rowebot15]

Flash Gordon made by Ed Wood and Lana Wachowski

[@alanevil]

So glad I found this. I got to see this two or three times on the big screen when it came out between seeing it during the summer at home and then it showing several times in Tulane's theater (which is a HUGE screen). Devotees know and everybody else is wrong.

[@sp1derborland]

Yeah, this was incredible! I wish I could have heard all the questions! Wonderful, wonderful!

[@ericisprobablyfullofshit7797]

Although the internet didn’t exist back then cable did, and in my opinion that's what saved this film from obscurity. I didn't even hear about it until it's first run on cable when I was a teenager and I watched it every chance I got. Me and my little group of weirdo friends geeked out hard on this flick. We were the kind of kids who were into Doctor Who, Douglas Adams, comic books, D&D, sci-fi/fantasy books, and movies, etc. It was as if this movie was made for us.

[@cepson]

Weller does a great Christopher Lloyd impression.

[@dbiedny]

Pure goodness, Lithgow and Weller are wonderful! BB is a modern classic.

[@chiefscheider]

19:42 Peter's water bottle gets kicked over and stays down for the rest of the vid 😔

[@Mark_Ocain]

Damn Kev was a big boy back then ...clever guy though. I love that he recognises some of the coolness behind Buckaroo Banzai. The movie failed to box well but it was insane! I enjoyed it a lot.

[@paulgee4336]

Kevin Smith looks like he could have a heart attack at any time. WHY are there empty seats??? One of the BEST "interviews" I've EVER seen. "Character is what you are in the dark."

[@keefriff99]

Well he did have a heart attack last year, and lost a ton of weight, thankfully.

[@Trepidity]

It's the only movie I have purchased digitally on KZbin. Love it.

[@monsterx3055]

should have waited a few months it's free now

[@simbeau]

How are there empty seats for this??????

This movie flew under the radar for the most part.

[@monsterx3055]

red lectroids

[@RataStuey]

This is fascinating. John Lithgow is so entertaining

[@MarkCranerium]

I love that Peter Weller is the only one who bothers to substitute "Friggin."

[@howiemoth3847]

My 1st exposure to John Lithgow was BB stole every scene and had a fan for life.

[@KidFresh71]

This movie came out when I was 13. I remember my favorite aunt (now passed away) saw it in the theater. She didn't care for it particularly, but called it "my kind of movie." I've always taken that as one of my favorite compliments. To this day, amongst my very favorite movies wold be the original Star Wars trilogy, Blade Runner and Blade Runner 2049, The Wizard of Oz, Flash Gordon, Children of Men, Brazil, and yes, Buckaroo Bonzai.

[@Katiedid1985]

"Its John Big Boo-TE!"

[@monsterx3055]

SHUT UP JOHN BOOTY!!!!

[@djnkosi]

Simply amazing!

[@BoomboxCassette2Go]

was a well spent hour Listening to About behind the scene's of this movee that I own a copy of !

[@just.me.653]

where I’m from nobody knows this movie. It warms my heart to hear somebody talk about it as passionately as I do.

[@JaimeWulf]

I will come back and watch this!

[@Newspin]

Class is not determined by the clothes worn or the words used, but by the ideas expressed...

[@shinankoku2]

Holy shit this was good!!

[@quietrobert2010]

I met Peter in Dallas and he was so nice!

[@chiefscheider]

He was even polite when he called out the sleeping bozo at 33:21 😆

[@donkey424]

MUST WATCH (i have, i mean you!)

[@swanofnutella4734]

Best part was Peter's story at the end. XD

[@DrVenture45]

Boy, it must be nice to be in "the shop" instead of outside looking in. Certainly Kevin Smith must realize how fortunate he is. I'd give nearly anything to a film maker or to be involved in a Q&A like this!

[@OGGinsburg]

It's the first live action Anime. Everything every cyberpunk-like, sci-fi anime tried to be from late 1970's to the 1990's Buckaroo Banzai just was.

[@ichidakilla1975]

Thank You! Thank You! Thank You! Love it.

[@mobtek]

I saw this on video in I think it was '87 and stoned out of my gourd on the devils lettuce. I thought that was what had made it weird and then years later I watched it again, nope it was just the movie. Best interview.

[@jiguen]

10 años esperando que tenga subtitulos... Creo que espere demaciado, hora de aprender inglés

[@cyberprompt]

Well.. just got this recom from the Peter Weller short interview... and... 1984... (does math) I was 15... or so just like Kevin.. and saw it in the theater... i think? LSS... gonna watch it again with older eyes and no idea what I saw back then.

[@guely55]

Great!!!

[@Miriadlove]

WISH I could have been there!!

[@whyimsmarterthanyou]

Marvel did a two-part mini series of the Buckaroo flick in 84 or 85. I remember receiving one of the issues in those comic giftbags that clueless parents would buy when they knew their kids liked comics but they didn't really care to find out which ones. Like Smith and so many others have commented about in the consequent years, Buckaroo was different, mostly because it was hard to put your finger on exactly why the story was so intriquing. Anyhoos, I was hooked. Saw the movie on VHS, then went to the nearest comic book store to find the second half of the mini series. Comic book store dude had no idea what I was talking about. Said he never heard of the book or the movie. Although comic book store dude was prone to moods when his dope dealer went awol or it was time for him to pay-up for previous trips enjoyed, I have no doubt that he honestly had no idea who Buckaroo was or that Marvel made an accompanying mini series to go along with the flick. And, so, that was it...Buckaroo laid in the green dresser drawer in my childhood bedroom, sharing space with all the other better known properties of the comic book universe (I don't think Buckaroo was even listed in the Marvel Universe series, which detailed every hero and villian ever written and drawn into existance. And it has only been since peeps started upload comic book centric vids that I came to know that other kids of the era were also intriqued and mystified by that curious Buckaroo universe. What a weird and wonderful story.

[@banana637]

We saw the hug! I loved this.

[@troytoth8294]

cant believe it even mike in breaking bad was in this movie

[@Mulder-Scully]

The thing that i noticed is that it seems they made the movie after reading an illustrated Heavy Metal magazine comic. The artwork styles and visuals is something right out of that comic.

[@MrSunlander]

NOT a mistake at all. Thanks, Lincoln Center!

[@tommyundnemo]

oh I LOVED this movied since i was kid, and now, i am officially a hipstar! ;) haha

[@drafe007]

i love this clip!

[@vectrexer]

Fantastic!

[@adamquiles2468]

It's a funny quirky sci-fi comedy I liked it.

[@ivandiablo8282]

great film - now i am not the only one

[@reallydumbforeal1]

holy shit, Peter Weller is actually a Red Lectroid!

[@mykal.7424]

I'm not going to comment on Smith enough people have already , But i love the movie I've seen since 85' on cable & owned it for yrs. It came out in summer of 84' not 85' as Smith says it was the same yr as Back To The Future. Summer of 84' was one of the best for films similar to summer of 82' .

[@heyyourlenscapson2588]

I love this movie and I’d be all in on a good remake that continues the story.

[@pattrick208]

that's EPIC.

[@GeahkBurchill]

Everyone a gangsta, feeling educated, when suddenly Peter Weller drops ‘Panegyric’ and we all have to run to the dictionary!

[@johnsteiner3417]

As a fellow freak, yes Smith speaks for me.

[@tnawcwvictoria]

Personally, I prefer this over RoboCop, it's so funny and Peter Weller is Da Man

[@AlanCanon2222]

Agreed. RoboCop is a good movie, well made and enjoyable, but Buckaroo Banzai is in a class of its own. RoboCop was out there with its extreme violent satire, but BB is all the more subversive for its PG-Rated wholesomeness.

[@FreedomforHaiti]

I was just a little older than Kevin Smith when the movie came out, and I was aware of it. It had, in fact, been covered in Starlog magazine multiple times. I was sufficiently curious to go see it on opening day. My reaction was similar to Smith's: it was at least as different as Star Wars had been (I said this to people at the time). ....... Following the story was never an issue for me, and I wasn't exceptionally bright (but yes, the novelization definitely fleshes things out substantially).

[@MIKELIN8]

I read Starlog whenever I could find it. I saw this movie written up, and really wanted to see it. I believe I was one of around 3 or 4 people in the theater when I saw it during its opening week. Shame it didn't find an audience then. I'm happy its finding one now.

[@adamx6000]

It took me awhile to get what this movie is about but it’s really just a quirky satire on every action adventure franchise that centers around one man before it from every form of media.

[@keithmallory5228]

A 2d poster of a sportscar leads to 3d owning, and 4d experience of driving, heard through 5th dimensional inspiration of music, leads to missing that turn and the resulting crash leading to the 6th dimension of dead people... working on understanding 7th d... 8th is explained here. A sequel is needed.

[@cgirl111]

My mobile phone carrier uses the end credit music as their hold music.

[@BluescreenBandit]

it's bigbootay!

[@thesnakeman8006]

I know that many people throughout KZbin have said this many, MANY times in the past, but I'm going to join in and say it as well: before mr weller phd passes away (and god forbid that that happens anytime soon) there's got to be something, ANYTHING out there to get him to reprise his role of buckaroo banzai one more time, (Whether it's a reboot, legacy sequel, or otherwise) just something.........

[@michaelsalas6085]

Buckaroo is better than Star Wars period! So funny and entertaining. Just marketed wrong and not enough intelligent minds that can appreciate the plot and of course the humor...

[@avigutierrez8948]

Someday I might go to the 8th dimension or other dimensions

[@hh3productions759]

+avi gutierrez Stick to weed bro.

[@avigutierrez8948]

+HH3Productions if I could get good weed

[@Newspin]

He does not Need defending... doing a fine Job himself when he has to. Love The Kev!

[@karenneall7570]

Blue Blaze Irregular lifetime member!

[@TeddyLeppard]

This was like a secret movie no one else knew about when it came out. Saw it in an empty theater and was laughing uproariously the whole time. What a classic.

[@kentallard8852]

Its a weird movie. Its story and plot are not well developed and it has pacing problems, but it has an undeniable energy that draws you into its world.

[@otoad20]

How can you be that good of friends, have millions of dollars and the ability to tavel, yet not see them for a decade or more?

[@ghostwhiskey]

Its lonely being the sole smith defender

[@Nakameguro97]

John Bigbooté, John Little Berries - lmfao😂

[@poweramulets1725]

SICK!

[@OttoVeblin]

video begins at 58:24. ;)

[@elgato5964]

What is not often mentioned, laugh while you can, is in anticipation of murder.

[@sterlingwulfrblx3439]

your next smoviolo you gotta get the directional microphone from REAL GENIUS never strain to hear the back row at your Q&A again! its really simple tech im suprised they dont use them all the time in settings like this

[@Sidley1960]

I loved Buckeroo Banzai and waited patiently for the sequel, but it never happened, what a waste.

[@Hobbes1025]

Science fiction/rock star/western

[@bendailey6070]

Is it true that there was nearly half an hour of backstory filmed that got edited?

[@bobsellner8597]

Why, why do people have to rationalize an intellectual or artistic basis for this film? Kevin somewhat expresses the charm I find in this movie: weird, funny, totally different from anything else- just fun to watch. A quality missing from far too many of the movies made today.

[@burresseffects]

HEY MAN