The Best of Horror Films -- Other Movies: Pee Wee's Big Adventure -- Arachnia's Den of the Deceived

I honestly don't think there are any limits to the brilliance of this man. Paul Reubens (aka Pee Wee Herman) captured the short attention spans of children worldwide with his 1980s television show Pee Wee's Playhouse. I can remember watching the program as if it were yesterday. I spent many Saturday mornings, glued to the set, waiting in anticipation - what would he do next? One memory remains especially vivid: Pee Wee instructed all the little boys and girls to go out into the kitchen and grab all the pots and pans. I was then prompted by Pee Wee to bang on them with all my might, stirring up all kinds of racket. My mother hated the show, for she was usually still trying to sleep while my sister and I hooted and howled along with Pee Wee.

Pee Wee's Big Adventure depicts a heartwarming story of a young boy (Herman) and his most prized possession - his bike. Complete with bells, whistles and all kinds of secret weapons, Pee Wee's bike was an extension of himself, and he loved it dearly. The real adventure begins when Pee Wee's bike is suspiciously stolen - sending him on a crazy, zany roller coaster ride across the country in order to find it.

There's no end to the sticky situations Pee Wee finds himself immersed in along the way. From the Alamo to Hollywood, Pee Wee scours the landscape for his beloved bicycle - will he ever find it? Who could have done such a terrible thing? No other bike will do!!!

Written by Reubens and hilarious comic Phil Hartman (RIP), Pee Wee's Big Adventure not only marked Reubens' film debut, but also provided the venue for director/God Tim Burton to direct his first feature film. Reubens, who had seen the x-Disney animator's short animated flick Frankenweenie immediately realized that if anyone could succeed in bringing Pee Wee's world to life on film, it was Burton.

In turn, Tim Burton selected Danny Elfman (formerly of the totally wigged-out band, Oingo Boingo) to compose the musical score. Like buttah, all the creative personalities working on this film merged into one perfect piece of work. The film matched the feeling of the story, while the music matched the film - pure perfection!