Buckaroo Banzai: A Pictorial

by Bill Ward on March 9, 2010

in Movies of a Misspent Youth

After ransacking the web for images for my The Adventures of Buckaroo Banzai review, I ended up with quite a lot of unused pics. Rather than deviate from my two-pic format for the  reviews, I thought I’d post some more here in honor of one of the most distinctive looking movies of the 80s.’

The most striking image from the start of the film, Buckaroo Banzai’s jet car (a real vehicle with a jet engine attached — though I’m sure the Oscillation Overthruster was just a prop).

buckaroo banzai jet car
buckaroo banzai hood jet car

In the extended edition, an introduction sequence featuring young Buckaroo and his parents begins the film, but wasn’t used in the theatrical cut (shame, as I think it explains things better than the opening info dump). Banzai’s mother is played by Jamie Lee Curtis.

young buckaroo banzai jamie lee curtis

John Lithgow heads a team of zany and odd looking character actors, staples of film and TV of this era. Lithgow’s fellow Red Lectroids include Christopher Lloyd as John Bigbooté, Vincent Schiavelli as John O’Connor, and Dan Hedaya as John Gomez.

buckaroo banzai brain port lizardo whorfin lithgowbuckaroo_banzai_2_x

dan-hedaya-buckaroo

Lord John Whorfin calls Yoyodyne during his breakout.

buckaroo-banzai_lord whorfin john lithgow breakout

Buckaroo Banzai can do it all — no wonder he has his own comic book.

buckaroo banzai peter wellerbuckaroo banzai pistolbuckaroo banzai rock

Red Lectroids from Planet 10 by way for the 8th dimension — battery-sipping bad guys.

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Red Lectroids Buckaroo Banzai

Buckaroo Banzai in Whorfin’s Shock Tower — “I’ve got nothing but time!”

buckaroo banzai shock tower

Hong Kong Cavaliers — Banzai’s team of scientists, thinkers, musicians, and adventurers. Jeff Goldblum as New Jersey, and Clancy Brown as Rawhide.

buckaroo banzai group shot

buckaroo banzai clancy brow rawhidejeff goldblum new jersey

hong kong cavaliers band

Publicity still, John Lithgow, Ellen Barkin, and Peter Weller.

buckaroo banzai penny priddy emilio lizardo lithgow weller barkin

Remember when video phones where a dream of the future? Here Banzai calls the President, sporting the red glasses that where a bone of contention between director W.D. Richter and studio boss David Begelman, who apparently said “Heroes don’t wear red glasses!”

buckaroo_banzai video phone president

The Black Lectroids’ organic-looking space ship, in orbit around the Earth. Apparently it was a lump of coral.buckaroo banzai black lectroid startshipBlurry pic of Banzai and John Parker in Whorfin’s Thermopod.

buckaroo banzai john parker thermapod

Our hero bids farewell to Black Lectroid John Parker in his Thermopod.

buckaroo banzai peter weller parachuteMusical end credits sequence — the gang’s all here and ready for the sequel (ahem).

buckaroo_banzai group end credits

{ 1 comment… read it below or add one }

Blue Blaze June 26, 2010 at 1:03 am

Great movie! Thanks for sharing! :)

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