Big Top Pee-wee

Big Top Pee-wee
Big Top Pee-wee film poster
Directed by	Randal Kleiser
Produced by	Debra Hill Paul Reubens Richard Gilbert Abramson
Written by	Paul Reubens and George McGrath
Starring	Paul Reubens Penelope Ann Miller Valeria Golino Kris Kristofferson Susan Tyrell
Music by	Danny Elfman
Cinematography	Steven B. Poster
Editing by	Jeff Gourson
Distributed by	Paramount Pictures
Release date(s)	July 22, 1988
Running time	86 min.
Country	United States
Language	English
Box office	$15,122,000

Big Top Pee-wee is the 1988 American family comedy sequel to the 1985 film, Pee-wee's Big Adventure, and stars Paul Reubens as Pee-wee Herman, Penelope Ann Miller, Valeria Golino, and Kris Kristofferson. The original music score is composed by Danny Elfman. The film is marketed with the tagline "Hero. Lover. Legend."

The Paramount Pictures production was directed by Randal Kleiser and written by Paul Reubens and George McGrath. Paul Reubens also co-produced the film with Debra Hill. Filming locations include Disney's Golden Oak Ranch in Newhall, California and the auditorium at Hart High School. This was Kleiser's first movie for Paramount since 1978's Grease.

During a 1988 television special, Pee-wee Herman acknowledged the long hours of circus training undertaken by the film's actors and that they spent a year and a half working on the movie. He also humorously compared himself as an actor to James Cagney and Spencer Tracy and ended by saying that Big Top Pee-wee is "at least as good as Police Academy."

Plot

Pee-wee Herman (Paul Reubens) has a dream of being a famous singer. He makes his exit by disguising himself as Abraham Lincoln. One of the fans asks him for his autograph, but his disguise is promptly exposed. They chase after him and he flies off to his ranch. Pee-wee finally awakens from his dream that morning to work on his farm with Vance the pig (voiced by Wayne White). Later, he has lunch with his fiancée, school teacher Winnie Johnson (Penelope Ann Miller). Next, he races Vance to a general store owned by Mr. Ryan (Albert Henderson) to order a cheese sandwich with a pickle.

The sheriff (Kenneth Tobey) warns everyone of a big storm approaching town. After the storm ends, Pee-wee emerges from his storm shelter to discover that an entire travelling circus has been blown into his backyard. Befriended by Cabrini Circus manager Mace Montana (Kris Kristofferson), Pee-wee is hoping to impress Gina Piccolapupula (Valeria Golino), a trapeze artist and the circus' star attraction, thereby incurring the jealousy of his Winnie until she meets Gina's older brothers: The Piccolapupula Brothers. Gina leaves Pee-wee when she finds out about Winnie, but later returns to him when she realizes that Pee-wee actually loves her.

Pee-wee wants to join the circus, but his attempts fail. Gina then tells Pee-wee about her deceased father, Papa Piccolapupula, who was a famous aerialist who suffered a fall performing the Spiral of Death, and that Pee-wee should try walking the tightrope in his honor.

Mace comes up with a brilliant idea: to stage a three-ring spectacular saluting the American Farm. The problem is that the majority of the town's residents are disgruntled, uncaring elderly people who have been demanding the circus Pee-wee is helping leave town. The townspeople attempt to arrest Pee-wee for various crimes including defacing public property. The sheriff agrees to drop the charges however provided that the circus leaves town. The circus does so, but Pee-wee saves the day when he sneaks genetically modified cocktail weenies from his hot-dog tree to the townspeople, causing them to become children once again. Now grateful to have extra years of life and without any memories of what happened, the children watch Mace's circus and Pee-wee perform.

Characters

• Paul Reubens as Pee-wee Herman: An eccentric, childish farmer and scientist living on the outskirts of a small rural town.
• Kris Kristofferson as Mace Montana: the owner and operator of the Cabrini Circus that is blown onto Pee-wee's farm by a huge storm.
• Susan Tyrell as Midge Montana: Mace's extremely small wife, who often leads the members of the circus when her husband is not around.
• Valeria Golino as Gina Piccolapupula: A trapeze artist in Montana's circus with whom Pee-wee falls in love.
• Penelope Ann Miller as Winnie Johnson: A school teacher and Pee-wee's former fiancée.
• Albert Henderson as Mr. Ryan
• Wayne White as the voice of Vance the Pig: Pee-Wee's talking pig.

Benicio del Toro had his first film appearance as Duke the Dog-Faced Boy. Lynne Marie Stewart cameos as Zelda the Bearded Lady. Vance Colvig cameos as Clownie. Randal Kleiser makes an uncredited cameo as a popcorn vendor.

Reception

Big Top Pee-wee received mixed reviews from film critics. Audience response was polarized, with viewers either finding it great, or disliking it. Based on 20 reviews Big Top Pee-wee has a 35% "Rotten" rating at Rotten Tomatoes. Most of the negative reviews came from people who enjoyed Pee-wee's Big Adventure. Like its predecessor the film has developed into a cult film.

External links

• Big Top Pee-wee at the Internet Movie Database
• Big Top Pee-wee at AllRovi
• Big Top Pee-wee at Rotten Tomatoes