Big Top Pee Wee (1988)
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35% of critics liked it
(20 reviews) -
31% of users liked it
(29,717 ratings)
Paul Reubens's followup to the box-office hit Pee-Wee's Big Adventure is just as outrageous and cartoonish, though not as good. This time, child-man Pee-Wee runs a colorful farm, chock full of talking animals and outsized produce. On the morning after a tornado of Wizard of Oz dimensions,… More Paul Reubens's followup to the box-office hit Pee-Wee's Big Adventure is just as outrageous and cartoonish, though not as good. This time, child-man Pee-Wee runs a colorful farm, chock full of talking animals and outsized produce. On the morning after a tornado of Wizard of Oz dimensions, Pee-Wee awakens to discover that a travelling circus has been deposited in his back yard. Befriended by circus owner Kris Kristofferson, Pee-Wee takes an acrobatic job, hoping to impress lovely trapeze artist Valeria Golino--thereby incurring the jealous rage of his hometown sweetie Penelope Ann Miller. When the circus is faced with bankruptcy, Pee-Wee comes up with a brilliant idea: why not stage a three-ring spectacular celebrating the wonders of agriculture? A partial takeoff of such earlier sawdust-trail flicks as Martin and Lewis' Three Ring Circus and Disney's Toby Tyler, Big Top Pee-Wee is generally entertaining, but goes off in too many directions at once, leaving a lot of loose plot ends and underdeveloped characters. Also, Pee-Wee's overactive libido (at least in this film!) is not all that suitable for his younger fans. Even so, there are plenty of hilarious set-pieces. Big Top Pee-Wee was produced and cowritten by Paul Reubens. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi
- Directed By
- Randal Kleiser
- Written By
- Paul Reubens, George McGrath
- Genres
- Comedy
- In Theaters
- Jul 22, 1988 Wide
- Studio
- Paramount Home Video
Critic Reviews
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Scott G. Mignola, Common Sense Media
Uneven, loopy cult favorite.
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Cole Smithey, ColeSmithey.com
A yeowling comedy. Look out for those sight gags.
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Kevin Carr, 7M Pictures
It's too bad that Tim Burton went on to bigger and better things.
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Staci Layne Wilson, StaciWilson.com
Even the animals want to run away with another circus.
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Christopher Null, Filmcritic.com
If there's a lower form of comedy than circus humor I've yet to encounter it.
See more critic ratings and reviews on Rotten Tomatoes
Fresh (60% or more critics rated the movie positively)
Rotten (59% or fewer critics rated the movie positively)
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Cast
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Paul Reubens
as Pee Wee Herman
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Kris Kristofferson
as Mace Montana
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Valeria Golino
as Gina Piccolapupula
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Penelope Ann Miller
as Winnie
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Susan Tyrrell
as Midge Montana
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Albert Henderson
as Mr. Ryan
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Terrence Mann
as Snowball the Clown
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Jack Murdock
as Otis
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David Byrd
as Deke
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Mary Jackson
as Mrs. Dill
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Frances Bay
as Mrs. Haynes
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Mihaly "Michu" Meszaros
as Andy
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Joey Arias
as Shim the Half Man/Half Woman
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Franco Columbu
as Otto The Strongman
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Vance Colvig
as Clownie
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Benicio Del Toro
as Duke the Dog-Faced Boy
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Leo Gordon
as Joe The Blacksmith
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Kevin Peter Hall
as Big John
- Stephanie Hodge
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Matthias Hues
as Oscar The Lion Tamer
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Jay Robinson
as Cock
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Anne Seymour
as Pearl
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Eve Smith
as Bunny
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Lynne Marie Stewart
as Zelda Bearded Lady
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Bunny Summers
as Costume Woman
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Kenneth Tobey
as Sheriff
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Randy Wayne White
as Vance the Pig
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John Sherrod
as Del The Human Cannonball
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Dustin Diamond
as Child - Deke
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Carol Infield Siff
as Dot Siamese Twin
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Helen Siff
as Ruth Siamese Twin

