I hadn’t seen Pee-wee’s Big Adventure since it first came to home video in 1986. Paul Reubens aka Pee-wee wasn’t on my radar before that, it was all very much Back to the Future and Miami Vice for me.

So when I was introduced to it one night, I found myself laughing aloud, hugely enjoying it, and cementing my crush on Elizabeth Daily.

The story is wonderfully simple, and was written by Reubens, Micheal Varhol and the wonderful Phil Hartman. It was also Tim Burton’s feature film debut, and you can see his stylistic style and love for odd images already.

Pee-wee is the literal definition of man-child. He plays with his toys, engages in schoolyard banter, and loves his bike more than the Dottie (Daily) the bike mechanic who has eyes for him.

That being said, you can’t blame him for loving his bike as much as he does. Red and white, it’s got gadgets, style, and is the Aston Martin DB5s of bikes.

So when his big is stolen, organized by Pee-wee’s nemesis, Francis (Mark Holton) the bow-tied giggler finds himself on a cross-country trip to reclaim it.

There are a surprising amount of laughs, and it’s delightful with how well the film holds up. I will openly admit that Pee-wee’s incessant chuckling got to me initially, but once you’re in the film, you’re in it.

Burton frames images wonderfully, and also makes sure to add in traditional, and stop motion animation. Everything you think of when it comes to a Tim Burton film definitely can be found here in some form or another.

It’s good-natured, wears its heart on its sleeve, and, considering it’s a Tim Burton film, surprisingly bright and colourful.

And the climax! with the race through Warner Brothers studios… where else can you see Santa in a sleigh with Godzilla than in a Burton film?

To make it a complete Tim Buton film you would need a score by… yup, Danny Elfman.

There are tons of great moments, the Large Marge (Alice Nunn) scarred countless young viewers. It introduced the song, Tequila, to a whole new generation. And I personally love the headlight glasses, and their payoff scene.

It’s a road movie, filled with lots of misadventures along the way, very funny moments, and a real sense of joy. Reubens has an inescapable charm and that combined with Burton’s visual style, and a surprisingly solid script by first time screenwriters, makes this one a winner, and not just a cult classic, but a classic.

I may have to take at the HBO documentary Pee-wee as Himself very soon.