Interestingly enough, Pee Wee's Big Adventure makes it's HD debut next Saturday evening :)

As a Pee Wee Virgin, I had a great time - of course it was pretty cool that Paul Reubens was there to introduce the film - along with half the cast, though it was kind of hard to hear him over the applause.

The film definately was improved with the audience, clapping along to "Deep in the Heart of Texas" and toasting with Tequilla. It was also one of those only in LA experiences - a little extra to what have been just another Saturday night at the cemetery.

Oh, now, I'm really sick I did not fly down for this (I considered it). :(

Yes, I'm going to go ahead and say that (especially for the non-virgins,) it was perhaps the best cemetary screening ever. No hyperbole here, when you get to watch a gem from your youth, with a bunch of other people who treasure it like you do, AND with the guy who created the phenomenon... it's really rather magical.

bah...

Sounds like you all had a wonderful time.

What tickles me is that clap clap clap clap - Deep in the Heart of Texas seemed so spontaneous, and not some planned Rocky Horror, bring-your-toast kinda of thing.

I heard so many people say they hadn't seen the film in years and years. It was already a pumped-up, sold-out "house" before Paul Reubens/Pee Wee Herman took the stage, held a brief cast reunion, and then introduced the movie with delightful inflections of 'the voice.'

I've never laughed so hard at that film. I think the same can be said of many in the crowd. That crowd was alive, was scinilating, and simmering towards boil. The movie just kept getting funnier and funnier, everyone in the crowd feeding off each other (and perhaps with a little inspiration from having so many in the cast in the audience).


At one point, Keith and I were talking about the phenonmon of staying up all night. I didn't get a chance to mention to him that, in the days when I made a habit of that ... it was accomplished via LSD ... and invariably it would be on a Saturday night that would see us finally go to sleep after watching Pee Wee's Playhouse on Sunday morning. You might say I grew up on Pee Wee. It was such a personal treat to have Paul Reubens there for the screening of his big motion picture hit. And it was wonderful to share that personal treat with a few thousand other people having the same personal treat.

It was so nice to have a big LoT turn-out for this one. All the fun of our mega-picnic combined with the cemetery screening that will go down in history!




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This was my first cemetery screening and I loved every minute of it. Camping out in line was way better than waiting in front of the castle for fireworks. (Thank you to those who got there super early to hold the spot.) Question: If you were to [something about sex] what would [something about sex]?

Once inside, our group picniced around "the table" and shared many tasty dishes. I looked around to see like 500 other groups involved in their own salads, wine, cheese, pizza delivery, couscous and such. Trader Joe's could have been an event sponsor. iSm brought the most delicious chocolate cake to celebrate Genny's birthday (and Eliza Hodgkins, too).

So, the movie was about to start and who was there but the major players in the cast - Pee Wee, Dottie, Chuck, Simone, Mickey, and of course Francis! Also, Michael Varhol, another co-writer (we miss you Phil Hartman :( ) was there and actually sat in front of us for the whole screening. Such an amazing surprise.

The screening was pure fun. Everyone's spontaneous participation. Laughter. People enjoying it like it was the first time. Speck, Large Marge, desert dinosaurs, Jimmy Crack Corn, The Alamo, rodeo, heh heh, TEQUILA!, the drive-in. I know the ambiance and wine did improve the feel of the movie, but I think the story really held up over the years (well, maybe not Twisted Sister).

My only negative of the whole evening was the voice track progressively loosing its synch. My DVR does that every once in a while too. Oh, well.

Good movie! Good friends! Good times!

(edited to add writer's name)

wow, I'm so sorry I missed out on this. You guys were in my thoughts. :)

I hada really good time! The comedy did nothing to irritate me in that way many comidies of that genre do. There were so many homages to other great gilms that I was greatly entertained throghout. Why no one mentioned that that the film starts out with a Tour dream is beyond me! ;) The spontanious "clap clap clap Deep in the heart of Texan" was absolutely wonderful. My other favortie moment was from Chris during the Alamo tour scene. He said, in that voice MASECA!

The vibe couldn't have been better. The crowd was so into it and, I couldn't help but be caught up in the happiness. I'm not sure I would watch this film on my own - especially after such a great viewing but I'm REALLY glad I got to make it to this one.

One thing I caught in the film - in the Magic Shop, there is an Elvira poster on the wall. Then she shows up later in the film as the Biker Babe. I wonder if she was in the audience. We shared a space and convo with her at the cemetery last year.

I also loved the Tim Burton feel to the film. There were a few Frankenwenie moments. I forgot Elfman did the soundtrack and I, surprisingly, really liked the music.

It was areally great night and I'm so glad I was able to make it.

We did an improptu stop for drinks at Tantra (which used to be such a hot spot-what happened?) and closed the place. Actually, we were supposed to go to another place for flaming margaritas but ended up in Silver Lake at another place that wasn't the flaming margarita place, but Tantra happened to be next door. I don't know the name of the place were were actually TRYING to go to, but Chris named it Los Cantalopes and that's all I can rememeber.

Amazing. Totally, completely and utterly amazing.

This was my first cemetary screening, and I haven't seen Pee Wee's Big Adventure in years. The group (not just our group, but the entire group) was an a delightful group of people to see this movie with. The spontaneous clapping, the laughter and most of all, the cast made the night. The cast. The cast was there. Amazing and surreal.

Trader Joes could open up a mini-store for summer Saturday nights and turn a huge profit. It seemed that everywhere you looked you were surrounded by bags from Trader Joes.

The group was a great group of people. Everyone was so polite and even the lady in the "tall chair" ended up on the ground after it was pointed out that no one behind her could see.