I remember that there was a joke that pulled me into this movie, even though I didn't have any real interest in Pee-wee, and it was a really small one. When Pee-wee is about to visit the psychic, some toughs try to harass him on the street. He gives a hiss, and they run away. I think it was that gag that persuaded me to give this a chance.
It's classic. The script is hilarious, and the performances are fantastic. There are so many lines that are perfectly memorable, even the guy that says "Bux-ton."
Despite how much I enjoy the movie, there are two parts that drag the movie down. First, the part right before Pee-wee loses the convict he's riding with, until he reaches the diner is surprisingly dull. It's got the Large Marge bit, but the slowness is just too much. The other part is the dream sequence where Pee-wee sees his bike being destroyed by a dinosaur.
As bizarre as Pee-wee is, the rest of the world that he inhabits is just as strange, just in a slightly different way. Pee-wee isn't unique in his fascination with his bike. In fact, for the first fifteen minutes or so, it's implied that there's a huge population that's really into bicycles.
And of course, Tim Burton's direction is nearly flawless, and Danny Elfman nails the perfect manic sound. I think Tim Burton might work a bit better with more studio interference.
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