Pee-Wee’s Big Adventure (1985)

The Scene: Paging Mr. Herman

Why We Love This Scene: Whatever your opinion may be of Paul Reubens or especially of his alter-ego, Pee-Wee Herman, Tim Burton’s first feature film starring the impish Pee-Wee was and still is a great movie to watch. There are many scenes that were funny when I was a kid but their are countless more that I appreciate even more as a bigger-ish kid. I can include the “Where’s Francis?” scene where he outwits Professor Toru Tanaka. Or the scene with Large Marge. Who can forget his infamous “Tequila” dance or when he interrupts the Twisted Sister music video? But the scene I love now more than ever is the “Paging Mr. Herman” scene. Starting with the hilariously bad over-dubbed voice they replaced for Pee-Wee as the Hotel Clerk (which is worse than his high-pitched voice) Adding to that they cast James Brolin to play the movie-within-a-movie version of super-spy P.W. Herman and Morgan Fairchild as his love interest? Also count how much Pee-Wee looks into the camera. I also love how he doesn’t let go of the phone when handing it to Brolin and how he tries to inch over to get in view between Brolin and Fairchild while they talk. Sheer comedic brilliance!