Do you need a good laugh right now? How about fifty good laughs? It’s the 40th anniversary of one of the most charming, funny, and creative Hollywood films ever made. In 1985, Paul Reubens and his creative collaborators were just on the verge of a pop-cultural breakthrough. The Pee-Wee Herman character had become popular in talk show spots and on hip improv stages, but would it translate to the big screen? Well, we all know the answer. With the help of co-writers Phil Hartman and Michael Varhol and director Tim Burton, the precocious man-child became a household name, and provided proof of concept for a brilliant television series that followed.

The film is an astonishing blast of comedic invention, carried by Reubens and ably supported by an absolutely perfect supporting cast and a music score by Danny Elfman.