What continuity errors are found in the film version of Buckaroo Banzai?
I have yet to verify these myself but I thought I'd get them up on the page so we could get some discussion going. If you have any additions or corrections, send them to figment@figmentfly.com.
Our first continuity error comes from J. Adam Korsak :
"Has anyone noticed that there is a continuity error in TABB? When Whorfin is on the phone with the WW1 bus, Caspar has a 'Lectroid vest' on in the background. Unfortunately, this is just after New Jersey has isolated the cause for the Lectroid's disguise and before the vests are created."
Our second continuity error comes from R. Wheeler :
"This may be old news to all of you, if so, I apologize in advance, but in the scene where Bigbootie was taking the Professor Hikita, there is a scene where Bigbootie has his glasses on, and in another closeup they are off! Again, this may be old news, but I had to share it!"
Our third continuity error comes from Sean Dunn :
"There is a scene where Perfect Tommy is on the ground, examining a broken piece of lab glass (I believe this is at the Banzai labs - one of the assistants was killed, a Lectroid spider attached to him), then there's a direct CUT TO him standing up in the left of the film frame. Obviously a continuity error.. I love this movie. :)
Our fourth continuity error comes from C. Mark Chapoton :
More like an editing error but...When Whorfin is on the phone to BB on the bus, crowing about Doctor Penny Priddy's capture and demanding the overthruster, his evil laugh continues long after Penny spits on him and his image stops laughing. Great line: "He'll come... I know hisa type."
Our Fifth continuity error comes from Jennifer Harrison :
In the movie, Buckaroo Banzai's having a phone conversation with the President. He's in that back stretcher thing, and upside down. The President expresses his uncertainty, including a comment about "a girl named John." Problem is, the President hasn't seen the hologram disc yet that John Parker brought to Earth. He shouldn't know anything about John Emdall until later. The continuity's correct in the novelization - my guess is that they edited the video out of sequence.
Sean here - There was footage that was cut from the scene and it can be found in the bootleg workprint.
JOHN PARKER:
I have delivered a message from my own chief executive, John Emdall. And she has made it very clear, that unless John Whorfin is destroyed before sunset, she intends to fire an atomic beam from American airspace, hit Smolensk, and...
PRESIDENT WIDMARK:
Buckaroo, you're quite serious aren't you? I mean you and I...
If this footage had been in the film, the President's comment about "a girl named John" would have made sense.
This page was last updated on May 10th, 2020.
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