Beetlejuice turned Michael Keaton into a star and, after seeing it for the first time, it’s clear why. Photo: Warner Bros Pictures.
So, I have something I need to admit.
Among the few thousand movies that I’ve seen, up until this week I have neglected to see one of the most popular dark comedies of all time, Beetlejuice.
I know, I know, I should never write a review again, I’m clearly a fraud.
But in fairness, I have never been director Tim Burton’s biggest fan and, for one reason or another, I just never felt the need to see it. However, as Region’s resident movie reviewer, I felt it was my responsibility to educate myself before seeing its sequel in a week.
Now, after watching Beetlejuice for the first time in my 25 years on this earth, I realise I have missed out on one of the whackiest and most stylised movies of all time. It was an absolute blast!
For the three other people who haven’t seen this movie in the 40 years since its release, Beetlejuice follows a recently deceased couple, Barbara and Adam Maitland, who are unable to travel to the afterlife.
Upon realising that they must remain on earth as ghosts, Barbara and Adam attempt to scare away a young family who have taken residence in their former home. To do so they hire the help of the crude, rude ghost Betelgeuse (pronounced Beetlejuice).
Straight off the bat, there just aren’t movies like this made today and that sucks.
It’s such a stylised product that lends itself to dark and crass humour that transcends time, which is ironic because there’s no way this whacky project would be greenlit today. Yes I’m aware there’s a sequel only a week away but that is just a continuation, not a new idea.
While I have previously said I’m not the biggest fan of Tim Burton, I respect the fact each of his movies has a unique style that has resonated with millions of people around the world. The gothic nature of his films is a trademark of his work and it began with Beetlejuice.
The casting of this film only elevates the production. Michael Keaton is brilliant as Beetlejuice. His humour, delivery and the fun he is clearly having in the role cemented him as a star in the 80s and watching this for the first time, you can see why!
He’s so natural yet repulsive. He draws a fine line between being so disgusting you want to look away yet so funny and entertaining that you can’t. There are very few modern characters or movies that can get away with this today.
The supporting cast is also top-notch. At the time the likes of Alec Baldwin, Catherine O’Hara and Winona Ryder weren’t household names but their turns in Beetlejuice put them on the path to being so. From my understanding, Catherine O’Hara and Winona Ryder will be returning for the sequel and I can’t wait to see them back and having fun.
The production side of this film is also top-notch. The costumes are iconic, the setting is perfect and the dark colour palette adds to the mood of the film. The music, conducted by longtime Tim Burton collaborator Danny Elfman, adds to the strange vibes the film gives off and really immersed me in what I was watching.
I think the reason Beetlejuice captivated me more than Burton’s other works like Edward Scissorhands, Sweeny Todd, Corpse Bride or his modern remakes is because it’s funny and originally so. Unlike his original films, it’s less bleak and more comedic. I didn’t feel depressed or mentally exhausted after I finished Beetlejuice.
Opposed to his newer films like Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, Alice in Wonderland and Dumbo, Beetlejuice feels fresh (which is strange to say for a nearly 40-year-old movie). It’s not a dark interpretation, it’s its own idea and because of this I don’t have a preconception of what it should look and sound like.
Beetlejuice is such a fantastic product of its time and one of the best dark comedies I’ve ever seen. I’m glad I found time to give it a watch before its sequel hit cinemas on 6 September.
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