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Beetlejuice Customer Reviews (28 - 30 of 39 Reviews)

Great Comedy
Beetlejuice is the story of ghosts (Alec Baldwin and Geena Davis) who can't get along with the family (Jeffrey Jones, Catherine O'Hara, and Winona Ryder) that moves into their house. The ghosts enlist Beetlejuice (Michael Keaton) to help them, and the fun really starts. The movie is directed by Tim Burton. Robert Goulet and Dick Cavett make cameos. The score is by Danny Elfman. This movie has a great cast and a great director.

If you're a fan of Burton's other movies, you'll especially like this movie. Like all his movies, it has his distinctive look and feel to it. But anyone can enjoy this far-fetched comedy. Being PG, it should be appropriate for most members of the family. The DVD is lacking some of the special features that I would like to see though - like outtakes, behing-the-scenes, etc...

Tim Burton Goes All Out in His Second Feature Film!
Tim Burton had come off the blockbuster success of his first feature film PEE-WEE'S BIG ADVENTURE (1985) when he was greenlighted by Warner Bros. to direct the project he REALLY wanted to make. It was the picture that would define the rest of his career to this day: the supernaturally weird black comedy (and weirdly-titled) BEETLEJUICE (1988). It was so unique, so strange to me that I didn't know what to make of it when I first saw it on video in 1989. I remember from that first time liking parts of it, but not liking the picture as a whole. The movie was so frenetic, so odd in its mixture of Goth Horror, Comedy, gruesome visual effects (I'm still kind of amazed that it got a PG rating instead of PG-13) and cartoonish slapstick that I really didn't know what to make if it. Well, now that I've seen it at least a half-dozen times since (three of them in the past year alone), I can say that it has held up better than many of the most popular 80's films (TOP GUN, etc) and has become a classic all unto itself.

With BEETLEJUICE, Tim Burton showed not only that he could direct effective comedy and illicit inspired performances from his actors, but also bring a true artist's touch to the big screen. Of course, the film won the Oscar for Best Makeup (as if there was any real question about it), but I also think that it should have also been at least nominated for Visual Effects and Art Direction, as those truly mesmerizing aspects all come together to create a product that is so unique. Not only that, but this film helped make the careers of several actors who would go on to major success soon after.

Two of those actors are Alec Baldwin and Geena Davis, as the ill-fated newlyweds Adam and Barbara Maitland who, after buying a big Victorian dream house at the film's outset, die in a bizarre car accident soon after. Slowly realizing that they've passed on to the next world, they don't want to give up their house to the pathetically bourgeois Charles & Delia Deetz (Jeffrey Jones & Catherine O'Hara), who along with their chubby, effete chauffeur Otho (Glenn Shadix) have already moved in, and inspire true disgust in the newly-dead couple. However, they seem to have an ally in the older couple's death-obsessed Goth daughter Lydia (Winona Ryder) see an afterlife advertisement for a "Bio-Exorcist" named Betelgeuse (Michael Keaton) and decide that their only hope in driving out the destestable Charles, Delia, and Otho is in using the wild, unpredictable Betelgeuse. Of course, good ol' Betelgeuse will gladly provide his unique brand of service, but at a very high price.

Alec Baldwin & Geena Davis fill their roles very well. The ironic thing is that this was the first film I'd ever seen Alec Baldwin in, so my first impression of him as the nerdy, good-natured Adam ended up being turned around by 180 degrees by the psychotic, tough-guy roles that would define the rest of his career. That turnabout came pretty quickly, actually, as the very next film I would see him in was MARRIED TO THE MOB (1988), in which he was a mobster unbeknownst to his wife who gets offed early on, but it was his psychotic turn in the extremely quirky and violent MIAMI BLUES (1989) that really shocked me and made me realize that Alec really had some range to him (unfortunately, he would be end up being typecast as psychos for the rest of his career). However, Geena Davis, herself at the cusp of stardom (and Oscar acclaim) is playing pretty much the quirky kind of character that would eventually define her career. In fact, it was just the following year that she would win the Oscar for Best Supporting Actress for playing the truly quirky and inspired Muriel Pritchett in the otherwise uninspired THE ACCIDENTAL TOURIST (1989). This film, of course, also boosted the career of the now-infamous Winona Ryder, who quickly became the hot new "it" girl in the late 80's with this movie and with others soon to follow: 1969 (1988), HEATHERS (1989), GREAT BALLS OF FIRE! (also 1989), EDWARD SCISSORHANDS (1990, and another Tim Burton film) and MERMAIDS (also 1990). Of course, former AMADEUS (1984) emperor and FERRIS BUELLER'S DAY OFF (1986) principal Jeffrey Jones, now infamous for his own reasons, is also terrific here, as is former "SC-TV" alumnus Catherine O'Hara. We also get a welcome supporting performance from the great old character actress, Sylvia Sidney, as the chain-smoking receptionist Juno!

But it was Michael Keaton, who was already an up-and-coming comedic actor known for quirky hit comedies such as the Ron Howard-directed NIGHT SHIFT (1982), MR. MOM (1983), JOHNNY DANGEROUSLY (1984) and GUNG HO (1986), who really stole the show and hit paydirt in the process. He would immediately be elevated to "A" list status with his truly brilliant, maniacal and hilarious performance as the titular Betelgeuse, going immediately on to bigger & better things with Tim Burton himself, starring soon after as BATMAN (1989)! It's funny; I think that in 1988, Keaton was robbed of Oscar nominations not only for this truly unique comedic role, but for also his surprising dramatic turn as a recovering alcoholic in CLEAN AND SOBER. It just shows that, for whatever reason, comedians just don't get recognized enough for their acting ability.

BEETLEJUICE is a lot of fun. It looks like it must have been a lot of fun to make. Despite the liberal PG rating, I would recommend it only for ages 9 & up, as the humor is quite adult and the rather gruesome visuals are likely to give any young child nightmares. It is still a truly unique movie with incredible special effects, and it still makes me laugh to this day. Oddly enough, whenever I see it, it makes me that much less afraid to die!

HIGHLY RECOMMENDED

One of the best movies ever!
This movie rocks! seriously! if you are board, sick, ect. this is the movie to get you threw it! buy this movie! i have it on vhs and dvd and just to let everyone know, there is a few different things between them! but both of them are awesome! GET THEM BOTH! YOU WON'T BE DISSAPOINTED! if you like edward sissorhands, the nightmare before christmas, or any of the addams family get this!

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