Beetlejuice

PLOT:

Barbara (Geena Davis) and Adam (Alec Baldwin) Maitland decide to spend their vacation decorating their idyllic New England country home. Upon returning from the trip to town, however, Barbara swerves to avoid a dog wandering the roadway. The couple’s vehicle crashes through a covered bridge and plunges into the river below, killing Barbara and Adam. The couple soon returns home in spirit form and, based on the fact they have no visible reflection in the mirror, quickly come to the conclusion that they are dead. A book entitled Handbook for the Recently Deceased confirms the couple’s suspicion that they are, in fact, dead. Adam then attempts to leave the house to retrace his steps, but finds himself in a strange otherworldly dimension referred to as Saturn, which happens to be covered in sand and populated by enormous sand worms.

After going back into their home to seek refuge, Barbara and Adam’s peace is soon shattered when their house is sold and the new residents arrive from New York City. The Deetzes, consisting of Charles (Jeffrey Jones), aspiring sculptor and Charles’ second wife Delia (Catherine O’Hara), and Charles’ Goth daughter Lydia (Winona Ryder) from his first marriage, move into the home.

Under the guidance of interior designer Otho (Glenn Shadix), the Deetzes begin transforming the house into a horrific piece of modern art. The Maitlands seek help from their afterlife case worker, Juno (Sylvia Sidney), who informs them that they must remain in the house for 125 years. If they want the Deetzes out, it is up to them to scare them away. The Maitlands’ attempts at haunting their home prove ineffective.

Although the Maitlands remain invisible to Charles and Delia, their daughter Lydia can see Adam and Barbara and becomes their friend. Against the advice of Juno, the Maitlands contact the miscreant Beetlejuice (Michael Keaton), a freelance “bio-exorcist”, to scare away the Deetzes, but Beetlejuice is more interested in marrying Lydia in order to re-enter the land of the living. It takes the combined efforts of the Maitlands and Lydia to defeat Beetlejuice and banish him to the afterlife. The Deetzes and the Maitlands then decide to live together in harmony.

REVIEW:

This is one of the fist movies I remember going to see on my own, so it has a special place in my heart. 20 yrs after its initial release, it hasn’t lost any of its charm.

Alec Baldwin and Geena Davis are quite believable as a young couple who just drowned in a river and are coping with the afterlife. Winona Ryder shows off her young acting chops and is a bit freaky when she first appears on screen. Jeffrey Jones and Catherine O’Hara are tremendous underrated actors who give excellent performances with what little parts they have.  This brings us to the star if the film, Michael Keaton.

Hard to believe that this guy a year later would be Batman, or that later in his career he would be a snowman and the voice of a cocky race car. Here we see what Keaton can really do. This is the kind of film that made Keaton what he is. A role where he can just ad-lib and be himself. Beetlejuice would not be as memorable a film or character if not for him.

This is a dark comedy that doesn’t even try to take itself seriosuly. A trait that films of today seem to forget how to do. It is very entertaining and refreshing.

If I have any quarrel with this movie, it is that we don’t really know much about Beetlejuice, such as how he died (other than his mention of surviving the Black Plague), his relationship with Juno, why his name has to be said 3 times, etc.

Tim Burton is a genius. I don’t think I’ve seen a film of his I don’t like. Having said that, aside from the Batman films, this may be my favorite from his resume. You should check it out for yourself. I guarantee you won’t be disappointed.

5 out of 5 stars

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