"Let's turn on the juice and see what shakes loose"

Review: Beetlejuice

An Augustus Rating of 7/10

Just the perfect movie for a fun, October night. Today's review is on the 1988 horror comedy, Beetlejuice, directed by the one and only, Tim Burton. By horror, I mean you see dead people and a few pussing but friendly ghosts. This movie stars Michael Keaton (Batman!) as the infamous Betelgeuse. 

The movie starts off with a recently deceased  young couple, the Maitlands, who are confined as ghosts in their vacation house on the top of a hill in Winterville. Unable to come to terms with their deaths, they are summoned to the underworld where they meet their "death counselor", Juno. In the meantime, an obnoxious family from New York, the Deetzes, move into the house. 

 Mr. Deetze is a former real estate developer and Mrs. Deetze is his second wife who is also a modern sculptor. Lydia is Mr. Deetze's goth daughter from his first marriage. She is very depressed and hates her life. The family begins to renovate the house into a more contemporary and stylish home. The Maitlands are furious of what has become of their loving house.

Juno tells the couple that they have to scare off the Deetzes in order to regain their house. While planning to scare the Deetzes, the couple meet Lydia, the only person that can see them, and befriend her. After numerous unsuccessful scare attempts, the Maitlands decide they need help.

The Maitlands are informed of a "bio-exorcist" ghost, Betelgeuse, who specializes in scaring the living. They are warned that he is only trouble and after experiencing his morbid and inappropriate nature, the Maitlands think twice about hiring him. Unfortunately, they are tricked into saying the magic words which bring Betelgeuse into the game. 

Tim Burton wanted his childhood favourite star, Sammy Davis Jr. to
play Betelgeuse, but the studio executives didn't like the idea at all!
(Too bad!)

 Beetlejuice was a great success in 1988. It became the 10th highest grossing film of the year. It reclaimed its $15 million budget, bringing home over $73 million in North America. At the 61st Academy Awards, Beetlejuice won the award for The Best Makeup. During The Saturn Awards, it won Best Makeup and Best Horror Film.

Overall, this movie was pretty great. Never thought I'd see Batman as a crazy ghost with white hair and a rotting complexion. So next time you feel the need to laugh at someone as nutty as him, watch Beetlejuice. 

... Beetlejuice, Beetlejuice.

- Augustus