BEETLEJUICE
US, 1988, 88 minutes, Colour.
Michael Keaton, Alec Baldwin, Geena Davis, Winona Ryder, Catherine O'Hara, Jeffrey Jones, Robert Goulet, Sylvia Sidney.
Directed by Tim Burton.
Beetlejuice is a zany comedy about ghosts. Michael Keaton has a field day (albeit in a supporting guest role) as a demon with a flair for the vulgar, the caustic, the crude. He enjoys himself immensely.
However, Alec Baldwin and Geena Davis are the central characters, a nice young couple who die, who have to cope with being ghosts. Sylvia Sidney is their agent. Their house is taken over by a family with Jeffrey Jones, eccentric as the father, Katherine O'Hara very good as the artistic mother and Winona Ryder more than eccentric as the black-shrouded daughter. There are guest appearances by Robert Goulet and Dick Cavett.
However, the special effects are the important thing - they and the creatures of the film won an Academy Award. There is an enjoyable use of Harry Belafonte's 'Day-O' and other calypso music, especially a classic scene where the dinner guests are all possessed by Harry Belafonte's ghost and do a calypso dance.
The film was directed by Tim Burton (Pee Wee's Big Adventure, Batman). An eccentric comedy.
1. The appeal of this comedy? Ghosts, haunted house, the fantastic?
2. Connecticut setting, the house, the town? The special effects: the model of the town, the creatures, the hauntings, the miniaturising, the scenery?
3. The musical score and atmosphere? The calypso songs, 'Day O' and the other hits of the past? The staging of the songs?
4. The opening and the aerial view of the town finally leading to the model with the spider? Adam and Barbara, their work, not wanting to sell the house, on vacation, going into the town, the dog, the bridge, their deaths?
5. Finding themselves alive, back in the house, the strange landscapes outside, the manual for the recently deceased, puzzle, not being seen, their agent mourning them but going to sell the house, the family and their arrival, their reaction, trying to haunt with all kinds of effects but not being seen, being seen by Lydia?
6. The introduction of Beetlejuice, his comments, the advertisement in the paper, his television commercial? Juno and her contact, warning? her vanishing? Alee and Barbara using the sheets but failing to scare? Lydia taking the photos? Adam and Barbara trying to do the job themselves, the 'Day-O' dinner and its effect? The family welcoming the ghosts? Their reluctance to appear?
7. Their calling on Beetlejuice, going to the cemetery, digging him up, his arrival, his trying to persuade them that he could be horrible, their reaction to him, his taking over, the huge snake and the banister, the back in the model, his wanting sex and going off for night life?
8. Alec and Barbara worried, lost, consulting Juno, her work with the football team, warnings?
9. The sketch of the family: Charlie and his eccentricity, liking the house, wanting to relax? Delia and her not liking the house, her sculptures, redecorating with Otho? The scale of the redecorating? Lydia, her dress, strangeness? The hauntings, the dinner, their reaction to 'Day O'? The contact with Max, bringing him and his wife, the dinner, Beetlejuice arriving, bringing the two ghosts back in the atmosphere of bridal clothes, but their ageing? The carnival style that Beetlejuice brought?
10. Lydia and her concern, her promise to marry Beetlejuice? The minister's arrival, Beetlejuice and the wedding, the interruption, his comments? Adam and Barbara reviving? Beetlejuice zipping Barbara's mouth? His being caught and sent back to the waiting room for eternity?
11. Michael Keaton's style as Beetlejuice, zany, grubby, his scatological comments, rudeness? His self-importance? Taking over, scaring people? His pleading to stay, his shrewdness?, Back in line for eternity, changing the numbers, the African chief miniaturising him?
12. The happy family ending, the ghosts at home, the parents at home, Lydia and her A, singing calypso music and levitating? All's well that ends well?
