• Release year: 1988
• Director: Tim Burton.
• Producers: Michael Bender, Richard Hashimoto and Larry Wilson.
• Screenplay by: Michael McDowell and Warren Skaaren.
• Cinematography by: Thomas E. Ackerman.
• Music by: Danny Elfman.

Shotgun Commentary: unique comedy with a fun story and a controversial main character that is, thankfully, barely present.

Review

Beetlejuice presents Tim Burton’s version of the afterlife, a burocratic mess much like the one taking place in the world of the living. Nobody is interested in helping, but there’s always someone there to scold you when you make mistakes. A vision so popular that, almost forty years later, it has gained a sequel, Beetlejuice Beetlejuice (2024).

Ageing like leg warmers

Barbara (Geena Davis) and Adam (Alec Baldwin) have to navigate this complicated new world in order to get help. Despite being alright on their own after their death, when a new family moves in and starts changing everything, they have no choice but to face burocracy. Which nightmare is worse, it is hard to tell.

Funny and original as it is, there is a significant difference between how this product was perceived when it came out, at the end of the eighties, versus how it is perceived now. 80s babies and older might still hold on to the nostalgia. However, people who have watched the movie later, or simply have no emotional connection to it, will quickly recognise that this film has not grown gracefully. Much like Beetlejuice’s face, the more time goes by, the more mouldy and gross it looks.

Themes like sexual harassment and assault are portrayed as comical. This hints at an audience whose sexist ideas of comedy look horrifying now. While the character of Beetlejuice is often described as a pervert inside the film, it is the humorous prism through which his behaviour is seen that is truly problematic: “he is a pervert, but look how funny, he’s looking under her skirt”.

These dynamics and other outdated attitudes featured in the movie are more thoroughly explored and analysed in a full comparison between Beetlejuice films, but you get the gist of it.

The good

The main win of the feature is Barbara and Adam. They are a couple so perfect, they make you ache for a love like theirs. Their relationship is simple and honest, they tell each other everything and support each other’s hobbies, staying independent together. In a very short amount of time, Burton manages to convey what true love should look like. Of course, only to later apply his beloved bittersweet coating to the story. Like many other Burton characters, they find happiness at a price and need to learn how to live or, in this case, unlive with it.

The simplicity of their love provides a huge contrast between them and the Deetzes, a couple who couldn’t possibly care less about each other. Their obnoxious behaviour and greed make it hard for Barbara and Adam to get what they want, but also easier for the audience to enjoy when Beetlejuice terrorises them.

The bad

Speaking of which, the misogynist and sex predator Beetlejuice sets his eyes on Lydia, the only minor in the movie. If that wasn’t enough, his plan is to marry the fifteen-year-old in order to be able to go back to the land of the living. A plan that would look a lot less predatory were it not for his constant slimy behaviour.

As for Lydia, the way she cowers or pretends to ignore Beetlejuice’s disgusting behaviour is simply heartbreaking. She puts on a mask of strength to gain some sense of control, despite being absolutely terrified of him. An attitude that is sadly very relatable for women all over the world. From cat-calling to whatever it is you want to call Beetlejuice’s actions, women have sadly seen and experienced all sorts of unacceptable behaviour from men who think we just exist to please them. Putting on a brave face and acting unbothered is one of the most common defence mechanisms.

The beautiful

Unfortunate themes to find in a comedy aside, the aesthetics also deserve some attention. Burton is known for his creativity and unique imagination, traits that set his films aside from other, more mainstream styles. The special effects, colour palettes, set and character designs all scream Burton and create a riveting psychedelic parallel universe that anyone would kill to spend two minutes in.

All in all, Beetlejuice works in every way except for the main character himself. The story is intriguing and Danny Elfman creates the best possible score to go with it, as usual. The cast is incredible, even if their characters are sometimes not the best, and the production design department goes all out to bring to life a unique experience for the audience.

Advice to take from this movie:

• Sexual harassment is not a joke, it’s not funny in ANY context.
• Geena Davis and Alec Baldwin should’ve worked together more often.
• Death is never the answer, unless you want to secure yourself an afterlife job, of course.

What’s your take? Have you watched Beetlejuice? What about the sequel? Which one did you enjoy better?

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