BeetleJuice

It’s been a while since I’ve had time to do a review, and since I was snowed in for the entire weekend, we decided to pop in a DVD that everyone could enjoy. Throughout his career, Mr. Tim Burton has proven again and again what highly stylized film making can do for the art scene, as well as the general public. Over his multi-decade career, Burton has brought us such gems as Nightmare Before Christmas, The Corpse Bride, Ed Wood, and Big Fish. But today I will be speaking about one of his best horror-comedies: Beetle Juice.

On their way home from an outing downtown, Adam (Alec Baldwin) and Barbara (Geena Davis) are involved in an accident that carries them into the afterlife. Upon returning to their house, they learn that a new family has already moved into their home and begun changing the appearance. Adam and Barbara attempt to scare out the newcomers through tactics learned from an afterlife agent, as well as a seething ghost that lives in scale model of the town, located in Adam’s attic: Beetle Juice (Michael Keaton.)

This film is classic Tim Burton. In fact, most of the creatures featured in this film are actually images he built for his first animated short: Vincent. Stylistically, this film features amazing resemblance to 1930s German expressionism. Sharp corners, odd angles, and focused lighting all bring elements to the setting that is usually otherwise not seen in today’s features. Burton tends to use sharp color contrasts, specifically black versus white, and tends to accent characters by giving them outrageous qualities. This, as I see it, only helps to make each character more memorable.

Burton’s character Beetle Juice, played by actor Michael Keaton, is executed so perfectly that we as an audience are unable to remove the character from our mind. His eccentric behavior and accented movements help to define the reckless, selfish, and dangerous nature of the character. Again, the costumes, and lighting again help to bring out this character in a typically aesthetically flat scene.

This film is again boosted by the supporting cast: Catherine O’Hara, Jeffery Jones, Winona Ryder, and Glen Shadix. Each of these characters have very defines aspects about them that only intensify their diversity. Husband Charles is a man looking to get away from the city scene. His down to earth dreams come true as he moves away, and discovers this house in a seemingly sleepy town. His wife Delia is an artist struggling to make it in today’s world. Her twisted and dark sculptures help define her character as even more twisted underneath. And then there’s Lydia, a teen struggling to survive in today’s socially harsh world. Each character’s actions are spotlighted by their costume, mannerisms and demeanor. All together, they paint a strong picture of a twisted family living in a haunted home.

All this, coupled together with Danny Elfman’s score, brings classic Tim Burton film making alive. No other director can be compared to the gothic-style imagery that Burton offers. And being a film maker that can set such a definition certainly means that both skill and experience is put to the strongest test. As a fan of the movie since childhood, I feel I might be somewhat biased. But I also acknowledge that the film has powerful elements that bring this piece of work out of the usual pile of DVDs, and into a collectors set of highly stylized gems. 6.5 of 10.