by Madelyn Young '25 on September 19, 2024
A&E Staff
Film and Television
Beetlejuice Beetlejuice, another Tim Burton classic
Tim Burton’s Beetlejuice has undoubtedly become a cult classic since its 1988 release (not to mention one of my favorite movies). The film seamlessly combines elements of comedy and horror, bringing a lighthearted element to its eerie undertones. The star-studded cast (including Michael Keaton, Geena Davis, Alec Baldwin, and Winona Ryder, in her breakout role) works together to bring Burton’s classic style to life in a completely new way for its time. In one of his first major movies, Burton’s imagination reached all aspects of this movie, from the animation to the puppetry and intricate sets.
This first movie ends with the ghosts and the living coexisting peacefully as they sing, dance, and share the Maitland/Deetz house as a dysfunctional, unique family. The sequel, aptly named Beetlejuice Beetlejuice, was released on Sept. 6, and picks up 36 years later. Lydia is now grown up and raising her daughter, Astrid, while using her ghost-seeing abilities on a television show. With the news of her father’s death, she is forced to travel back to her childhood home and face her past.
One of the most crucial parts to creating a good sequel is the cast, and Beetlejuice Beetlejuice has an incredible lineup. Most importantly, Michael Keaton (Beetlejuice) and Winona Ryder (Lydia Deetz) reprise their roles with just as much passion and unique energy as they did years ago. Catherine O’Hara also reprises her role of Delia Deetz and seems to bring more of her Moira Rose (from Schitt’s Creek) talent into this film. Monica Bellucci plays a new character, Beetlejuice’s ex-wife, Delores, seeking revenge against the demon. Jenna Ortega—perhaps one of the most relevant names in pop culture right now—stars as Astrid Deetz, Lydia’s edgy, gloomy teenage daughter. She fits this role perfectly, blending right into the wildly eerie and beautiful world of Beetlejuice.
Additionally, although animation, SFX, and most other movie technology have undergone significant upgrades since the original movie came out, Burton chose to utilize lots of cheesy, 80’s-esque effects in his sequel. This makes the movie feel more connected to its origins rather than a money grab with an irrelevant storyline (I’m looking at you, Hocus Pocus 2). While Burton certainly had the ability—and the budget—to use more advanced means of production, his commitment to the original style makes the movie so much more appealing to original fans. Even the soundtrack utilizes songs from the first film, setting the stage for an equally amazing movie.
My only issue is the way the movie explained the absence of the Maitlands. I completely understand why they weren’t in the movie; even Geena Davis herself said it wouldn’t make sense for the ghosts to have aged. In the sequel, the only explanation given was that the ghosts had “moved on.” Given the happy ending of the first movie, this did not entirely make sense; why would Barbara and Adam move on if they were content living with the Deetz’s? However, the movie does pay homage to these characters in unique ways: in the first scene of the model, you can see figures of them next to their car after crashing through the bridge; the bridge itself is shown several times; and Adam’s hyper-realistic model of the town is still a central part of the film.
In all, I genuinely enjoyed this movie, as it seems most people have been since its release. Although no follow-up will completely match the influence and artistry of the first movie, Beetlejuice Beetlejuice was the most perfect sequel Tim Burton could create.