The showing of “Beetlejuice” was free for students and played in the Viking Union. Soleil de Zwart // AS Review
Editor’s note: This review contains spoilers of the movie “Beetlejuice.”
By Soleil de Zwart
Although “Beetlejuice” isn’t as revered a Halloween movie as “Halloweentown” or “Hocus Pocus,” there is still an adamant fan base attached to the ’80s film.
The movie is about a teenager, Lydia Deetze, and her parents, who move into their new house, only to be haunted by a ghost couple, according to Associated Students Films Coordinator Raven Klingele.
And there’s a demon named Betelgeuse, no, not Beetlejuice, it’s Betelgeuse. Just one of the quirky things about the movie.
And despite what first time viewers may say about the production value of the movie, the cheap costumes and low quality special effects were Director Tim Burton’s intentions when bringing the script to life.
In the book “Burton on Burton” by Tim Burton, he comments on the prosthetics, brief animation and effects in the movie.
“I wanted to make them look cheap and purposely fake-looking,” Burton wrote.
The low quality prosthetics and theatrics of the movie shine in the new era of computer-generated imaging animation when animated movies, like “The Lion King,” even look too real. In “Beetlejuice” those special effects, or lack thereof, add to the charm of the movie.
Special effects aside, the makeup artists Ve Neill, Steve La Porte and Robert Short won the Academy Award for Best Makeup and Hairstyling in 1989 for their visual contribution to the character’s personalities.
With familiar actors such as Alec Baldwin, Winona Ryder, Michael Ketton, Jeffrey Jones and Catherine O’Hara, Beetlejuice offers itself as a blast from the past for fans of recent work by these actors.
The most jarring aspect of “Beetlejuice” is the realization that one of the main characters, playing the role of Adam Mailtand is a young Alec Baldwin.
Interestingly enough, the final movie differs greatly from the original plot. An earlier draft of the script contained more graphic imagery, including Barbara Maitland’s arm being crushed while in the car accident. In the final version of that scene there was more comedic flair to their fall off the bridge with their demise being the fault of a scruffy dog stepping off a plank of wood.
There were also some changes from the final scene. In the original script there was a second child in the Deetzes’ family, in that final scene there’s a graphic scene of Betelgeuse killing the character. However in the final version of the film the only child Lydia Deetze, played by Winona Ryder, lives at the end of the movie, although disturbed by a near marriage to Betelgeuse.
If viewers know anything about this movie, it’s the Beetlejuice look as a Halloween staple: a black and white striped suit, electrified white hair and dark-circled eyes.
Rating: (0-10)
| Visual Appeal (costumes, effects) | 4 |
| Story (plot, writing) | 6 |
| Atmosphere | 7 |
| Originality | 8 |
| Entertainment | 6 |
Overall, “Beetlejuice,” with a runtime of 93 minutes and a 30+ year old plot, delivers on its ability to entertain the audience and surprise them with the twists and turns of its plot. It’s an enjoyable movie for any season.