Beetlejuice

Cast: Michael Keaton, Geena Davis, Catherine O Hara, Winona Ryder and Alec Baldwin.

Director: Tim Burton

Release Date: 1988

Running Time: 1hr 32 minutes

Genre: Fantasy

Rating: PG

Format: Amazon Prime UK

Synopsis:

Adam and Barbara, a recently deceased couple, contact the services of a bio exorcist Beetlejuice, to remove the arrogant new owners of their house. 

Michael Keaton quite possibly delivers one of his best performances to date as the extremely flamboyant Beetlejuice a bio exorcist. Adam (Baldwin) and Barbara (Davis) are a happily married couple who are making plans for two weeks vacation when they suffer a car accident. Your probably thinking what's so funny about that right? Their accident is only the beginning. The Maitlands love their home and don't like the idea of anyone else living it when the Deetz move in and change everything. So what do they do? They higher the help of Beetlejuice in the hope he will scare the newcomers away. Tim Burton is always full of surprises. Although it wasn't his directorial debut, it was one of his first movies to make some serious money! Safe to say he has a remarkable imagination and a very unique approach to directing.

Although it probably looks a little bit dated now, it still looks very good for the time in which it was filmed. I tend to find most people are a bit hit and miss when it comes to Tim Burton movies, you either love them or you hate them. Or perhaps you're like myself? I love some of his films, others I'm not such a fan of. Beetlejuice however is a firm favourite of mine. Michael Keaton is absolutely brilliant as the flamboyant Beetlejuice. The characterization that he brought to this role is quite astonishing, I'd only ever really seen Michael Keaton in "Batman" and even then I wasn't sure if I liked him as Bruce Wayne. This however was something else! I was thoroughly impressed. He's very entertaining. Catherine O Hara was also an actress I wasn't too familiar with having only seen her in "Home Alone" as Kate McCallister. O Hara plays an artist/sculpture who doesn't have the best relationship with her daughter Lydia Deetz played by Winona Ryder.

There are certainly elements from this movie seen in other Tim Burton movies, "Corpse Bride" being one. The animation has come somewhat of a trademark for him. Although it's unique, I love the fact that it's different, his movies stand out massively in comparison to other movies set within the same genre. The storyline is a little bit ridiculous, but let's face it, that's what makes it so brilliant! The dialogue is just as ridiculous but hilariously funny. Burton has relied massively on set design as apposed to mounds of special effects. There are scenes that look incredibly cheesy, but trust me when I tell you it adds to the tone of the film perfectly. If you love Tim Burton it's exactly the sort of thing you'd expect in one of his movies.

One of the only Tim Burton movies to not have Danny Elfman as the composer for it's soundtrack. He too has become a trademark when it comes to Burton movies. The soundtrack is just as wacky and ridiculous as the storyline. It too works brilliantly. The costumes are great and match the characters excellently. Overall this is a highly entertaining movie, it's wacky, strange and absolutely ludicrous, Michael Keaton delivers one of his most obscure characters to date, it's certainly not one to be missed!

5/5 stars