Beetlejuice (2008)

When this movie first came out about fifteen years ago, my father owned a video store and every Wednesday night was "Beetlejuice" night. I'm older now, obviously, but I still cannot get enough of this movie.

Alec Baldwin and Geena Davis play Adam and Barbara Maitland, two Connecticut yuppies who die prematurely in a car wreck. Within a couple weeks, their home is overrun by an ultra-trendy New York City family, Charles and Delia Deetz, and their Goth daughter, Lydia (played respectively by Jeffrey Jones, Catherine O'Hara, and Winona Ryder). Adam and Barbara want their house back, and attempt to scare the Deetz's out of the house by wearing sheets and even by possessing them over dinner, making them sing and dance to Harry Belafonte's "Day O." Those attempts fail and enter Michael Keaton as Betelguese, "the afterlife's leading freelance bio-exorcist." The movie is dark without being scary and funny without being ridiculous.

In my opinion, one of the real gems in this film is the late Sylvia Sidney as Juno, Your Case Worker. Sidney was pushing eighty when this film was made, but turns in a great performance as the embittered equivalent of an afterlife social worker. Love how the smoke from her ever-present cigarette comes out of the slit in her throat.

If you've never seen this movie, see it. If you have seen it but don't own it on DVD, get it. The picture quality is better than ever.

(2008 HOLIDAY TEAM)I love this film. Barbara and Adam Maitland, a young couple madly in love (played by Geena Davis and Alec Baldwin) discover that they are not only dead but trapped in their home as ghosts waiting for the bureaucracy of the afterlife to set them free. When a New York couple (Catherine O'Hara and Jeffrey Jones) and their teenage daughter Lydia (wonderfully macabre Winona Ryder) move into their beloved house, the Maitlands want nothing more than to remove them. The problem is, the Maitlands are too nice to truly scare anyone. They meet a rogue ghost, the ribald, disgusting Beetlejuice (Michael Keaton) who promises to drive the family away, with a few strings attached. Lydia, whose goals aren't that far from the Maitlands and who has a morbid, poignantly sad outlook, discovers the ghosts and tries to help them. But Beetlejuice has his own agenda.

The casting for this movie is perfect, with only Alec Baldwin's performance less than memorable. Michael Keaton is suitably slimy and decadent, while Geena Davis plays the earnest innocence of her character equally well. The most startling performance is a young Winona Ryder, who shows tremendous range in her role as the morbid but good-hearted Lydia.

One of the most hilarious, dark scenes ever filmed is contained in this movie, when the New York couple throws a pretentious dinner party and the Maitlands take over. Director Tim Burton uses sight gags, situational comedy, and one-liners that all bear his trademark quirkiness to make this film inventive and, even years after its release, fresh. What's most amazing in this film essentially about the weirdness of being dead is the emotional drive of it. The Maitlands' yearning to reclaim their home even in death and Lydia's wounded, lonely adolescence lend humanity to an otherwise wild comedy.

I highly recommend this off-beat film for its hilarity and irreverence. Parents of young children should be warned that the film contains off-color humor as well as images and ideas that might disturb young minds. -Debbie Lee Wesselmann

Buy Beetlejuice (2008) Now

My one-star refers to this so-called "20th Anniversary Deluxe Edition" of this hilarious and eye-popping delight from director Tim Burton.

Since the inception of the DVD format, I have been waiting for a proper DVD of Beetlejuice with commentary and special features.

I am sorry to say that this pathetic disc is NOT what I have been waiting for.

Though they supposedly have spruced up the picture, the ONLY special features are three Beetlejuice cartoons and I think some music track or something.

NO commentary, NO behind-the-scenes, NO nothing.

So -NO sale.

I'm still waiting...

Read Best Reviews of Beetlejuice (2008) Here

I had a hard time finding this information when I searched for it, so I thought I'd type it up in case anyone else was wondering what comes free with your new Blu-ray copy of "Beetlejuice":

1. Danny Elfman "Main Titles"

2. Danny Elfman "Enter ... 'The Family'/Sand Worm Planet"

3. Danny Elfman "The Aftermath"

4. Danny Elfman "Showtime!"

5. Harry Belafonte "The Banana Boat Song" (worth the price of the Blu-ray disc itself!)

6. Danny Elfman "End Credits"

Want Beetlejuice (2008) Discount?

I am continually amazed at the shoddy treatment that some movies get in their DVD release. This DVD is simply a disgrace, especially considering what a great movie this is. I give the movie itself 5 stars; it's a wonderful example of Tim Burton's energy and style.

This DVD has no extras worth mentioning. No deleted scenes, no featurettes, not even a lousy commentary track! To make it even worse, the film has been CUT DOWN from the theatrical release! I have never seen a DVD release before where you get LESS than was originally presented in theaters.

My advice is to save your money until somebody figures out that when a movie is released on DVD, it needs to live up to the capabilities of the medium, and should always provide more material than was originally released, not less.

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