Released in 1988, ‘Beetlejuice’ is one of the few films that can be called a horror comedy. Of course, this is thanks to director Tim Burton (66), who created a classic in film history by mixing creepy humor and sometimes absurd and sometimes quite shocking effects in his own unique way.
This feat is already 36 years old, and it will be repeated on September 12th with the sequel “Beetlejuice Beetlejuice.” The conditions for this are now more than ever. Many of the original stars are back, including the titular villain Michael Keaton (72). There are also franchise newcomers like Willem Dafoe (69), Jenna Ortega (21), Justin Theroux (53), and finally, Burton’s love interest Monica Bellucci (59). Thanks to the trailer, it is already certain that fans of Part 1 will have nostalgic Easter eggs in every moment of the film. Or maybe they will overdose.
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After an unexpected family tragedy, three generations of the Deetz family return to Winter River. Life is turned upside down when Lydia (Winona Ryder, 52), the rebellious teenage daughter of the late Beetlejuice (Keaton), discovers a mysterious model of a city in the attic and on the front door. The world of the dead is inadvertently opened up. Trouble is brewing both on earth and in the afterlife, and it’s only a matter of time before someone says the name Beetlejuice three times and the mischievous demon returns to wreak havoc of his own.
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In an interview with the New York Times, Burton recently talked about how important it was for the sequel to use as many practical effects as possible instead of CGI (computer-generated effects). The filmmaker believes this inevitably leads to better performances. It means the actors can “work for real. If you have real sets, people in makeup, and you can see the real effects, it helps the creative process.”
His beloved stop-motion effects, a staple of ’80s movies, made logical sense in “Beetlejuice Beetlejuice,” so Keaton’s character once again had to watch out for the lovable tree sandworms that loved to eat him in the original.
But nostalgia can be a double-edged sword, at least if it relies too heavily on it and doesn’t provide enough fresh aspects to attract new viewers. Or the gags and show values of its predecessors are too often duplicated. Homage is always just a hair’s breadth from a loveless copy. How well Burton has managed this balancing act in the eyes of the beholder will only become clear after the film’s release and the first audience figures come in. One thing Burton films usually never have is a lack of imagination and lovelessness.
The good news is that lead actor Michael Keaton is back in Beetlejuice. As you may know, he took up the role of Batman a year after the original 1988 film directed by Burton. Now, 35 years later, it’s the other way around. In 2023, he will be back in the Batsuit in The Flash, and will return as a rehabilitator starting September 12.
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