"You're working with a professional here!"

Rating: 9/10 (30 June 2020)

Betelgeuse, Betelgeuse, Betelge... dare I say it? Director Tim Burton would follow-up his directorial oddball debut ("PEE WEE'S BIG ADVENTURE") with another ambitious comedy, this time something very zany, grotesque and surreal in the shape of a riotous supernatural dark spoof. As a kid I grew up watching this film, hey, I even liked the cartoon series. So re-watching it again was a sheer delight. Something I would never tire of.
Burton would bring his signature visual gothic flair and live-action cartoon mannerisms to enliven the shallow, dressed up lifestyles in "BEETLEJUICE", but what really makes the feature is the very loose performance of Michael Keaton as Betelgeuse. Keaton is outstanding in bringing this outrageously rotten character to life, from being menacing, charming the ladies, or simply exorcising a wise-crack. He's truly a head-spin. While he provides a huge impact, the Beetlejuice character doesn't really get a whole lot of screen time, despite his importance to the plot's progression. It's measured in bursts, as his character is virtually a punch-line with legs. But with that in mind, I think it works because Burton never overplays his hand, which makes Keaton's conman persona effective than say overbearing. I don't know if Burton would do the same thing these days.
Anyway the narrative was always about Geena Davis and Alec Baldwin's recently deceased young rural couple adapting to the afterlife, while at the same time doing their best to frighten the house's new city-folk occupants that have ideas of changing their new home to meet their own trendy needs. So in a last ditch effort to scare them off they seek help from a freelance bio-exorcist ghost known as Betelgeuse. The compulsive plotting won't surprise (even though Burton throws up an interesting view of the afterlife), but what stands out is the wonderful set-pieces (how can you not grove along to the dinner party sequence as The Banana Boat Song plays), eccentric practical effects (loved the clay-animation), inspired pastel set-designs and wrapping it all together is Danny Elfman's enchantingly whimsical music score. One colorful dimension after another, but even with its comic flourishes it still demonstrates a nasty wickedness.
Add to that an amusing cast, peppered with character actors and zesty interplays. Davis and Baldwin were likably good. Jeffery Jones is enjoyably clueless and Catherine O'Hara makes a great ice queen. Winona Ryder is fittingly deadpan as the very aware gothic teenage daughter and Glen Shadix entertains as the family's psychic friend. Also showing up in a memorable part is Silva Sidney as an afterlife caseworker.
"BEETLEJUICE" is a decorative haunted house fun ride and one of Burton's best.