A recently deceased couple hires an obnoxious bio-exorcist
to help them evict the new owners of their house. COMEDY/FANTASY
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Beetlejuice (1988)Directed by Tim Burton
Written by Michael McDowell and Warren Skaaren Starring Alec Baldwin, Geena Davis, Michael Keaton, Winona Ryder, Jeffrey Jones, Catherine O'Hara, Glenn Shadix, Sylvia Sidney, Robert Goulet Oscar Wins - Best Makeup |
Beetlejuice is the definitive Tim Burton movie. Discarding Pee-Wee's Big Adventure, this is the film where Burton's signature style emerged. Gothic comedy, black and white stripes, bizarre creatures, and Danny Elfman. This film has aged so gracefully. It's still laugh out loud hilarious, and has a careful balance of horror and comedy. It's quintessential Halloween entertainment, and features Michael Keaton's greatest performance as the eponymous Beetlejuice.
Meet the Maitlands, Adam (Baldwin) and Barbara (Davis). They're a happy couple who tragically die in a car crash, then reawaken in their home as ghosts. As they try to figure out their new existence, a yuppie family from New York moves into their house. Charles Deetz (Jones), his wife Delia (O'Hara) and teenage daughter Lydia (Ryder). Lydia can see the ghosts, and becomes friendly with them, but Adam and Barbara want the parents gone. To help them, they hire a self-proclaimed bio-exorcist who calls himself Beetlejuice (Keaton). He's an obnoxious, undead perv who has his own agenda. Now, the Maitlands have to contain Beetlejuice before he kills the Deetzes and escapes his afterlife prison for good. There's never a dull moment, and it just keeps getting funnier every single time I see it. When it comes to Tim Burton's extensive filmography, nothing beats Beetlejuice. It's an absolute delight that doesn't get old, is loaded with insane set design and practical effects, and has a host of brilliant performances with a wacky script. This is one of my all-time favorite movies, if I haven't made that clear. |