Beetlejuice Beetlejuice
Beetlejuice Beetlejuice
You can't go home again, but sometimes you can still visit
Hello! The weather is getting increasingly cooler, reminding me that Halloween is on its way. A fact that is also supported by every meme on my Instagram feed. While I’m working on the Fall 2024 newsletter, I wanted to pop in and share a bit of Beetlejuice fun!
The Ghost with the Most, Babe
Do you remember where you first saw Beetlejuice (1988)?
I can’t remember my first viewing. It was PG-13, and since I was around 10 years old, chances are high that my first watch would be on cable. It was on HBO all the time. I loooved Beetlejuice and watched it over & over. Tim Burton was still five years away from the film release of The Nightmare Before Christmas (1993), the concept of his that left the biggest impression on me growing up. Like many Gen X kids, I watched The Shining (1980) way too young, but I was fascinated by how deeply it scared me—my reactions were so visceral! Like a carnival ride that you both love and hate simultaneously. That might have been the moment my interest in horror was born. Then there was Poltergeist (1982), which was always on cable. I loved watching it, but the face-tearing scene terrified me—which looks super fake today—but it scared me so much that I timed it perfectly to look away just before it happened. I recreated my childhood living room with Poltergeist on the TV:
On a recent rewatch of Beetlejuice—still on HBO (Max) after all these years—I found I still knew every line, every beat. In my youth, I had the soundtrack on cassette and played it to death. Danny Elfman, a frequent collaborator with Burton, creates incredible scores that take the movies to another level. This week I’ve been replaying The Beetlejuice soundtrack on Spotify and the main title song is just SO DAMN GOOD:
Smells Like Teen Spirit
I've called Beetlejuice Beetlejuice (2024) the "Barbie movie for freaks." Even though I still have not seen Barbie (2023), I had a very Barbie-influenced childhood. I used to play Barbies with my neighbor, even though most kids had moved on from dolls by then. Whenever our nude plastic Barbies were about to engage in some—ah hem—adult scenarios with Ken, we would have our cover ready and it became a longstanding joke: “We’ll tell them we were watching Beetlejuice!” Oddly for me, Barbies and Beetlejuice just go together.
Tim Burton’s films are recognizable for their unique art style: macabre color palettes, claymation, stop-motion, quirky humor, memorable music, and weird & wonderful characters. Michael Keaton, who plays Beetlejuice in both films, is a delight and he’s my favorite Batman (also directed by Tim Burton in 1989). Pee-wee's Big Adventure (1985) was huge when I was a kid. While Pee-wee wasn’t my personal favorite, I loved the Large Marge scene—her ghost story was the highlight for me! I remember a younger neighbor who found the Large Marge scene too scary to watch, and I’d roll my eyes and say, “It’s just clay!” Meanwhile, I was terrified of the face-peeling scene in Poltergeist. We all had our childhood fears.
.What movie or scene terrified you as a kid that seems silly to you now?
Winona, Forever
I always loved Winona Ryder. Many people know her from Heathers, Edward Scissorhands, Dracula, Reality Bites, etc. She was a Genx alternative queen walking amongst the Hollywood regulars. My weird-girl style icon. Swoon. I loved that she was a great actress but a little shy when it came to the public eye. She eventually discussed how she struggled with anxiety & depression at the height of her career. Despite Winona being a household name, the movie I truly fell in love with was a weird, lesser-known film called Welcome Home, Roxy Carmichael (1990).
It was hard to find a truly authentic portrayal of an outcast teen back then. Sure, there were tropes and attempts, but nothing captured the real sense of alienation I felt growing up. In Welcome Home, Roxy Carmichael, Winona Ryder’s character was hated by her peers, her only friends were animals—dogs, goats, pigs, turtles. She RIT dyed her sweaters black and painted over her childhood bedroom. My mother insisted we paint my bedroom pink—from walls to carpet—I eventually brought in black accessories to offset the bubblegum explosion I was expected to enjoy.
Dinky Bossetti—what a name—(played by Ryder in Roxy) didn’t fit in at all, and I’ve never related more to a character at that point in my life. Beyond the screen, real-life Winona was dating Johnny Depp, rocking Tom Waits shirts, and came across as a down-to-earth, socially awkward, but incredibly talented person. She was the ultimate '90s cool girl, and to this day, I adore her.
Beetlejuice Beetlejuice
For years, rumors circled about a sequel, but I remained skeptical. Remakes and reboots usually aren't my thing. So when it was officially announced that a new Beetlejuice movie was finally happening after 36 years, I could hardly believe it. I doubted it would be any good, but I still felt compelled to see it. The trailer didn’t look that bad, but for me to enjoy this type of revisit I would have to take off my critical hat, sit back, and just enjoy the ride.
I saw the 2024 sequel opening weekend. As a standalone movie, it wasn’t great. However, I laughed almost the entire time and enjoyed it more than I expected. The original is very special to me, and I went in knowing it would never compare. I have been taking a more open approach to these modern-day films—since most of them are not very good—and I’ve found that I enjoy them more when I view them purely for entertainment rather than being overly critical.
Now if I were to put on my critical hat, I’d say the sequel is a bit of a mess. Some plotlines go nowhere and lack the magic and impact of the first film. The musical number in Beetlejuice Beetlejuice doesn’t hold a candle to the original "Day-O" sequence by Harry Belafonte, although I adore the stunning a cappella chorus revisited by The Sylvia Theatre School Choir (which you can listen to below). Despite all my love & admiration for Winona Ryder, I wasn’t suuuper impressed with her performance as Lydia Deetz this time around. However, putting criticism aside, it was a fun experience, and I can't recall the last time I laughed so hard with strangers in a movie theater like that. If you approach it as pure entertainment, you'll have a good time. It seems like they had fun making it as well!
Making Movies, Is So Fine
In different boroughs across town, two people named Andrea watched Beetlejuice on the same night in separate theaters. Excitedly, both left with the same thought: I want to make Beetlejuice. Our own Beetlejuice, of course, so let’s get cracking on the next film!
This week, our animated short “Mistletoe” was accepted into the H.P. Lovecraft Film Festival, which will screen in Portland, Oregon this October, and Sick Chick Flicks in late September. We are super stoked! You can watch the official “Mistletoe” trailer here.
💌 Free Downloadable Gift
For current subscribers, I will email a link & password to these exclusive illustrated Beetlejuice goodies as a thank you. Keep an eye on your inbox for the special code! New subscribers will receive a link in their welcome email. If it doesn’t appear (check your spam folder) send me a message and I'll get it to you directly. This offer is exclusively for subscribers—and signing up is free.
The freebies code will only apply until September 30, 2024. Here’s a SNEAK PEEK:
What is your relationship with Beetlejuice or Tim Burton? I would love to hear your thoughts below.
🖤, A
