The Return of the Comedy Horror Film: Beetlejuice Beetlejuice

Beetlejuice is back. The comedy horror film that gained tremendous popularity in 1988 has returned as Beetlejuice Beetlejuice this September. Even being successfully staged as a musical in South Korea, it is clear that thousands of fans awaited the following story. For Kingos who still cannot let go of the spookiness of Halloween night, why not join the Sungkyun Times (SKT) for an eerie yet wonderful world created by Tim Burton.

A Masterpiece Revived From 38 Years Ago

-The Surprising Return of the Legend

Beetlejuice Beetlejuice is a sequel to the comedy horror film Beetlejuice. The first movie, Beetlejuice, was about a newly married couple, Adam and Barbara — who became ghosts due to an accident. As the new Deetz family moves into their house, the couple summons Betelgeuse, an eccentric, mischievous, so-called bio-exorcist. This ghost is summoned when his name is spoken three times; however, he cannot say it himself. Therefore, he tries to teach his name to Lydia Deetz by playing charades.

Thus, the so-called Beetlejuice for Betelgeuse is a movie about the boundary between life and death. It quickly became a great box office hit, earning five times more than its original cost of $15 million. The movie also gained significant popularity in its music production. Certain songs from the soundtrack, such as Day-O, even led to a musical production. Hence, the return of this legendary film with its original cast and directors was enough to captivate numerous awaiting fans. Tim Burton, the director of Beetlejuice and Beetlejuice Beetlejuice, is especially renowned for presenting unrealistic themes in his unique, fascinating manner. With 36 years passed, now is the time to dive into the ongoing stories of Beetlejuice Beetlejuice.

-Synopsis (*Spoiler Alert)

Lydia Deetz, the main character from Beetlejuice, has now become a famous psychic mediator on her TV show. One day, she suddenly hears the news that her father, Charles, has passed away. With her fiancée Rory, her stepmother Delia, and her daughter Astrid, she returns home — Winter River, where supernatural events happened 36 years ago. Here, Astrid accidentally falls into a trap and gets caught in the afterlife. Desperate to save her daughter, Lydia unwillingly calls Betelgeuse, the evil ghost eager to marry her. Will Lydia be able to rescue Astrid without falling for his tricks?

Mesmerized by the World of the Dead

-Magnificent Movie and a Sequel

Since its release on September 4th, Beetlejuice Beetlejuice has been applauded for its exceptional direction and acting. The 35-years-awaited sequel has successfully recreated the same atmosphere as Beetlejuice. Burton included scenes that only featured rhythmic music and choreography without dialogue, actively inviting the audience to the scene. Along with excellent direction, there existed remarkable acting. Michael Keaton, acting in the role of Betelgeuse once again, effectively portrayed the character’s unpredictable nature. “With Keaton’s wild eyes and raspy growl, he pushed and pulled at your affections,” commented The New York Times. This magnificent movie also resulted in a splendid sequel. By actively adopting homages that many long-awaited original fans may notice, Beetlejuice Beetlejuice also offered an exciting treasure hunt.

For instance, the wedding dress Lydia forcibly wore in Beetlejuice reappears in a similar design and color. The iconic Day-O scene where the Deetz family becomes possessed by Betelgeuse also reappears in the sequel’s wedding scene. The unsolved questions were also unveiled, proposing another moment for the fans to enjoy; the past of Betelgeuse, the extension of the afterlife, and much more. As such, Beetlejuice Beetlejuice was successfully released as a remarkable movie and a sequel.

-No Enough Space for All

Despite the widespread favorable stance, some pointed out the film’s shortcomings. The main criticism lies in the poor utilization of characters and the main plot development. An excessive number of characters, each not fully expressed, led to a sense of disorder in the plot. For instance, the eccentric and artistic main character, Delia Deetz, is suddenly killed by a venomous snake. Delores, who seems to be the main villain, also retires without significantly impacting the main plot. 

Danny Devito, the renowned American actor and producer, commented, “Certain roles are nothing more than glorified cameos.” In fact, the failure to develop each character’s charms resulted in a disorientation of the plot, leading to numerous criticisms. Moreover, many faulted the story itself. The BBC judged the plot as “drawn-out middle and a rushed and jumbled finale,” suggesting that the only flaw of the film is the fact that it has too many plotlines. Due to the overstuffed plot, the close of the plot seemed rather rushed and lacking depth. As such, two hours was not enough to present the number of characters and stories the producers wanted to portray. However, despite the criticisms, many loved the film, calling it a desirable example of a sequel movie.

Beetlejuice, Beetlejuice, Beetlejuice!

1. ”The living. The dead. Can they coexist? That's what we're here to find out.”

The first scene of Beetlejuice Beetlejuice. 36 years passed, Lydia shoots her ghost show. This line also represents the main message of the first movie, Beetlejuice.

2. “Death is hard.” / “Sometimes, I think life is harder.”

After Charles’s funeral, Lydia and Astrid have a conversation. Lydia expresses the difficulty of processing and accepting someone’s death. Astrid counters by saying that life is harder, indicating that she also needs her mother, Lydia, especially during this challenging time.

3. “The juice is loose.”

Astrid finds the old leaflet of Betelgeuse in Lydia’s old house’s attic. Lydia becomes terrified about summoning Betelgeuse and tries to silence Astrid; however, since Astrid does not believe in the supernatural, she eventually summons Betelgeuse. Betelgeuse is back — the juice is loose.