HALLOWEEN REVIEW OF THE DAY: Beetlejuice (1988)

Beetlejuice, Beetlejuice, Beetlejuice! Say the name three times and the comedic but demonic being known as  Betlegeuse (how it's spelled in the movie but pronounced Beetlejuice, so I'm just calling him by that) will appear. Beetlejuice is one of those original and imaginative comedies that only the then up and coming director Tim Burton can present to us. Well he did not write it or create the concept and characters, but on the director's chair his talent and creativity shined through this movie and is responsible for the film's fame today. His odd, dark, gothic, but original and creative trademarks are certainly present throughout the movie.  Before I get to the main star of the movie, I would like to talk about some aspects of the film that are often overlooked. First there's the main couple portrayed by Alec Baldwin and Geena Davis. They are the run of the mill nice young couple, probably nothing interesting about that characteristic, but it works to the characters' advantage when they become ghosts and with scenes where they encounter the world and beings of the supernatural. Plus, they are nice enough characters to follow. They are not too gritty or mean-spirited or too nice and boring, just the amount you want from the two so that you can follow them and hope that they can reach their goal by the end of the movie. Another very likeable character is the teenager Lydia Deetz played by Winona Ryder. Again she may seem stereotypical and boring when we are first introduced to her, just the run of the mill pretentious goth girl nothing. But this character does get interesting and likeable as the movie progresses because you see her relationship with her family, the ghost couple, and Beetlejuice himself. You get to see more of her and really what she is like beyond being goth. Her family is pretty likeable too as well as funny. Catherine O'Hara as the mom, Jeffery Jones as the dad, and Glenn Shadix as the Otho, the family friend, like other good characters in comedies, have great personalities, scenes, and jokes. All in all they're just fun to watch, but lots of times when you have oddball families in films and TV, it works. But it has to be done right may I remind you. Finally we come to Beetlejuice, the star played by Michael Keaton. It's funny how in this Tim Burton movie he plays a wild, energetic, crude, mild-mannered, funny character when in the next Tim Burton movie which is just a year after he plays the dark, mysterious, intimidating, subtle, and always serious Batman. But Michael Keaton has proven in this and in the past that he can be a good comedic actor, he actually started doing stand-up before acting so he was a comedian first. As a character in a comedy movie that steals the show, Keaton  does a fine good job at that. He fast, clever, energetic, and just down right hilarious. Almost every one of his jokes, one-liners, as well as his deliveries have me laughing all the time. Just a well done comedic and enjoyable character, even if he is a big pain in the butt. One last thing I want to mention that I probably mentioned already in the past couple or few reviews is that I appreciate the originality and creativity of the story and characters. Again at the time the film came out I was impressed of how creative writers and directors were, and the talent they have to constantly present the audience with something new, and this film certainly shows that. Not great, but definitely good and I enjoy every scene, moment, and joke from this movie. Beetlejuice is so good, you'll say the title of the movie at least three times when talking about it. But be careful though, because you never know who might show up! Grade: P