After 36 years, the iconic Beetlejuice has been brought back to the big screen.
According to Screen Crush, Beetlejuice Beetlejuice has already become Tim Burton’s second-highest-grossing film, making over 251 million dollars.
Since coming to theaters on September 6th, it has been even more successful than the original. Despite several other horror films also being in theaters this fall, such as the highly anticipated “Front Door” none have come close to the success of Beetlejuice Beetlejuice.
The movie was the perfect mix of nostalgia with a modern touch, but perhaps the best part was the underlying themes surrounding grief and the complexity of familial relationships. Several members of the original cast appeared such as Catherine O’ Hara who played Delia, Lydia Deetz portrayed by Winona Ryder, and of course, the iconic Michal Keaton who plays Beetlejuice.
Popular new actors and actresses also made an appearance. For example, Jenna Ortega who claimed fame after the success of Netflix’s Wednesday, acted as Astrid, daughter of an older Lydia Deetz.
The movie begins with each member of the Deetz family living a predictable yet separate life. Lydia fittingly hosts a talk show called “ghost house” in which she shares her supernatural experiences. She is also dating the show’s producer who is very much disliked by the rest of the family. Delia and Charles have moved back to New York, and Astrid is enrolled in a boarding school.
The news of Charles Deetz’s death is what ultimately brings the family back together and to their previous home in Winter River. This is where the story truly starts. Lydia begins seeing visions of her former betrothed Beetlejuice more and more often.
The funeral of her grandfather and the engagement of her mother quickly become too much for Astrid. She runs into the town and finds herself meeting a local boy named Jeremy Fraiser, who she spends most of her free time with from that point on.
Following in her mothers footsteps, Astrid finds herself in tangles with the afterlife. Lydia steps in trying to save her daughter, and the movie continues down an emotional rollercoaster. When put in quite literally a “life or death” situation, resentment and grief gradually become forgiveness and acceptance.
Despite being advertised as a comedic horror film, true human emotion and heavy topics are covered. Beetlejuice Beetlejuice is a must see for anyone looking for a laugh, or anyone struggling through grief or familial tension.
