Beetlejuice Beetlejuice (4K UHD Review)

• Reviewed by: Tim Salmons
• Review Date: Dec 18, 2024
• Format: 4K Ultra HD
• 

Director

Tim Burton

Release Date(s)

2024 (November 19, 2024)

Studio(s)

The Geffen Company/Plan B/Tim Burton Productions/Domain Entertainment (Warner Home Video)

• Film/Program Grade: B
• Video Grade: A+
• Audio Grade: A+
• Extras Grade: B-

Review

Talk of a sequel to 1988’s Beetlejuice has been on and off since the film’s release. Drafts of scripts and various deals have come and gone, but nothing ever fully came to fruition outside of the animated TV series. Despite creative flourishes here and there, one might also consider director Tim Burton’s film output in the last couple of decades to be mostly stagnant. He seemed to have had similar feelings and was on the verge of retirement, feeling that his best days was behind him. Having helmed four out of the eight episodes of the first seasons of Netflix’s Wednesday, it seemed as if some of his creative juices were flowing once more. Talk of a Beetlejuice sequel resurfaced, and after bringing on Wednesday creators Alfred Gough and Miles Millar to write a screenplay from a story by Burton and Seth Grahame-Smith, Beetlejuice Beetlejuice was finally underway with Michael Keaton returning in the starring role.

Years after the events of the first film, Lydia Deetz (Winona Ryder) is now a medium and host of the popular TV show Ghost House with her boyfriend Rory (Justin Theroux), serving as the show’s producer. Delia (Catherine O’Hara), Lydia’s stepmother, thrives as a successful “real art” artist, while Lydia’s teenage daughter Astrid (Jenna Ortega) has been estranged from Lydia since her father’s death. They soon learn that Lydia’s father Charles has died in a tragic plane crash, soon thereafter returning home to Winter River, Connecticut for his funeral. Meanwhile, Betelgeuse (Michael Keaton) has been biding his time in the afterlife as a basement-dwelling hustler behind a desk, where he continues to pine for Lydia’s hand in marriage. While planning his next move, his soul-sucking ex-wife Delores (Monica Belluci) returns from the grave years after she poisoned him and he subsequently chopped her to pieces. As Astrid and Lydia attempt to reconcile, Lydia is forced to ask Betelgeuse for help when Astrid winds up in the afterlife, with Delores and former actor turned Netherworld detective Wolf Jackson (Willem Dafoe) hot on his trail.

You could have knocked me over with a feather at the notion that not only would a sequel to Beetlejuice would be as entertaining as it is, but that Tim Burton would somehow make it feel far more handmade than almost anything that he’s worked on in a long time. Some of that is down to Michael Keaton, who always had the stipulation that if they made a sequel, it should be a more practically-minded effects film with very little screen time devoted to Betelgeuse, the same as the original. It appears that he and Burton were of like minds in that regard, and seeing Keaton step into those shoes as if no time has passed at all is a delight in and of itself. Never mind that the film is loaded with stop motion animation, actual sets, elaborate costumes, and detailed and interesting lighting. Obviously there are CGI enhancements, but much of it is captured in camera. More importantly, there’s still the same healthy helping of Beetlejuice’s signature dark humor.

The faults of the film are mostly in its screenplay, with certain character actions and motivations set up without much of a pay off. Rory, for example, has little to do besides be a thorn in everyone’s side, as well as reactionary in moments with Betelgeuse. In a way, he feels like an anchor for modern audiences who might not be that familiar with the original film, but the ends don’t really justify the means all that much. Willem Dafoe’s Wolf Jackson is even more pointless, but like Monica Belluci’s turn as Delores, they’re so much fun as characters that it doesn’t matter. The point is to enjoy another trip into this zany and fantastical world with wacky hijinks, with a heartbeat provided by Lydia, Astrid, and Delia’s characters. Seeing Delia and Lydia getting along and being closer as adults absolutely makes sense, and feels natural to their progression as characters. The setup for Astrid’s descent into the Netherworld, though very predictable at the outset, is an interesting wrinkle and definitely feels more like traditional Tim Burton story fodder.

Other positive aspects include Danny Elfman’s score, which doesn’t have nearly the same impact overall, but hearing the familiar opening theme that’s been given a boost via theremin and electronic assistance laid over the familiar Beetlejuice opening credit sequence is icing on the cake. In fact, having an opening title sequence at all in an era when most big studio films stick their credits at the end is refreshing all its own. There’s also a wonderful black and white, Mario Bava-inspired sequence involving Betelgeuse’s backstory, as well as a show-stopping closing number set to Richard Harris’ MacArthur Park that’s so bizarre that it somehow fits. However, because that sequence goes on perhaps longer than it needs to, the conclusion feels rushed, and some of the characters aren’t given much of a sendoff. And since the film has been made so many years after the original, key characters aren’t present as some are no longer with us or they’re not age appropriate for their roles. Juno, played by Sylvia Sidney, was an afterlife caseworker for the recently deceased married couple the Maitlands, Adam and Barbara, played by Alec Baldwin and Geena Davis; while Otho, played by Glenn Shadix, was Delia’s close friend, colleague, and mentor. The elephant in the room in terms of omissions is Jeffrey Jones’ Charles Deetz, which is handled in the film well enough, but the real life reason for his absence is better left for those who don’t already know to research it for themselves. It’s an unfortunately unpleasant reason.

In truth, Beetlejuice Beetlejuice is better than it has any right to be. Considering everything that it has going against it, not the least of which that it’s another in a long line of many years later sequels that quite often either tarnish the original (albeit briefly) or offer nothing of substantial value, Beetlejuice Beetlejuice seems to be the exception. It’s a fine follow-up that, while not perfect on all sides, is a breath of franchise-oriented fresh air.

Beetlejuice Beetlejuice was captured digitally by cinematographer Haris Zambarloukos on AXS-R7 memory cards in 4K using Sony CineAlta Venice 2 cameras and Panavision APO Panatar, Ultra Panatar, and Ultra Panatar II series lenses; finished as a 4K Digital Intermediate; and presented in the aspect ratio of 1.85:1. Warner Bros. brings the film to 4K Ultra HD directly from its original DI source, which has been graded for High Dynamic Range in HDR10 and Dolby Vision, and presented on a triple-layered BD-100 disc. It’s a flat out gorgeous presentation with a bitrate running anywhere between 60 and 90Mbps with crystal clear detail at every turn. The lighting of the afterlife sets offers amazing color and depth, while scenes in and around Winter River are lush with varying Earth-bound textures, from the open valley forested landscape to the small houses and assorted buildings throughout the small town. The Dolby Vision pass boosts the color palette, giving the many shades of neon lighting in the afterlife, as well as the foliage and New York City-based hues, additional depth. Contrast is perfect with deep blacks, especially in the aforementioned black and white sequence, which according to the cinematographer, had a layer of grain added to simulate film stock of the period its paying homage to. There are no obvious flaws as everything is clean, stable, and thoroughly solid throughout.

The main audio option is an English Dolby Atmos track (7.1 Dolby TrueHD compatible) with optional subtitles in English SDH. Similarly, it’s an immersive and muscular track, giving Danny Elfman’s score plenty of room to work in the surrounding speakers, but also picking up on various textures and ambient activity above ground and below. Dialogue is king, even giving the stylized Italian audio during the Mario Bava-esque sequence plenty of attention. Low end moments are often window rattling, but the quieter moments offer engagement that’s equally as impactful. It’s a virtually perfect A/V presentation, top to bottom. Additional audio options included English US and UK Descriptive Audio; Italian and Spanish (Castilian) Dolby Atmos; and French (Canadian) and Spanish (Latin) 5.1 Dolby Digital. Additional subtitle options included Danish, Finnish, French (Canadian), Italian SDH, Norwegian, Spanish (Castilian), Spanish (Latin), and Swedish.

Beetlejuice Beetlejuice on 4K Ultra HD sits in a black Amaray case alongside a Digital Code on a paper insert with cover art and a slipcover that features the same artwork (unfortunately, not the theatrical poster). A Limited Edition Steelbook option is also available, which also contains a 1080p Blu-ray copy of the film. The following extras are included on both releases and discs:

• Audio Commentary with Tim Burton
• The Juice Is Loose: The Making of Beetlejuice Beetlejuice (27:37)
• The Ghost With the Most: Beetlejuice Returns! (8:34)
• Meet the Deetz (6:52)
• Shrinkers, Shrinkers Everywhere! (6:26)
• An Animated Afterlife: The Stop-Motion Art of Beetlejuice Beetlejuice (9:14)
• The Handbook for the Recently Deceased (12:07)
• ‘Til Death Do We Park: Beetlejuice and Lydia’s First Dance (7:54)

Warner Bros. has given Constantine Nasr of Rivendell Films (author and contributor to many great pieces of bonus material) room to create some quality extras for this release. First is a rather good audio commentary with Tim Burton, who flies solo, and despite some pauses throughout, manages to convey plenty of information about the genesis and making of the film. He details how he felt a kinship through Lydia’s character and wanted to see where she was at later in her life, and how he always wanted to make a sequel, but only when it felt right to do it. There’s clearly been some material edited out, especially in regards to discussing Jeffrey Jones, which isn’t all that surprising, but also censored whenever Tim swears. It’s an otherwise entertaining and informative listen.

Next is an excellent series of featurettes that contains much more than the usual studio fluff. The Juice Is Loose is the longest and more fully covers the history and making of the film. The Ghost With the Most discusses the character, but also features vintage interview footage with Michael Keaton from 1988. Meet the Deetz delves into the surviving Deetz family as we come to know them. Shrinkers, Shrinkers Everywhere! covers Betelgeuse’s shrunken head boiler room crew. An Animated Afterlife discusses the stop-motion work in the film. The Handbook for the Recently Deceased highlights many of the over-the-top background afterlife characters. And ‘Til Dead Do We Park showcases the MacArthur Park wedding sequence at the end of the film.

Participants include director Tim Burton, writers Alfred Gough and Miles Millar, producer Tommy Harper, co-producer Natalie Testa, actors Michael Keaton, Winona Ryder, Catherine O’Hara, Jenna Ortega, Justin Theroux, Monica Belluci, Willem Dafoe, Santiago Cabrera, Burn Gorman, Danny DeVito, Nick Kellington, cinematographer Haris Zambarloukos, production designer Mark Scruton, editor Jay Prychidny, choreographer Corey Baker, set designer David Morison, hair and makeup designer Christine Blundell, costume designer Colleen Atwood, creature effects creative supervisor Neal Scanlan, key prosthetic artist Jennifer Kewley, fabrication supervisor Fiona Barnes, stop motion supervising producer Ian MacKinnon, stop motion producer Glenn Holberton, animation supervisor Chris Tichborne, animators Andy Biddle, Fabrice Pieton, Anna Pearson, stop motion cinematographer Malcolm Hadley, sculptor Beth Jupe, lead painter Paul Davies, workshop supervisor Kevin Scillitoe, and Corinth, Vermont residents Sarah Polli and David Parent (as well as a number of uncredited extras and crew members). All of this material offers plenty of looks at sketches, pre-visualizations, test footage, and behind-the-scenes footage, including glimpses of some of the film’s deleted and alternate scenes, which sadly have been left off of this release. It also appears that none of the marketing materials have been included either.

Warner Bros. 4K UHD debut of Beetlejuice Beetlejuice is quite excellent, but it also whets my appetite for a proper special edition of the original. Let’s hope someone gets that done someday, too. Still, this is a great disc and a fun movie that I firmly believe more folks are going to appreciate with time. Highly recommended.

- Tim Salmons

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