Beetlejuice
1988, PG, 92 min.
D: Tim Burton; with Michael Keaton, Winona Ryder, Alec Baldwin, Geena Davis.

Michael Keaton delivers one of his very best performances as the foul, antic, and obnoxious demon Betelguese, who is called upon by a couple of mild-mannered spooks to help them reinhabit their house from the new (and living) tenants. The script borrows a page from the Topper storyline, but does it with imaginative fun and style. It was written by Austin screenwriter and Texas Film Commission founder Warren Skaaren. Beetlejuice, which won an Oscar for best make-up, also brought the unique talents of young Tim Burton to directorial prominence, and he was to pair again with Keaton and Skaaren the next year for the first Batman feature.

This article appears in September 29 • 2000.

A note to readers: Bold and uncensored, The Austin Chronicle has been Austin’s independent news source for over 40 years, expressing the community’s political and environmental concerns and supporting its active cultural scene. Now more than ever, we need your support to continue supplying Austin with independent, free press. If real news is important to you, please consider making a donation of $5, $10 or whatever you can afford, to help keep our journalism on stands.

SUPPORT US

Marjorie Baumgarten is a film critic and contributing writer at The Austin Chronicle, where she has worked in many capacities since the paper's founding in 1981. She served as the Chronicle's Film Reviews editor for 25 years.