To busy working for a Respectable Financial Institution to do much of anything here anymore I'm afra...
To busy working for a Respectable Financial Institution to do much of anything here anymore I'm afraid.
Member since:16.07.2000
Reviews:292
Members who trust:87
This is my first ever film opinion, or at least my first (hopefully) decent one. So go easy on me OK! Anyway, If you like black comedy then this film is for you. If you like horror and spoof films, then it’s also for you. Finally, if you just like a bit of a chuckle and have a mildly resilient stomach then this film is also for you!
!!!Updated – now with 20% more DVD information goodness!!!
* Plot Synopsis *
The idyllic American couple, Barb (Geena Davis) and Adam (Alec Baldwin) Maitland are living in their dream house in small town America. Everything seems fine other than family member Jane trying to sell the house. Of course, things aren’t going to remain fine, that would be a fairly dull movie. You’ll have to trust me on this, but I’m not giving the plot away when I say that Barb and Adam die. After all, it happens within about ten minutes. With Barb and Adam out the way Jane manages to sell the house – to the exact opposite of the Maitlad family – the Deetzes.
Comprising of property mogul Charles, self proclaimed artist Delia and their daughter Lydia, played by a rather gothic Winona Ryder. The Maitland family try to scare the new occupants of their house away but don’t do a particularly good job, as no one can see them with the exception of Lydia. After several failed attempts they call on the help of a ‘bio-exorcist’, Beetlejuice (Michael Keaton) and this is where the film really takes off. But I think that’s enough plot to wet your appetite, anymore and I’d be spoiling it for you!
* The Acting *
Without a doubt the actor of the film is Keaton. I first saw this film shortly after seeing the first Batman film and it took quite a while for me to accept that it was the same actor. He’s magnificent as he gropes, sleazes and wisecracks his way through the film. A film like this requires you to suspend disbelief to enjoy it and Keatons acting goes a long way to accomplish this. Geena Davis and Alec Baldwin also bring up the goods as the reluctant ghosts while Catherine O'Hara is easily hateable as Delia as is her interior designer/psychic/yes man Otho, played by Glenn Shadix. Winona Ryder does a good job of playing Lydia and is quite believable as a (Somewhat stereotypical admittedly) goth. Finally, Jeffrey Jones is easily acceptable as Charles Deetze, the rich man who married the wrong woman. There are plenty more good parts but I’ve covered the major roles, the rest I leave to you to discover!
* The Jokes *
Are mainly quite sick to be honest. Moving between gross behaviour, mock horror slapstick and just simply mocking horror you can’t help but at least smile at them even if you feel a bit guilty for doing so. Personally I find it really funny but the humour isn’t going to be to everyone’s taste.
* DVD Extras *
One thing that I really like about this DVD, is that one side is widescreen while another is normal TV width. This means when I finally get some cash and get a big old TV I can see this DVD in all it’s glory, whilst still getting a nice big picture on my computer. A very nice touch, one I’d like to see more often!
For a while I was labouring under the impression that old films on DVD were going to be somewhat lacking in extras, however the great extras on Bullitt which was made in 1968 changed my mind. So now I expect every DVD to have great extras and I was somewhat disappointed with the extras on this. There’s quite a bit of text on various people in the film which is quite interesting to read. There is also a music only soundtrack, which has a warning on the case “In scenes where there is no music silence should be expected”. Well duh! However, the film has transferred well to DVD, there’s no graininess or sound glitches. If you get off watching DVD’s in the wrong language you can (in surround, not Dolby 5.1) enjoy it in French and Italian. Subtitles include English, French, Dutch, Italian, Spanish, Portuguese, Arabic, English for the hearing impaired and Italian for the hearing impaired. Finally there’s the trailer, should you need something short to convince your friends to watch the film.
* Summing Up *
It’s a great film, not mind blowingly great like Bullitt, Stalag 17, Das Boot etc. But great still. It’s a shame they couldn’t have made more use of the facilities of DVD, but I guess if there’s nothing to go on…
Let me know what you think, this being my first film op I’d like some feedback!
How helpful would this review be to a person making a buying decision? Rating guidelines
Production Year: 2004 - Comedy - Director: John Hay - Original Language: English - Classification: 15 years and over - Starring: Jennifer Love Hewitt, Jimi Mistry, Kate Miles, Dougray Scott
Comedy - Director: Terry Jones, Terry Gilliam - Original Language: English - Classification: 15 years and over - Starring: Carol Cleveland, Eric Idle, Graham Chapman, Terry Gilliam, John Cleese, Michael Palin, Terry Jones
Comedy - Director: Richard Boden, Mandie Fletcher, Martin Shardlow - Original Language: English - Classification: 15 years and over - Starring: Hugh Laurie, Miranda Richardson, Stephen Fry, Brian Blessed, Tim McInnerny, Tony Robinson, Rowan Atkinson
Comedy - Original Language: English - Classification: 12 years and over - Starring: Tessa Peake-Jones, Buster Merryfield, David Jason, Nicholas Lyndhurst
Not bad for a first review ????.....I take it you v'e written a few since....Great film and a great review to go with it....Roy
SouthernComfort 10.03.2003 14:39
This an olde fav although I am really bored with it, until the urge returns lol - This is just one of those films I have see too many times but I love your Op! (SC)
STUkrugen 27.08.2002 12:24
Good op. It's annoying when a film is rush released on DVD for the sake of it, sometimes the quality suffers too. This will probably be re-released sometime soon with all those extras that should have been on the first release. :-)
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New Yorkers? They hire a freelance bio-exorcist to spook the intruders. And everyone gets more than he she or it bargained for! Alec Baldwin Geena Davis Wino...
Postage & Packaging: £0.00 Availability: 3-5 working days
What's a yuppie ghost couple to do when their quaint New England home is overrun by trendy ... more
New Yorkers? They hire a freelance 'bio-exorcist' to spook the intruders. And everyone gets more than he, she or it bargained for! Director Tim Burton (Batman, M...
Advantages: Makes parts of death funny, more comic than horror which maybe be good or bad Disadvantages: Less funny to me as it is old and I've seen it that much
sirmitchalot 30.05.2004 ·
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful
Review of Beetlejuice (DVD)
Jun 18th, 2001
(Jun 22nd, 2001)
very helpful by (100%):
