Beetlejuice, Beetlejuice (2024) (Movie Review)

 Director Tim Burton made a name for himself when he presented the 1988 ghost comedy “Beetlejuice”, which set the standard for his Gothic, oddball features, and had several imitators in the following decades. Despite its mainstream success, and spin-off material, it remained a one-of-a-kind, self-contained experience, and still held up as a fun, spooky seasonal watch around the Halloween season. Then, over three decades later in 2024, the unexpected happened … Tim Burton returned with a long overdue sequel, colorfully titled “Beetlejuice, Beetlejuice”. Going in, my feelings were a mix of excitement and skeptical, as it seemed too little too late for a sequel. Regardless, I still wanted to experience more of the films unique other worldly settings and see what new characters may come about with it.

  Set several years after the events of the first film, the Gothic teenager Lydia is now a grown woman and host of her own psychic Ghost Show. She can still see dead people and is haunted by memories of Beetlejuice. 

All this paranormal activity in her life puts a strain on her relationship with her teenage daughter Astrid, who views her mother as a fake. Little does Astrid know, her own ability to communicate with ghosts takes shape when a mysterious teenager enters the picture. Meanwhile, over in the underworld, Beetlejuice is stewing over his loss of Lydia, and with the revival of his vengeful Ex wife Delores, he’s more determined than ever to spirit away a new bride. Unlike the first film, this movie is more of an ensemble picture, with multiple subplots being told at once, which makes for a weaker and un-evenly paced narrative … but the cast, both new and old is outstanding.   

 Admittedly, the juice isn’t as fresh as it was back in the late 1980’s, but seeing Michael Deaton back in the title role of Beetlejuice is still appealing. The first movie hinted at him surviving “the Black Plague”, and it’s cool to get more of his backstory … which is fittingly presented as a Black and White segment. 

Winona Ryder is back in her signature role of Lydia, which is also welcomed, but the character this time around is more of a sad sack, and regrettably not as much fun to be around. Of course, on the subject of returning cast members, the late Catherine O’Hera reprised her role from the first film as Lydia’s stepmother Delia Deetz, and it would mark her final live-action theatrical role (not including documentary films) before her unfortunate passing. In the plus column, I’d say of the three returning cast members, Catherine O’Hera had the most to chew on, and was just more entertaining the second time around … it’s just kind of sad that her character died too.

 Tim Burton feels right at home behind the director’s chair and returns to form delivering his trademark Gothic personality, laced with a sense of morbid whimsy. Danny Elfman is back as composer and adds more bells and whistles to his already bombastic theme music. 

The new cast is excellent and adds some new flavor to this franchise. The young Jenna Ortega, still riding her success from her portrayal of Wednesday Addams was a fitting choice in the role of Lydia’s daughter Astrid, as she and Winona Ryder genuinely feel like they were cut from the same cloth. I say Astrid’s story, and by extent Jenna Ortega’s presence in the role was the most engaging aspect of the film. She delivers the angsty teen energy, with a deadpan personality that makes the character a welcome addition to this colorful ensemble.

 Willem Dafoe is also a welcomed presence and gives off a lot of energy as a dead actor, tasked as the police officer of the afterlife. There’s an assortment of appealing side characters, including the shrunken headed “Bob”, who gives Beetlejuice someone to goof around with. 

Monica Bellucci looks great as the evil, soul collecting Delores LaFerve, and has a killer introduction scene … but her character is criminally underutilized and needed more of a presence in the narrative. I actually found myself forgetting she was in the film most of the time, until she randomly walks into a scene. Danny DeVito cameos as a zombie janitor, making this his fifth time appearing in a Tim Burton picture. The one character I could have done without is Lydia’s wicked ex-fiancé, played by Justin Theroux. For me, he takes up too much screen time, and I feel his absence would have helped the pacing flow better, as well as give Monica Bellucci’s more interesting villain more time to shine.   

  Aside from the colorful cast, I loved exploring more of the films after life setting. It’s still tight and close cornered, but with more areas to cover and a lot of personality on display. Now we see after life residences, and a ghost train station … featuring “Soul Train” … obviously because they keep everyone’s spirits high. 

Jokes aside, seeing practical creature effects and detailed make-up designs is always going to appeal to me, and this film is swimming in it. There’s even stop-motion animation utilized at points, which is both a loving nod to Buton’s other animated films, and again gives the film an anything goes sense of fun. The comedy mostly works, although, there were some things I could have done without. The biggest salt in the ointment for me was the Baby Beetlejuice, which was too over the top for my liking. Honestly, I wish that thing was removed from the film entirely.

  As the movie segues into its third act, Lydia and Beetlejuice form an alliance of convenience to rescue Astrid from being trapped in the Limbo world of the dead by a surprise villain. This leads into a number of great set-pieces, characters running in and out of different dimensions, and it becomes a free for all of crazy and spooky fun antics. 

What I love most is that all the mayhem is set on Halloween night, amongst Trick R’ Treaters and traditional holiday decorations on display. While Tim Burton’s movies typically lend themselves to the spooky season, this is a rare and welcomed case in which all the action unfolds on the holiday event itself. Things culminate with yet another wedding climax, along with a similar song number like from the original, and while I’m not overly fond of the repetition … the presentation on display is still bursting with personality in the details and is still a lot of fun to watch. I just wish the outcome could have been a little different, as Beetlejuice is vanquished once again, and the other villains are too quickly disposed of without a satisfying payoff. There are also multiple endings, almost in the style of “Clue”, but more annoying when one ending would have been enough.  

 When all is said and done, I’m partial to the first “Beetlejuice”, as it just felt like a tighter package, with its own distinct appeal. With that said, while this sequel isn’t better … I’d argue it’s a little more entertaining, with a pinch more imagination, a slew of welcome new colorful characters, and further exploration of its unique afterlife setting.

Unmistakably, the final product is messier than the original, has some details that I wish were either changed differently or removed all together, and could have benefited from a tighter focus on the main characters. Still, this may not have been a perfect sequel, but certainly a welcome one, which feels comfortably at home with the first as a movie that I’ll be watching quite frequently around the Halloween season.

 Thanks for reading my review of the 2024 sequel “Beetlejuice, Beetlejuice” … continue to enjoy the movies you Love, and ...

Rest in Peace Catherine O’Hera (1954-2026)

 

HAPPY HALLOWEEN!

 

 

The Hotel Transylvania Series - A Look Back

 

 It's common place now days to get just as many Halloween movies for kids and families as it is to get horror movies for adults. Less common however are for them to become franchises. There are some exceptions, and one of the biggest to take on a life all its own was the "Hotel Transylvania" franchise. 

It began as a simple little animated Adam Sandler comedy for kids, and then it took off with multiple sequels, spin-offs and TV shows. As someone who loves consuming Halloween specials and the like, I wanted to look through the series from start to finish and see where each instalment lands with me.

  

 “Hotel Transylvania” (2012) 

  With all the really dark and scary Halloween films like “ParaNorman” and “Coraline”, it’s nice to know that kids have alternatives in the form of films like “Hotel Transylvania”. The story revolves around Count Dracula as he’s built a safe haven for all the classic monsters, but his daughter Mavis wants to see the world, and when a young human boy stumbles into monster land ... an unexpected romance is born, and it’s one energized situation after another as the Count tries to maintain peace in his castle. This movie has got just about everything ... funny moments, touching moments, colorful characters, terrific animation, lots of energy, upbeat music, and a location that’s just drenched in Halloween goodness.

      Dracula's daughter Mavis has a secure spot as one of my favorite new animated Halloween characters, and the rest of the cast play their parts great. It may be overshadowed by other Halloween films that are a pinch more adult, but I hope more people discover this film. It really is a gem, and a good one to share with kids. On my personal Halloween re-watch scale, I give the original “Hotel Transylvania” a perfect 10/10.     

“Goodnight Mr. Foot” (2012)

 The first DVD of “Hotel Transylvania” came complete with a traditionally animated short film titled “Goodnight Mr. Foot”, which revolves around Big Foot trying to get some sleep in his hotel room, but is constantly disturbed by an overly excited Witch maid. It’s a cute little short episode, well animated, and gives a small taste of the expanded potential for the “Hotel Transylvania” setting. I probably wouldn't have given it a second thought, but since it's joined at the hip with the first, I don't mind looking back on it for light comfort food. On my personal Halloween re-watch scale, I give “Goodnight Mr. Foot” a more then generous 6/10.

"Hotel Transylvania 2" (2015)

In 2015, there was the first theatrical sequel titled “Hotel Transylvania 2”, and I found this to be a half-way decent sequel, as it recaptured some of the charm from its predecessor, but not all of it. Following the events of the first film, Mavis and Johnny get married and have a new baby boy named Little Denise. Since he’s the child of a human and a vampire, there’s a clash between Dracula and Mavis as to whether Little Denise should live among people or monsters. In the plus column, this is a proper progression of the story, and the characters haven’t lost an ounce of their charismatic charms. Unfortunately, while this sequel still captured the heart of the first film, it for some reason failed to get me in the mood for Halloween like its predecessor did. I think a lot of that has to do with the characters being outside of the hotel for most of the movie. Personally, I think the best parts of “Hotel Transylvania 2” come at both the opening and closing acts of the film, while the middle half just seems to meander around, and get lost in some cringe worthy jokes.

Still, even with my reservations, this film had more than enough highlights. I love the opening wedding scene, especially this one moment in which Dracula and Mavis share a father/daughter dance on the ceiling by a giant chandelier. I also enjoyed the climax, in which we see humans and monsters team up to battle an army of evil Gargoyle looking creatures. My favorite thing I took from this movie was actually Little Denise’s sweet relationship with the little Werewolf girl Wendy, whose voiced again by Adam Sandler's eldest daughter Sadie Sandler. 

While their scenes are brief, every moment they share together is absolutely precious, and it’s just great to see more of that little Werewolf girl. I also liked the inclusion of The Phantom of the Opera, who was sorely missing from the first film, and I really liked the addition of Mel Brooks as the voice of Dracula’s father Vlad. I grew up loving Mel Brooks comedies, and ever since he stopped directing, I always look forward to him making appearances in other comedy projects like this film. Although, for some people, having Mel Brooks voice a Dracula-esk character may bring back bad memories of his final comedy, and biggest critical failure called “Dracula Dead and Loving It”. Overall, I don't return to this film quiet as often as the first, but I'd certainly place it among Adam Sandler's better movies, and I'm glad I have this sequel as an option to return to every couple Halloween seasons. On my personal Halloween re-watch scale, I give “Hotel Transylvania 2” a decent 8/10.     

  

“Hotel Transylvania: The Series” (2017-2020)

2017 marked the premier of a 2D animated “Hotel Transylvania” TV series, which focuses on Mavis in her younger teenage years at the hotel. The show ran for two seasons, with a total of 52 episodes, and four shorts. Full disclosure, I haven't watched this show and have no real desire to view the whole thing. While I love the movie, I'm content to let the show appeal to its target audience. All that being said, I did watch their special Halloween episode titled “The Legend of Pumpkin Guts”, and that was kind of amusing. In a clever twist, Halloween night is a dangerous time for monsters, but Mavis and company are eager to venture out and discover the joy of Trick R' Treating. Participating in a human pass time for Halloween is where all the trouble comes in, as it unleashes a giant pumpkin creature hellbent on transforming all other monsters into Jack O’ Lanterns. It’s about as crazy as it sounds, but still kind of clever, and bursting with decorative Halloween animation. In general, I adore Halloween specials that make Trick R' Treat the main focus, and it made this a welcome add on to the franchise. While I can't rate the series as a whole, I can say that for my personal Halloween re-watch scale, I give the stand-alone episode “The Legend of Pumpkin Guts” a worthy 7/10.  

“Puppy!” (2017)

Also, in 2017 there was yet another short film simply titled “Puppy!”, which revolved around Dracula getting a giant dog for his grandson. It had a higher animation budget then the first short, with equal quality CGI to the movies, and even brought back the full cast. It's harmless enough, although very forgettable in the long run, and isn't one I actively seek to re-watch. More to the point, the short ended with Dracula stating that “he needs a vacation”. In short, this was a set-up for yet another theatrical sequel ... as for this short, on my personal Halloween re-watch scale, I give “Puppy” a dismissive 4/10.

“Hotel Transylvania 3: Summer Vacation” (2018)

The following summer of 2018 saw the release of “Hotel Transylvania 3: Summer Vacation”, the first non-Halloween-esk instalment of the series. I was very concerned when I saw both the ads and marketing for this film, as I feared the series may be going the rout of the “Ice Age” movies, and just producing sequels with no thought or care. Well, I still gave it a chance, and thankfully to my surprise, I really didn’t hate this film at all, in fact it was perfectly passable. Granted, this film did even less to put me in the Halloween mood than its predecessor, which is no surprise considering that it’s summer themed, but the same charm and appeal of these characters, and this universe is still intact. I still love the feel of these terrific characters coming together, Mavis hasn’t lost an ounce of her charm, the relation between the two little kids Denis and Werewolf Wendy is still very cute, and Dracula even gets a good character arc falling in love with the doubter of his oldest human adversary Van Helsing. The animation once again looks great, there’s occasional highlights, and some funny gags. The downside is that the plot is very one note, predictable, and like with its predecessor, this film meanders around with detours that overstay their welcome. In the end, I coasted on a single viewing for this film and I probably won’t be re-watching this one, the same way I do with the first or even second, but I was at least happy that after three films, these characters still hold my attention, and it was fine to go on another goofy venture with them. On my personal Halloween re-watch scale, I give “Hotel Transylvania 3: Summer Vacation” a split 5/10.        

   

"Monster Pets" (2021)

 Of course, things never stay away for too long, and in 2021, a new animated short was released theatrically titled "Monster Pets", which continued the goofy antics of Dracula and his giant pet dog. The only difference this time is the addition of new monster themed pets that Dracula finds himself looking after. Honestly, this short is so similar to the previous short that the two blend together in my mind, and my feelings aren't all that different. On my personal Halloween re-watch scale, I give “Monster Pets” another dismissive 4/10. 

 

"Hotel Transylvania: Transformania" (2022)

With the franchise putting a foot hold in the 2020's, it was time for a fourth sequel in 2022 titled "Hotel Transylvania: Transformania" ... and at this point, I'm convinced the series will probably go on until the sun burns out. In this instalment, Dracula is ready to hand the deed of the hotel over to his daughter, but he still has reservations about his son-in-law. Johnny likewise feels he'll never get the Counts blessing as long as he remains human. Thus, through a series of events, Johnny is suddenly transformed into a monster, while Dracula and the others are accidently transformed into humans. A quest is soon underway, as they seek a magic stone that can reverse their conditions, all while character bonding, and goofy hijinks ensue along the way. As expected, this sequel once again feels less like a Halloween special but succeeds in capturing the spirit of a family friendly adventure film. The plot also retreads many beasts from the first two films, but I still found this sequel a pinch better than the previous "Summer Vacation". While it threatens to buckle under its silly tone, hyper fast motion, and Johnny's irritating quirks, this fourth instalment once again maintains the overall charm of the series and gives its characters some great moments to shine. Mavis especially gets a great action scene during the climax, in which she has to avoid the sun, while also trying to rescue her husband from becoming a mindless dragon. Most of the cast remains the same, all except for Adam Sandler. This time Dracula was voiced by Brian Hull, who did an excellent job recapturing Adam Sandler's energy, charm and voice ... to the point where I barely even noticed a difference. Even though "Transformania" isn't on par with the first two, it was still another okay sequel. On my personal Halloween re-watch scale, I give “Hotel Transylvania: Transformania” a generous 6/10.   

 In the end, I feel the series can finally stop, because there's only so much of a good thing that I can take. That being said, there are still plans for more movies, short films and even more TV shows on the way ... so, I'll just have to pick and choose which one's appeal to me as they come along. I still love the first "Hotel Transylvania", will gladly return to it for many Halloweens to come, and the sequels have been passable one-off experiences. If any of them look good to you, be sure to check them out for yourself.    

Thanks for reading my look back at the “Hotel Transylvania” franchise ... and continue to make every day in October feel like Halloween! 

Horror of Dracula (1958) (Movie Review)

 

 When it comes to famous names in the history of Horror, Count Dracula has survived through the ages as one of the most famous, and one who’s had quite a legacy on screen. One of the Counts most classic and acclaimed movies was the 1958 British Picture “Dracula”, which outside of Europe is better known as “Horror of Dracula”. Following after the B-Sci-Fi movie boom of the 1950’s, Brittens Hammer Horror Studio brought back the classic monsters in a new colorful makeover, and by extent helped the genre find its roots again. “Horror of Dracula” was one of the first, marking Count Dracula’s first appearance in color, and more importantly … the first time he’d be played by Christopher Lee, who’d go on to portray the character in more films than any other actor.

 Loosely based on Bram Stokers original novel, this version of the tale opens with Jonathan Harker arriving at a remote castle in Germany and is posing as a librarian to one Count Dracula. In reality, he’s there to kill a vampire, and knows of Dracula’s dark secret. His first attempt to slay Dracula culminates in the death of his vampire bride, and his own demise being transformed into an undead creature of the night. With the loss of his titular Queen, Dracula seeks out Harker’s extended family to find himself a new bride. Meanwhile, Harker’s mentor, Doctor Abraham Van Helsing picks up the trail and aims to put a stop to Dracula’s reign of terror, before he can take another innocent life. Similar to Stanley Kubrick’s 1980 picture “The Shining”, this film strays from its literary source material, but it hasn’t impeded its status as a classic. In truth, this is neither the most technically impressive, nor even the most frightening telling of the Dracula tale … but I’d argue it’s the classiest.

 Most of the films appeal comes from director Terence Fishers’ sense of grandeur and Gothic aesthetic. The other half of the film’s strength comes from its cast, with Peter Cushing’s effortless class in the leading role of Van Helsing carrying the bulk of the film’s energy and intrigue. 

At the time, Peter Cushing was most famous for his portrayals of Sherlock Holmes and the mad Doctor Frenkenstien, and he brings the same conviction to Van Helsing. Even after he memorably appeared in “Star Wars”, his screen appearance as Van Helsing remains my personal favorite of Peter Cushings career. Acting at his side is Michael Gough as Arthur Holmwood, a sceptic to Van Helsings talks of vampires, but eventually becomes his partner in battling Dracula in order to protect his family. Michael Gough would of course famously serve a man who adorns the look of a bat in Tim Burton’s 1989 classic “Batman”, so it’s cool to see him in this early picture, facing another famous creature of the night. Once again, he brings a good deal of sophistication to the film, and when paired with Peter Cushing, they are perfect at making the mundane exciting.

 Most of the film’s vampire action, and even Dracula himself, are utilized sparingly, which is why this cast was so important to sustaining a tight pace, when there’s very little action in the narrative. 

Naturally, the main appeal of the film is Christopher Lee in his iconic debut as Dracula. While Bela Lugosi’s 1931 “Dracula” classic set the iconic templet of the character, Christopher Lee’s portrayal likewise achieved legendary status as one of the great villains in horror cinema. He’s so commanding in the role, and when he struts about in his long cape, he gives off this presence like he’s the one and only Dracula. His introduction scene as the count is charming and benevolent, without a trace of what one would expect from a traditional Dracula performance. It makes for a sharp contrast for when the switch goes off, and he becomes a ravage beast of the night. He’s faster, deadlier, sinister and just plain awesome in the role, making him one of the definitive Dracula’s, and my personal favorite Vampire performance in the movies.

 Naturally, being the first colored Dracula film, it marked the first to feature blood. Thankfully, as far as this first instalment is concerned, the gore is used sparingly and is mainly present in the iconography of Dracula’s bloody fangs. Also, despite featuring vampires, this first film curiously decides to ground its supernatural elements with limitations. Dracula can’t fly, climb walls or transform into bats, which may be off-putting for some fans. In the plus column, this film takes an intriguing approach with the Vampire victims, and how they treat their afflictions like drug attics hopelessly drawn to something that’s slowly killing them. For me, the creepiest part of the whole film is when Aunt Lucy embraces her vampire transformation and proceeds to draw her little niece out into the woods for a late-night snake.

 For all the eerie moments in the film, there’s also a reserved sense of hummer too. One scene features a mortician recounting in a humorous quip how an old man took a fatal tumble while visiting – “He came to pay his respects … and remained to share them”. To reiterate, there isn’t much action on the surface, but the film is tightly paced and structured in a way that keeps me engaged. When something exciting happens, it pops, and the final battle between Dracula and Van Helsing remains one of the best of the genre. Seeing Van Helsing put two rods together to form a cross has become an iconic visual replicated in several vampire movies to follow. While the novel depicted the Count perishing after being stabbed by knives, this film features Dracula slowly melting away in the sunlight. For a late 1950’s picture, it’s an extraordinary death scene.

 On the topic of comparisons to the book, many of the established characters are present in name, but the relationships are all switched around, while other characters are heavily altered. 

The character of Jonathan Harker and events sounding him in the film are the biggest deviations from the book. Also, Dracula’s famous servant Renfield is absent all together. Perhaps the most curious deviation is switching the location of Dracula's castle from Transylvania to Germany ... maybe for closer proximity for the characters to travel, which for the sake of the film tightens the narrative. Again, this film is far from a faithful book adaption … but it makes up for it with a stealer presentation. The gothic scenery, captivating period setting and set design were all elevated above the original classics, and the overall tone is perfect. The film finds the perfect middle ground, with gore and sensuality present without being over kill … unlike the majority of its sequels and successors.

 This film kicked off a massive franchise, with nine sequels, seven of which featured Christopher Lee back in his signature role. 

My personal favorite is the third sequel from 1968 titled “Dracula has Risen from the Grave”, which by extent is probably my personal favorite Dracula movie. Outside of this series, Lee portrayed the titular Vampire King in a number of other films, including a second book adaption in 1970 titled “Count Dracula”, which was closer to the original text, but not as memorable a movie. By contrast, 1958’s “Horror of Dracula” remains one of the best and most classic of Dracula’s theatrical offerings. Many have debated this version as superior to the original 1933 classic. Regardless of which one you prefer, this film is one of the rare horror remakes that’s earned its status as a classic in its own right and was one of the absolute best Horror movies of the 1950's. Personally, it's remained a favorite of mine, and I give it a stamp of recommendation to any long-time Dracula or Vampire movie fan.

Thanks for reading my review of the 1958 Horror movie classic “Dracula” or “Horror of Dracula” … and continue to enjoy the movies you Love!