As part of our October Spooktacular, we reviewed Beetlejuice and voted that it does Live UP - despite us both having forgotten how disgusting the title character is (or that he only appears on screen for 17 minutes... this film really isn't about Beetlejuice at all...).
Beetlejuice is Tim Burton and Danny Elfman's second film together (see our previous episode on Pee-wee's Big Adventure), and it showcases the foundations of their 17+ collaborations so far. Here's what makes a Tim Burton and Danny Elfman movie instantly recognizable:
Burton & Elfman films often start with a white title over a black screen, and then fade in on either a prop or the film's landscape (or, in this case, a prop model of the landscape). Elfman's soundtrack has ghostly keyboards and eerie singing, along with circus-like sounds of tubas. Together, they've set the mood of this film: it's going to be creepy, raucous, and a bit of fun.
A Mix of Dark and Light
Like a tombstone illuminated by a pumpkin spice candle... Tim Burton likes to contrast the shadowy and gothic against the bland American suburban aesthetic. He portrays this with set design, lighting, and especially with wardrobe. In Beetlejuice, he has Adam and Barbara walking through the shadowy corridors of the afterlife dressed like they fell out of the LL Bean catalog. This movie also introduces the iconic Tim Burton black and white stripes (which will reoccur a lot in his later films):
The Good Guy who is an Outcast Character
Tim Burton has said that, growing up, he felt like he never fit in. Most of his movies feature an outsider with a heart of gold - the character who eschews conformity and is able to see the world differently than everybody else. Usually this character feels very alone.
In Beetlejuice, the outcast character is Lydia. She alone is able to see the ghosts in the house. To capture her loneliness, Danny Elfman plays opera over a somber, slower piece. The opera sounds overdramatic (and Lydia is being overdramatic in this linked scene), but the score underneath it conveys her solitude. It sounds completely different than the rest of the film.
For more thoughts on this epic collaboration between Tim Burton and Danny Elfman, listen to our Beetlejuice episode here, or on your favorite podcast streaming platform:
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