September 3, 2020
Review: 'Beetlejuice' Still Weird, Luscious Fun in Fresh 4K
Sam Cohen READ TIME: 2 MIN.
The career trajectory of Tim Burton is interesting, to say the least. He became a bankable director by making "Pee-Wee's Big Adventure," which is especially odd considering that's a project that probably wouldn't do that well at the box office by today's standards. Plus, Burton was given a decent amount of power by Warner Bros. to seek out scripts he wanted to make.
"Beetlejuice" still remains as one of his best films; A work that's characterized by the kind of imagination and whimsy we attribute to much of Burton's oeuvre. Yet here, his baroque sensibilities and mastery of animation are met with characters that are easy to care for. It's a movie that doesn't revel in the weird as much as it revels in the weirdness of, well...being dead.
"Beetlejuice" has made its grand arrival on 4K Blu-ray with a stunning video presentation that leaps and bounds over the previous Blu-ray. That isn't to discount prior releases, but this is the best the film has ever looked at home. The addition of HDR10 color enhancement only empowers what was already beautiful about the film, providing even more texture and depth than previously seen. It's a terrific release of a bona fide classic that deserves a place on your shelf. Jump in the line, indeed.
Adam (Alec Baldwin) and Barbara (Geena Davis) are a married couple, happily decorating their Connecticut vacation home. When they're driving through town, Barbara swerves to avoid a dog and their car careens off a bridge and plunges into a river. The next morning, Adam tries to retrace the steps they took before plunging into the river. They quickly discover that they are, in fact, dead. Now, as ghosts, the couple is forced to haunt the new family living in their home so that they can get some peace and quiet. When their efforts mostly fail, they call upon Betelgeuse (Michael Keaton) – a devious poltergeist – to assist.
While all of the special features have been carried over from previous Blu-ray releases, "Beetlejuce" is worth picking up immediately. Not only is it a great showcase of what 4K technology can accomplish, it's also a reminder of the great work that Burton once created. Special features include:
� "Beetlejuice" cartoon episodes
� Music-only audio track
� Theatrical trailer
"Beetlejuice"
Warner Bros. 4K Blu-ray, Blu-ray & Digital
$24.99
https://www.warnerbros.com/movies/beetlejuice
