With Beetlejuice Beetlejuice making its way to theaters this September and boasting a cast of rising stars and a fair share of industry legends, those who have still not watched the original film are likely looking to change that now.
Beetlejuice, the first, came out in 1988 when movies, frankly, had a different kind of magic to them and Tim Burton was just starting out, bursting with creativity and willing to take risks. The movie follows a recently deceased wife and husband Barbara and Adam Maitland (played by fresh-faced Geena Davis and Alec Baldwin) who contact the grim Betelgeuse (Michael Keaton at his best), a “bio-exorcist” demon who can get rid of the living, to help them drive the new family that has taken over their house away. Jeffrey Jones, Catherine O’Hara, and Winona Ryder, in one of her first roles, play the Deetz family.
The movie is exuberant and whacky, and Betelgeuse is positively deplorable, so be prepared for plenty of political incorrectness. The vibrant visuals combine live-action with Burton’s fascination for animation via stop-motion elements and practical effects that hold up to this day as some of the most inventive and fun choices in the acclaimed director’s career. Combining creepy horror with witty well-time comedy, it’s essential viewing in a way we’re afraid its sequel might not become, judging by the lukewarm early reviews.
Where is Beetlejuice available to stream?
You can watch 1988’s Beetlejuice with a Max subscription in the United States and most South American countries. As for Canada, you can find it on Crave. If you’re reading this from the other side of the pond, then you will have better luck with a Netflix or Prime Video subscription.
Although the film is distributed by Warner Bros., depending on the region, it may not always be available on the studio’s streamer. For instance, in some European countries, it’s only available to buy and not stream, while in others it can only be found on Netflix or a local streamer, such as Australia’s Binge.
As for Beetlejuice Beetlejuice, that’s finally coming out in theaters on Sept. 6, 2024, after decades stuck in development purgatory. Keaton, Ryder, and O’Hara are all reprising their roles, with an A-list cast including Jenna Ortega, Monica Bellucci, and Willem Dafoe joining the fold. The Wednesday star plays Astrid Deetz, the daughter of Ryder’s Lydia Deetz, bringing two generations of Burton muses together.