Beetlejuice (Blu-ray) Blu-ray, 1988

The demonic comedy that put acclaimed film director Tim Burton firmly on the map. The Maitlands (Geena Davis and Alec Baldwin) are a happy couple who, when killed in a car crash, return as ghosts to their beloved home to wreak havoc on the ghastly yuppie family who have moved in. Being novices at haunting, their efforts go unnoticed by the house's new inhabitants except Goth daughter Lydia (Winona Ryder), who doesn't mind one bit. At their wit's end, the ghostly couple call on a despicably disgusting demon named 'Beetlejuice' (Michael Keaton) for help.

Adam Maitland (Baldwin) and his wife Barbara (Davis) are a newly-wed couple killed in a bizarre road accident, who discover they are unable to ascend to heaven until t... more >

Adam Maitland (Baldwin) and his wife Barbara (Davis) are a newly-wed couple killed in a bizarre road accident, who discover they are unable to ascend to heaven until they have haunted their old home for fifty years. The pair are horrified when an appalling yuppie couple move in, and try their hardest to frighten the new occupants off. However, they are too inherently 'nice' for their efforts at haunting to be effective. In desperation, they contact a 'bio-exorcist' called Betelgeuse to assist them...which he most certainly does...and then some!

Quirky, other-wordly and visually stunning, Beetlejuice could only be a product of the offbeat talents of director Tim Burton. Unfortunately the film ultimately suffers from being rather slow-moving and badly structured. The film's star is undoubtedly the barely-recognisable Michael Keaton, magnificently OTT as the repulsive title character, but his arrival in the film simply comes too late. Prior to his arrival there are some nice moments, but Keaton steals the show so consummately that one only wishes he could have been around from the start. A shame, as this is an otherwise nice idea, sadly one never fully realised. < less

View all 24 of Dan Macklin’s reviews

STUNNING! A funny comical horror tale and yet another hit by tim burton. more >

STUNNING! A funny comical horror tale and yet another hit by tim burton. < less

View all 2 of James Day’s reviews