DVD/CD/Book Reviews - Beetlejuice, Etc.

Beetlejuice, Beetlejuice soundtrack and The Nightmare Before Dinner
film directed by Tim Burton, soundtrack music by Danny Elfman (available only on Hoopla from the libraries), cookbook by Zack Neil (641.568 Nei)

This is a thematic combo of three reviews combined into one.

First, nobody has previously reviewed the 1988 horror/comedy film Beetlejuice for Staff Recommendations. After 32 years, it’s rather borderline to call is “modern” but I do place it in the modern horror classics category. Directed by Tim Burton, this absurdist horror film mixes true scares with crazy, insane humor. Michael Keaton, who at that time was best known for comedies, including Night Shift, Mr. Mom, and Johnny Dangerously (he was still a year away from starring in Burton’s own Batman), stars as the demon Betelgeuse, who has been waiting for eons to be summoned to the physical world by a mortal saying his name three times in a row — it sounds like “Beetlejuice”. In the meantime, he uses what powers are available to him to “haunt” the mortal world, on behalf of fellow “dead” beings. When young couple Alec Baldwin and Geena Davis die in their new dream home, their attempts to linger in peace are ruined by the obnoxious new family to move in (Jeffrey Jones and Catherine O’Hara), though they bond with troubled teen Winona Ryder. Eventually, the underworld is set loose and chaos ensues as the good ghosts try to figure out how to put the genie back in the bottle. Keaton turns in a comedy tour de farce, and the rest of the cast are great foils for him.

The Beetlejuice soundtrack is by Danny Elfman, Tim Burton’s regular music collaborator, and is one of his most memorable. It features 20 tracks of (mostly) instrumentals, ranging in length from 34 seconds to over three minutes. Elfman’s fast-paced, comic sounds are in full swing, and capture the mood of this comical horror film perfectly.

Finally, in the libraries’ cookbook collection, you’ll find The Nightmare Before Dinner, chef Zach Neil’s collection of recipes from his “The Beetle House” restaurants in New York and L.A. — these restaurants feature a menu inspired by ALL of the films of Tim Burton, and the decor in the restaurants is very elaborate (see photos in this book). The cookbook features recipes in a variety of categories — sauces/dips, appetizers, soups & salads, main entrees, desserts, cocktails and themed parties. Each recipe has a name inspired by a Burton film — “Edward Burger Hands”, “Charlie Corn Bucket”, “The Butcher’s Stew”, “Shrimpy Hollow”, “Bloodbath Cobbler”, “The Coco Skellington”, and “Red Velvet Midnight Espresso Cake with Stained Glass Candy Shards”. The recipes range from extremely simple, to very complex, and some may require some cooking devices beyond what might be found in an average kitchen. There are gorgeous photo examples in the book, but only for about 1/3 to 1/2 of the recipes. If you’re planning a Halloween-themed dinner party, this one is definitely something I’d encourage you to sample — you’ll find lots of great ideas, and the accompanying photos will help you in your decorating!

[ Internet Movie Database entry for this film ]

[Fans of the film Beetlejuice will most likely enjoy any of Tim Burton’s other directorial offerings, especially A Nightmare Before Christmas and Edward Scissorhands. Fans of Elfman’s scores will find many of them available on CD or via the Hoopla digital service — again, Edward Scissorhands and A Nightmare Before Christmas are among the most iconic. And if you like cookbooks that tie humorously into pop culture media productions, you’ll probably enjoy The Snacking Dead and Fifty Shades of Chicken.]

Recommended by Scott C.
Bennett Martin Public Library — Public Service

 

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