A newly dead couple attempt to haunt their beloved home and drive out the new owners, and wrestle with calling on the services of a swindling poltergeist named Beetlejuice. However, when the pair befriend the family’s morbid young daughter, they discover the “bio-exorcist” may be up to no good.

Before he became bogged down with endless remakes and adaptations, Tim Burton was a master of letting audiences sneak a peek at his morbid and twisted mind come to life. And no film, aside from EDWARD SCISSORHANDS (and maybe FRANKENWEENIE), captured that spirit of pure insanity/creativity as well as BEETLEJUICE.

The plot itself here is enough to give Burton free reign to be as bizarre and wacky as he wants to be. Whether it’s the dry take on Alec Baldwin and Geena Davis’s quaint American town, the satiric post-modern style of Winona Ryder’s family or the darkly comic view of the afterlife, everything is filtered through Burton’s unique interpretation and mixes surprisingly well. Just look at the underworld sequences, which are a) original and b) still tons of fun for the imaginative character designs and visual gags. The practical effects and makeup when Beetlejuice does his thing, for example, are clever and highly rewatchable. And I still laugh at the waiting room inhabitants, like the lady sawed in half, the shark guy and the dead football team. Weird, but funny. (Much like the movie itself.)

However, the main reason this movie still holds up is the title character. Michael Keaton is phenomenal here, showcasing a different side then he had or ever will (probably) show as an actor. His nonstop barrage of witty comebacks and physical humor and timing really sells Beetlejuice as the slimy, car salesman-like character. Even though his part is really a supporting role at best, he’s the character that sticks with you and I can’t imagine any other actor besides Keaton having that same effect.

Video: 1.85:1 widescreen. This disc gets a new transfer which is much cleaner than the previous DVD release nearly a decade ago, though the customary grain is still noticeable.

Audio: 5.1 Dolby Digital surround. For a movie so reliant on sound effects for gags, not to mention Danny Elfman’s score, sound is key and the mix here doesn’t disappoint. The soundtrack hits the right levels so as to not be overpowered by any one thing.

I have no idea what’s deluxe about this 20th Anniversary Deluxe Edition set.

Beetlejuice Cartoon (36:45): Three episodes of the early 90s cartoon spinoff, which strangely enough revolves around the plot that Lydia and Beetlejuice are best friends. I remember watching this a few times as a kid, and there are still some cute spitfire gags from the Keaton ripoff voice actor, but I don’t think the show is special enough to recommend.

Music Only Track: A nice way to highlight Elfman’s trademark fun score, but I can’t imagine anybody actually watching the movie like this.

Trailers.

BEETLEJUICE remains a creative and fun Tim Burton movie, full of great visuals, dark humor and a killer performance by Keaton. However, this 20th Anniversary Edition DVD is pretty much void of any meaningful special features. Fans should probably wait for a better upgrade, although that might not come along for another 5-10 years.

Extra Tidbit: Despite being the title character, Michael Keaton is only in the movie for a total of 17 minutes.