Tim Burton talks about returning to ‘Beetlejuice’ after nearly 40 years: NPR

SCOTT DETROW, HOST:

Beetlejuice, Beetlejuice, Beetlejuice. Fans of the ’80s film know that you have to say that three times and out jumps a dark-eyed, disgusting and manic ghost, played by Michael Keaton.

(Sound recording from the movie “BEETLEJUICE”)

ALEC BALDWIN: (As Adam Maitland) What are your qualifications?

MICHAEL KEATON: (As Beetlejuice) Oh, I went to Juilliard. I’m a graduate of Harvard Business School. I travel a lot. I lived through the plague and had a pretty good time. I’ve seen The Exorcist about 167 times and it gets funnier every time I see it. Not to mention the fact that you’re talking to a dead person. Now what do you think?

DETROW: There have been rumors of sequels to “Beetlejuice” circulating on the Internet for years, and some of the images and scripts don’t exactly suggest that this is going to be a great movie. I’m thinking in particular of an actual script called “Beetlejuice Goes Hawaiian.” But now it’s finally time for Beetlejuice again.

(Sound recording from the movie “BEETLEJUICE BEETLEJUICE”)

KEATON: (As Beetlejuice) You know what? Long distance relationships can be difficult, especially when one of you is dead and the other ignores it for 30 years. But there’s definitely a psychic connection between Lydia and me.

DETROW: “Beetlejuice Beetlejuice” hits theaters tomorrow. Why now? Director Tim Burton told me he finally came up with the idea a few years ago when he was thinking about what the film’s main character, goth teenager Lydia, played by Winona Ryder, would have been like as an adult.

TIM BURTON: And so I thought, what happened to her 35 years later? You know, what happens to all of us? You go from being a cool teenager to being a questionable adult. Whatever – you know, what kind of relationships do you have? Do you have kids? You know, what turns has your life taken, you know, and the kind of waiting that just comes with time? So, you know, the idea of ​​just seeing three generations of this, you know, mother, granddaughter, daughter.

(Sound recording from the movie “BEETLEJUICE BEETLEJUICE”)

CATHERINE O*HARA: (As Delia Deetz, screaming) No. No. No.

WINONA RYDER: (As Lydia Deetz) Delia, what’s wrong?

O*HARA: (As Delia Deetz) Oh, I’m trying to capture the perfect primal scream. I’m going to blow it up, hang it on the wall, and I invite all of you to do the same.

BURTON: As an adult, sometimes you lose your bearings a little bit. And then you have to reconnect with yourself. So for me it became very personal and emotional.

DETROW: It’s interesting because I feel like in the original film the character is isolated in many ways or just kind of a loner. But that plays out the same way this time because there’s this central part of her life where she’s communicating with ghosts and having this experience with Beetlejuice.

(Sound recording from the movie “BEETLEJUICE BEETLEJUICE”)

RYDER: (As Lydia Deetz) I can’t believe I’m doing this – Beetlejuice, Beetlejuice, Beetlejuice.

DETROW: That her daughter just doesn’t believe her and that in its own way, that’s just as isolating as when the teenager moves into the new house and has a stepmother she doesn’t like.

BURTON: Exactly. You know, it’s a classic dynamic. And it’s not uncommon for the parents to have a natural, built-in rebellion with the kids. You know, basically, even if you love them, there’s something you’re rebelling against. It’s like the parents are wild and the kids are conservative. The parents are conservative, the kids are – you know, I’ve seen that dynamic many, many times. So to me, it was a pretty identifiable dynamic.

DETROW: I think that Beetlejuice is a film that immediately evokes emotions in people, whether it’s the music, the visuals or Michael Keaton as Beetlejuice.

(Sound recording from the movie “BEETLEJUICE”)

KEATON: (As Beetlejuice) I’m the ghost with the most, baby.

DETROW: There are so many things about this film that have nothing to do with the film as a whole. When you decided to make this sequel, what was most important to you: the visuals, the cast, the story?

BURTON: Everything. I think it’s funny because when I was really into making the movie, I didn’t – you know, there were certain things where I just wanted to creatively recreate the feel of the first movie when we shot it quickly. It was a lot of improvisation and all the effects were practical. And those were the things that I kind of – just to re-energize, to connect with why you love making movies, you know? So, you know, without CG, we did everything, you know, puppets, live, makeup, sets. And that was a big part of the vibe that was important, and also with the actors, you know?

It was important that everyone contributed something to their character and was constantly coming up with something on set. And even with the effects, the guy I had in charge of the effects, Neil Scanlan, who I had worked with before, was in the same frame of mind. It’s not easy to create these physical effects quickly. But we did it. And again, it was a very important part of the energy and rhythm of making the film.

DETROW: Is it harder to convince studios about things like practical effects and their continuous improvement in 2024 than it was in the late ’80s?

BURTON: Oh, sure. Absolutely. I mean, but I was kind of focused on it, not thinking about a sequel, not thinking about franchises, not thinking about money, just thinking about making this movie. So that’s not something you do with every movie, but for this particular work, this particular thing, it’s very important.

DETROW: Can we just – I don’t even have a question here. I just want to say that it was amazing to see Michael Keaton, who is in his 70s, suddenly portraying Beetlejuice in the same way he did almost 40 years ago. What was it like for you to see that?

BURTON: I felt the same way. And believe me. I was there because we hadn’t rehearsed. We treated it the same way. So he showed up on set and it was like a demonic possession.

(Sound recording from the movie “BEETLEJUICE BEETLEJUICE”)

KEATON: (As Beetlejuice) The juice is free. I’m going to make you so happy.

BURTON: And I can see the crew, everyone’s mouths were open. It was like, “Oh my God.” And I know that Michael isn’t sitting there practicing how to play Beetlejuice in front of the mirror. You know, he just did it again. It was – it was very amazing and disturbing at the same time.

DETROW: There are visual constants. There are sonic constants. There are character constants. There are common threads that run through your work over the years. And I’m wondering how you connect them and what you think are the most important recurring themes in your work.

BURTON: Well, I mean, look. I, you know, everyone’s a loner, an outsider – you know, and I thought – I kind of grew out of that, but the thing is, you don’t grow out of that, you know? Once you have those feelings, you always feel the same. And I never felt like I was such a competent filmmaker that I could change my style. You know, I mean, my drawings look like my drawings, you know? There’s nothing I can do about that.

You know, even if I wanted to try to do something different, I don’t know if I could because I just know how I feel. You know, I’m not the best communicator. So for me, I just have to feel it one way or another. You know, for me, I was lucky because I was a little disillusioned with myself and the whole film industry and everything. So it was important for me to just go back and say, OK, this is what I love. These are the feelings I like. Don’t overanalyze them.

DETROW: When you think about the Lydias and Jack Skellingtons and Edward Scissorhands of this world, do you wonder if it’s easier or harder to be a different outsider in 2024 than it was when you were a kid?

BURTON: I mean, what’s changed everything is social media and the internet. When I think about how I felt then, and imagine how I felt then, surviving this world of social media and the internet, I don’t know how well I would have survived, but it’s hard to say. I mean, I’m kind of scared of kids, because it’s a very strange, new world that’s a little bit disturbing to me.

DETROW: Yes. On the one hand, there are all kinds of opportunities to be creative now that didn’t exist before, and you can find people like yourself, but on the other hand, you’re much more vulnerable.

BURTON: Yes. Everything has its pros and cons – you know, there’s good and bad in every form of things, you know? Even though I remember my bad feelings as a child and teenager, I’m almost grateful that I don’t live in the age of social media.

DETROW: Yes, definitely. So, Tim Burton, director of “Beetlejuice,” which comes out tomorrow, thank you very much for the interview.

BURTON: Thank you, Scott. Thank you very much.

(SOUNDBITE OF DANNY ELFMAN’S “MAIN TITLE (FROM ‘BEETLEJUICE’)”)

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