Beetlejuice is one of Tim Burton’s most beloved movies . However, Burton made a mistake or two with the original film that could have been corrected in the sequel, Beetlejuice Beetlejuice . Instead, he doubled down on some material that was problematic in the first place.
Here’s a look at what was going through the Batman director’s head when he returned to the afterlife for one more go-around. ‘Beetlejuice Beetlejuice’ takes a Looney Tunes influence too far The original film has aged well in a lot of ways. The current revival of the Goth subculture shines a favorable light on it, as well as The Nightmare Before Christmas , Edward Scissorhands , and Corpse Bride .
All of the performances in Beetlejuice are pitch-perfect. In addition, a lot of the jokes in the film are just as funny as they were in 1988. But not all of them work that well.
For example, the titular ghost kisses some of the other characters without consent. Clearly, this is meant to recall the similar actions of Looney Tunes icons like Pepé Le Pew and Bugs Bunny. After all, Michael Keaton’s ghost is more or less a live-action cartoon creation.
What was humorous about these scenes in 1948 or 1988 just doesn’t land today. Today, these kissing gags are uncomfortable at best and disturbing at worst. They raise questions about the way women are treated in works of art made by men.
In the new film, there’s no nonconsensual kissing. Instead, the “ghost with the most” discusses possessing a woman, .