‘BeetleJuice’ with Glenn Shadix

Film: BeetleJuice (1988)
Rated: PG
Directed by:
Tim Burton
Written by:
Michael McDowell
Starring:
Michael Keaton as Beetlegeuse
Alec Baldwin as Adam Maitland
Geena Davis as Barbara Maitland
Catherine O'Hara as Delia Deetz
Jeffrey Jones as Charles Deetz
Winona Ryder as Lydia Deetz
Glenn Shadix as Otho Fenlock

 

By Scott Knopf of He Shot Cyrus

Pre-screening memories: No R-rated movies.  PG-13 movies only with parental consent.  That was my childhood.  Being raised in a strict religious family is just as fun as you’d imagine, and if you were one of those kids who got to watch whatever you wanted, consider yourself lucky.  I was the movie ratings expert.  I knew the rating for EVERY movie Blockbuster had to offer.  Before even reading what the movie was about, I’d flip over the box, scroll down to the bottom, and search out that powerful box that would determine my movie-watching fate.  PG-13  YES!  I can watch this one!  R Dang!  That one looked good.  The MPAA directly contributed to my unhappiness in the 90s.  Looking back on those years, it’s either a miracle that I enjoy film at all or it was those restrictions that made movies the forbidden fruit that I had to obtain by any means possible.

PG-13 Movies I Wasn’t Allowed to Watch: 

• Jurassic Park – Heartbreaking.  We couldn’t even watch the VHS tape my brother got for his birthday!  I don’t know how old I was before I finally got to watch Jurassic Park.  Luckily, the hype didn’t ruin the movie and when I did see the movie it was still incredible.  Forgiveness is difficult to find when it comes to Jurassic Park. 
• Beavis and Butt-Head Do America – I still can’t believe that this was PG-13, maybe it’s because they knew that no one over 17 would watch this garbage.  In retrospect, I have to thank my parents for not allowing me to waste my time with Beavis and Butt-Head.  
• Gremlins – When I asked my Grandma to take me to Gremlins, she said that my parents wouldn’t approve (she was probably right) and we watched White Fang.  Needless to say, White Fang was absolutely terrible and still holds a spot on my Top 5 Least Favorite Movies of All-Time list.

And then there’s Beetlejuice.  It didn’t make that list for one reason, because it’s rated PG!  I can’t describe the frustration of not being allowed to watch a PG movie.  Hell, I wasn’t allowed to watch the Beetlejuice cartoon on Nickelodeon.  Maybe it had something to do with subject matter but I have no clue why such a strict ban of Beetlejuice was held in my house.  It was like Beetlejuice drove his car through my mom’s flower bed or borrowed my dad’s lawnmower and never brought it back.  We’re talking about a vendetta situation, a Romeo and Juliet scenario. 

But rather than poisoning myself, I just set up a secret screening at my friend’s house to watch The Forbidden Film. 

And to quote the Lord: it was good.   

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Our featured guest: Glenn Shadix

(courtesy of Glenn’s personal collection)

In a film filled with countless arresting visuals, dialogue and performances, Glenn’s Otho, the interior decorator/paranormal expert still manages to steal every scene he is in.

Beelejuice marked Glenn’s first real foray into film (one line involving a chicken salad sandwich in The Postman Always Rings Twice remake doesn’t count).

After a fateful meeting with a young up-and-coming film director named Tim Burton, Shadix went on to collaborate on three films: BeetleJuice, Nightmare Before Christmas, and Planet of the Apes(Shadix also provides the voice for Burton’s animated webisodes titled Stain Boy, which can be found on Shadix’s site GlennShadix.com).

Glenn went on to star in a host of other popular titles (many of which we hope to grab him back here at Natsukashi to recall). He then relocated to his hometown in Alabama, working on both sides of the camera as well as the stage. Of course, you can follow all of Glenn’s adventures on GlennShadix.com, as well as staying tuned to Natsukashi, as we are planning to share memories with him on several of his iconic roles.

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