DVD After an untimely death leaves them trapped in their beloved home, a recently deceased couple attempt to frighten away its obnoxious new occupants - only to make matters considerably worse by calling upon a thoroughly unreliable bio-exorcist.
Details
Adam and Barbara Maitland are a contented young couple living quietly in their picturesque New England home. A sudden car accident leaves them dead, but still very much attached to the house they love. Confused and unable to leave the property, they gradually realise that they have become its resident ghosts.
Their peaceful afterlife is rudely interrupted when the Deetz family arrive from New York and begin transforming the cosy house into a modern-art nightmare. Delia Deetz, an ambitious sculptor with considerably more enthusiasm than talent, immediately sets about redesigning the place beyond recognition, much to the horror of its spectral former owners.
Adam and Barbara's attempts to frighten the family away prove to be embarrassing failures. However, the Deetzes' teenage daughter Lydia, fascinated by all things macabre, can see the Maitlands and forms an unlikely friendship with them. Growing increasingly desperate, the couple seek help from a freelance "bio-exorcist" named Betelgeuse - a crude, chaotic and entirely untrustworthy spirit whose methods quickly spiral out of control.
Picture & Sound
This early Warner DVD offers both widescreen and full-frame presentations, together with a remastered Dolby Digital 5.1 soundtrack. The transfer is perfectly serviceable, although it can look a little grainy and some of the darker scenes reveal the limitations of the early mastering. Colours remain strong, however, which is particularly important for a film so dependent upon Tim Burton's wonderfully twisted visual design.
The soundtrack is clear and lively, with Danny Elfman's memorable score making good use of the available channels. It is hardly the most aggressive surround mix you will ever hear, but it suits the film well and gives the more chaotic sequences a welcome sense of scale.
Overall
Tim Burton blends gothic fantasy, absurd comedy and outright weirdness to create something that remains entirely his own. The production design and Danny Elfman's score give the film a wonderfully distinctive identity, while the handmade effects possess far more charm than any amount of polished computer imagery could hope to match.
Michael Keaton is outrageous, unpredictable and completely scene-stealing as Betelgeuse. Despite having surprisingly little screen time, he dominates the film with manic energy. Catherine O'Hara is equally memorable as the gloriously high-strung Delia, while Winona Ryder provides a more grounded counterbalance as the quietly morbid Lydia.
It may not be Burton's darkest film, but it remains one of his most entertaining: a bizarre, offbeat comedy that still feels remarkably fresh. Strange, stylish and gleefully chaotic - just don't say his name three times.
Special features
- Theatrical Trailer
- Production Notes
- Isolated Musical Score
- Re-mastered Dolby Digital Soundtrack
