September 6, 2024 “Beetlejuice Beetlejuice”, a sequel to the original “Beetlejuice” film, released in theaters. However, the sequel did not outshine the classic. Viewers could argue that the sequel played out better than the classic, but the original film held its own through the superior storylines and higher-quality comedy. Although the sequel utilized marketing strategies that spilled onto social media, the original did not need social media to gain the notoriety that it holds today.
Throughout the original film, the audience could easily follow the storyline of a ghost couple trying to drive a new family out of their home. It proved itself as an easy, lighthearted film that appeared appropriate for teens. However, the sequel held an extreme amount of storylines which muddled the movie. These extra threads include Monica Belluci’s character and Jenna Ortega’s failed relationship with a ghost which pushes the finale to feel rushed and underdone compared to the rest of the movie. The film proved too difficult to follow and became overstuffed with dramatic plotlines that differed from the movie’s main goal. Excessive storylines lose the audience, which creates confusion for the fans. The original’s plot lines helped boost viewership and created a better film overall.
“I like the original movie because it’s very funny, but some parts are scarier. It has lots of ups and downs with the emotions you get and the characters are so fun to watch. I loved the acting, the comedy, and just the entirety of how it played out. It was funny but in a scary way. I would say I like the original better just because I feel like the original can never be beaten, but I think the new one did an amazing job of keeping the same funny yet scarier side of the original,” NC magnet junior Lena Gray said.
Another notable difference in the films pertained to the humor in the movie. The sequel showed a mature comedy compared to the original that seemed out of place and forced in certain scenes such as in the parts with excessive gore and blood. The amount of these elements in the movie also created an inappropriate film that kids should not watch. Without accounting for the younger audience, the viewership may decrease because of the limited audience. This can cause the company to not generate money off of the project. The comedy of the original included less morbid jokes, which helped boost the viewership because of the inclusivity of all ages. According to a review by Bad Movie Reviews, the classics also contained better jokes because of their higher quality.
“I would say ‘Beetlejuice’ the original had to have had the better jokes as it was mainly the makings of the character and show. Verses the sequel which had a little bit of crowing with story upon story and then jokes. Both films have adult humor and both had fitting jokes for the movie,” NC alumni Richard Stakem said.
On the other hand, the sequel achieved higher rates of advertising compared to the original. The marketing team collaborated with Crumbl Cookies to create a “Beetlejuice” cake, which showed fun colors and tasted excellent. This garnered teens’ and young adult interest because the store continues to gain popularity. Teens and adults posted reviews on TikTok of the cake and additionally started a lip art trend, which helped boost awareness of the movie in an efficient way. The “Beetlejuice Beetlejuice” production team also created a TikTok, Instagram and Facebook account to help spread awareness about the movie. Together, these accounts collected over 3.5 million followers which demonstrates how effective marketing can increase viewership. However, the 36-year release difference causes the lack of marketing not to matter for the original.
The first “Beetlejuice” put the new one to shame as it scored an 83% on Rotten Tomatoes compared to the sequels 77% score.s. Although the original film released in 1988 and possessed less opportunities to market, their viewership exceeded that of the sequel. Social media did not exist at the time, resulting in advertising only through television commercials and the newspaper. The original achieved higher popularity through less marketing, which proves that the original remains of higher quality.
Simply put, the original outshines the sequel. Through plot and comedy, the movie demonstrates a higher quality overall. While the sequel shined in moments, the original reigns superior. Both stand as fun movies, but the original clearly remains superior for viewing pleasure.
