4-Minute Ovation At Venice Premiere
The Ghost with the Most just took a 4 minute-plus bow in the Sala Grande as Tim Burton’s Beetlejuice Beetlejuice world premiered as the opening movie of the Venice Film Festival this evening.
After the movie ended, the crowd gave an enthusiastic 4-minute, 35-second bow clapping to the beat of the closing music. Unlike at ovations at Cannes, no speeches from cast or creators were made that sometimes add to the total of crowd ovations.
Burton was joined tonight by Michael Keaton, reprising his otherworldly role 36 years after the original — and now classic — supernatural comedy was first released. Also on hand from were stars Winona Ryder, Catherine O’Hara, Jenna Ortega, Justin Theroux, Monica Bellucci and Willem Dafoe.
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Earlier in the day, after the film’s enthusiastically-received press screening, Burton told reporters he “could never place” the original film “as something other than personal to me. So after all these years being able to work with Michael, Winona and Catherine again made it more personal and special along with Jenna, Monica, Justin and Willem — new people who got into the spirit of it. So it was a very personal project for me.”
“To say it’s unique is an understatement,” Keaton said of the film.
Of a possible threequel, Burton mused, “Let’s do the math. It took 35 years to do this one. For another, I’d be over 100. It could be possible thanks to medical science. But I don’t think so.” To that, Keaton quipped that Beetlejuice is dead so he doesn’t age.
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Beetlejuice 2 picks up as three generations of the Deetz family return home to Winter River following an unexpected tragedy. Still haunted by Beetlejuice, Lydia’s (Ryder) life is turned upside down when her rebellious teenage daughter, Astrid (Ortega), discovers the mysterious model of the town in the attic and the portal to the Afterlife is accidentally opened. With trouble brewing in both realms, it’s only a matter of time until someone says Beetlejuice’s name three times and the mischievous demon returns to unleash his very own brand of mayhem.
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The Warner Bros title is playing out of competition in Venice and will begin international rollout on September 4 with North America joining September 6.
