Director Tim Burton says sequel to Beetlejuice movie was ‘rushed’, ‘chaotic’ and ‘a lot of fun to make’
Tim Burton says it felt like being in “a time warp” to see actor Michael Keaton walk onto his film set dressed as Beetlejuice – 36 years after shooting the original.
Speaking to Sky News, at the London premiere of the long-awaited sequel to his cult classic, the director explained how Keaton “didn’t rehearse anything” before they went on set.
“He just shows up and starts doing it, all that demon possession, it was like going into a time warp!”
While the director has made far more critically acclaimed works since – from Edward Scissorhands to Batman – his 1988 horror-comedy was so “out there” it was the film that firmly placed him on Hollywood’s radar.
Tim Burton at the UK premiere of Beetlejuice Beetlejuice. Pic: PA
Recapturing a sense of that early “art school irreverence” was even more important to Burton all these years later, and why he shunned CGI.
“We shot it quickly… all the actors contributed making up stuff every day which is hard to do when you’re doing live effects.
Michael Keaton, on the red carpet in London, reprises his role as Betelgeuse (pronounced Beetlejuice). Pic: Reuters
“It was rushed and it was chaotic but that made it a lot of fun to make. It was in the spirit of the first movie, while it’s not going to win any awards for special effects, it was part of its DNA to do it like this.”
Winona Ryder reprises her role as goth heroine Lydia Deetz, but this time her character is a mother who has a daughter, played by actress Jenna Ortega.
Winona Ryder was just 15 when she started filming the original, and returns for the sequel. Pic: Reuters
The young star told Sky News she is a big fan of the original movie, and admits it was “absolute chaos” to film fan-pleasing scenes, where she gets to lip sync songs in a similar vein to the 1988 film.
“We were making each other laugh constantly, there was a lot of creating and collaborating and as an actor it was incredibly inspiring.”
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So why make the Beetlejuice sequel now and what’s new?
As Burton admits: “People keep asking how he’s evolved and I just laugh, he hasn’t evolved!”
“You couldn’t make this film in 1989, what you really had to do was think about Lydia and what happens as you move from cool teenager to screwed up adult. Relationships, children, because we all change over time, you don’t stay a cool teenager forever.”
Burton – one of the coolest and most imaginative filmmakers in modern cinematic history – disputes if he could ever describe himself in that way.
“I was not a cool teenager,” he laughed.
Beetlejuice Beetlejuice is released on 6 September in the UK.
Entertainment
Robin Kaye: American Idol TV executive and her husband shot dead inside their Los Angeles home
An American Idol TV executive and her husband have been found dead in their LA home.
Robin Kaye was a music supervisor on the long-running reality TV series.
The bodies of the 70-year-old and her husband Thomas were discovered after officers conducted a welfare check at their home.
Both had died from gunshot wounds.
Robin Kaye and her husband Thomas. Pic: Facebook
Detectives say Raymond Boodarian has been arrested in connection with their deaths.
It is alleged the 22-year-old had burgled their property while they were away on 10 July – killing the couple upon their return.
According to Los Angeles Police, there were “no signs of forced entry or trouble” at the property.
Ms Kaye was an industry veteran – and had previously worked on shows including Lip Sync Battle and The Singing Bee, as well as several Miss USA and Miss Universe pageants.
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Pic: ABC7 Los Angeles
In a statement, an American Idol spokesperson said: “Robin has been a cornerstone of the Idol family since 2009 and was truly loved and respected by all who came in contact with her.
“Robin will remain in our hearts forever and we share our deepest sympathy with her family and friends during this difficult time.”
Entertainment
Action taken to stop ticketless Oasis fans from watching this week’s shows in Manchester
Huge steel fences have been erected to prevent ticketless fans from watching the Oasis reunion tour in Manchester.
Liam and Noel Gallagher will resume their sold-out run of shows – their first since 2009 – with a performance at Heaton Park tonight, and two more on Saturday and Sunday.
While tens of thousands bought tickets for Oasis’s first two shows last weekend, crowds gathered to glimpse the large screens above the stage in the distance – in an area dubbed “Gallagher Hill” by some on social media.
People walk past a temporary security fence erected ahead of concerts by Oasis in Heaton Park on 1 July. Reuters file pic
Manchester City Council has now said more steel fences have been erected around parts of the park to prevent ticketless fans from watching the gigs, and to protect nature in the park.
“After taking stock of how the first two nights went, additional measures have now been deemed necessary and will be in place for the next three concerts,” it said.
“The erection of the fencing has a dual purpose – both to protect the environment from further damage and to dissuade people from gathering there.
“The necessary measure means the concert will no longer be visible from this area.”
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Friday: Excited fans at Oasis homecoming gig
The fences will cover a large area of the hill within the park’s cattle field, which is being developed as a new woodland area with around 300 young trees planted.
The council added that there would be no facilities for people without a ticket, and said the event area is “double-walled with solid high security fencing all the way round”.
More than 2,000 event security staff and police officers will also be on duty around the site “to ensure both the safety and wellbeing of ticket-holders and that only those who have tickets access the concert”, it said.
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Fans queue all day for Manchester homecoming gig
John Hacking, the council’s executive member for employment, skills and leisure, also said in a statement that “unfortunately our hand has been forced in having to put these additional measures in place”.
He added: “Our advice to music fans who don’t have tickets for the concerts is to head into the city centre instead.
“The whole city is going all out to celebrate and help everyone have a good time.
“We’ve got some fantastic things going on with a real party atmosphere for everyone to enjoy, whether they’ve got tickets for the Oasis gigs or not.”
MasterChef presenter John Torode will no longer work on the show after an allegation he used an “extremely offensive racist term” was upheld, the BBC has said.
His co-host Gregg Wallace was also sacked last week after claims of inappropriate behaviour.
On Monday, Torode said an allegation he used racist language was upheld in a report into the behaviour of Wallace. The report found more than half of 83 allegations against Wallace were substantiated.
Torode, 59, insisted he had “absolutely no recollection” of the alleged incident involving him and he “did not believe that it happened,” adding “racial language is wholly unacceptable in any environment”.
John Torode and Gregg Wallace in 2008. Pic: PA
In a statement on Tuesday, a BBC spokesperson said the allegation “involves an extremely offensive racist term being used in the workplace”.
The claim was “investigated and substantiated by the independent investigation led by the law firm Lewis Silkin”, they added.
“The BBC takes this upheld finding extremely seriously,” the spokesperson said.
“We will not tolerate racist language of any kind… we told Banijay UK, the makers of MasterChef, that action must be taken.
“John Torode’s contract on MasterChef will not be renewed.”
Australian-born Torode started presenting MasterChef alongside Wallace, 60, in 2005.
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Why Gregg Wallace says he ‘will not go quietly’
A statement from Banijay UK said it “takes this matter incredibly seriously” and Lewis Silkin “substantiated an accusation of highly offensive racist language against John Torode which occurred in 2018”.
“This matter has been formally discussed with John Torode by Banijay UK, and whilst we note that John says he does not recall the incident, Lewis Silkin have upheld the very serious complaint,” the TV production company added.
“Banijay UK and the BBC are agreed that we will not renew his contract on MasterChef.”
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Earlier, as the BBC released its annual report, its director-general Tim Davie addressed MasterChef’s future, saying it can survive as it is “much bigger than individuals”.
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BBC annual report findings
Speaking to BBC News after Torode was sacked, Mr Davie said a decision is yet to be taken over whether an unseen MasterChef series – filmed with both Wallace and Torode last year – will be aired.
“It’s a difficult one because… those amateur chefs gave a lot to take part – it means a lot, it can be an enormous break if you come through the show,” he added.
“I want to just reflect on that with the team and make a decision, and we’ll communicate that in due course.”
Mr Davie refused to say what the “seriously racist term” Torode was alleged to have used but said: “I certainly think we’ve drawn a line in the sand.”
In 2022, Torode was made an MBE in the Queen’s Birthday Honours, for services to food and charity.
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