A lot of interest has gone into explaining how Tim Burton created Delores' resurrection scene inBeetlejuice Beetlejuice. In the legacy sequel’s special feature, “The Handbook for the Recently Deceased,” the Dumbo director and his crew break down how the Frankenstein-esque scene came to life. Director Tim Burton is no stranger to the use of special effects, having created unique worlds with the help of VFX in Disney’sAlice in Wonderlandas well as standing out for his dark, but appealing, stop-motion projectsCorpse BrideandFrankenweenie.
Discussing the long-time coming sequel over the years, Burton decided it would not only need to feature the return ofBeetlejuice’s legacy cast of characters, but it would also need to bring back the handmade quality that gave the original its “spirit.” From Keaton’s Betelgeuse transformation, the shrunken-heads room, the sandworm, to dead people in the waiting room, Burton’s demonstrated passion and commitment to practical effects is one of thereasons forBeetlejuice 2’s good reviews.Delores' introduction scene, particularly, stands out for its convincing mechanicsand crude feel.
Tim Burton Derived His Inspiration For Delores' Resurrection From Wednesday’s Thing
InMonica Belluci’s interview forBeetlejuice 2, the actress points out how rewarding it was to be able to interact with Burton’s monstrous world in a physical sense. For Delores' resurrection scene, Burton orchestrated a choreography of body parts that Bellucci had to learn. Prior to the actress coming in,they filmed the scene with doublesthat wore black sleeves over the body parts that were to be Delores' separated limbs. The doubles enacted the movements and trajectory of the body parts, which Bellucci later went on to perform herself in one single action.
Tim Burton Breaks Down Beetlejuice Beetlejuice’s Process, Performances & Practical Effects
Beetlejuice Beetlejuice director Tim Burton explains why the sequel took 36 years, and how Michael Keaton made time disappear.
The director took a lot of inspiration from the process ofThing’s hand actor onWednesday, Victor Dorobantu. On the Netflix show, Dorobantu wore a blue suit that covered 90% of his body — which was to be erased. The actor’s hand underwent a three-hour prosthetic process so it looked like a detached limb from every position.Part of Bellucci’s body was eliminatedusing a similar suit, and the doubles' body parts were altered and made up in a similar fashion so they looked like cut limbs.
Beetlejuice 2 Used Multiple Actors To Film Delores' Separated Body Parts As A “Live Event”
Bellucci Interacted With Multiple Actors' Limbs As If They Were Her Own In Beetlejuice 2
Belluci had to work in collaboration with multiple actors who performed as Delores' separated body parts.The actress manipulated her teammates' moving limbs with her own hands, creating the illusion that she was reattaching parts of herself. As Delores stapled herself back together piece by piece, Bellucci had to incorporate her previously inanimate and erased body parts as if they had regained activity.
The result is shockingly good, considering the difficult process that goes behind a scene like this — where each body part has to be illuminated in a specific way.
AlthoughWednesday’s Thing has a similar process in that the actor has to interact with objects, sets, and other performers,Beetlejuice Beetlejuicemarked Burton’s first multiple detached live limbs feat. The result is shockingly good, considering the difficult process that goes behind a scene like this — where each body part has to be illuminated in a specific way, so the rest of the actors' bodies don’t cast a shadow over the set and give away their presence. It is fortunate that Burton is an aficionado of practical effects, for his determination to realize his vision really paid off.
How Much Of Delores' Resurrection Sequence Was Made Digitally
The Use Of CGI Was Kept To A Minimum Throughout Beetlejuice 2
The detailed and carefully plannedpractical effects inBeetlejuice Beetlejuicewere responsible for most of the actual visualsof the movie, with CGI being used only when everything else failed. Delores' resurrection scene was no different — the moving parts were performed by real people and even the color and stapled aspect of the skin were done by artists. CGI was used to put everything together and, of course, to paint out the bodies the limbs were attached to. This also includes specific and miniature body movements like Monica Bellucci’s split face, detached ear, or the red insides of the appendages.
Beetlejuice 2’s Big Italian Flashback Scene Was Originally Completely Different, And It Totally Changes Michael Keaton’s Character
Tim Burton filmed one flashback scene in Beetlejuice Beetlejuice, completely different from the finalised version, and it worked out for the better.
Burton’s reliance on crude but enticing practical effects has been said to be responsible forBeetlejuice 2’s international box office record. In an interview with theLos Angeles Times, Christine Bundell, head of hair and makeup, explains thatBurton’s method was like a breath of fresh airagainst the industry’s otherwise heavy reliance on CGI. Elements like Delores' resurrection, Charles Deetz’s stop-motion death sequence, and the shrunken-heads' room carry the Burtonian stamp and leave a lingering impression on audiences.
In an exclusive behind-the-scenes video shared byPeople, actor Michael Keaton praisedBeetlejuice Beetlejuice’sback-to-basics visual effects. He explained, “I don’t think people realize why they like it. They don’t consciously know. Butthere’s that feeling that somebody actually made it, you know? Like hand-made it.” Surely, Burton made the right call — whether this will inspire other directors to venture into their own practical effects feats remains to be seen.
Beetlejuice Beetlejuice
Cast
Beetlejuice Beetlejuice is the sequel to the original Tim Burton classic that starred Michael Keaton and Wynona Rider in a horror-comedy that involved ghosts trying to scare off new homebuyers from taking their house. The sequel brings back Michael Keaton as the hilarious and sleazy ghost with selfish intentions, now joined by Jenna Ortega in a new role.
