Beetlejuice: The Complete Series
DVD
Created by: Tim Burton
Director: Robin Budd
Voice Cast: Stephen Ouimette, Alyson Court, Elizabeth Hanna, Roger Dunn, Tara Strong, Len Carlson, Susan Roman
Shout! Factory
Rated TV-PG | 2160 Minutes
Release Date: May 28, 2013

Though I know I should be wary,
Still I venture someplace scary;
Ghostly haunting I turn loose…
Beetlejuice, Beetlejuice, BEETLEJUICE!

Winner of the 1990 Daytime Emmy for Outstanding Animated Program, Beetlejuice: The Series was created by Executive producers Tim Burton and David Geffen and ran on ABC and FOX from 1989 to 1992.

Featuring music by Danny Elfman and the vocal talent of Tabitha St. Germain (My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic), Stephen Ouimette (X-Men: The Animated Series), and Alyson Court (Resident Evil), Beetlejuice: The Complete Series is now available as an Amazon exclusive DVD set from Shout! Factory that’s a must-have for fans of Burton’s Ghost with the Most.

The animated series focuses on teenage goth girl Lydia Deetz (Court) and everyone’s favorite poltergeist prankster Beetlejuice (Ouimette) as they explore The Neitherworld, a wacky realm inhabited by monsters, ghosts, ghouls, and the undead.

Beetlejuice: The Complete Series includes all 94 episodes from the shows’s 4-season run. That’s 2160 minutes of macabre mayhem; 36 hours of classic hand-drawn animation of sandworms (Ya hate ’em right? I HATE ‘EM MYSELF!). Beetlejuice: The Series led to other spooky kids’ cartoons like The Addams Family, Tales from the Cryptkeeper, and Aaahh!!! Real Monsters.

Like The Real Ghostbusters, Beetlejuice: The Series was a way for kids to enjoy the further adventures of their favorite movie characters. I have several fond memories of playing with my Ghostbusters and Beetlejuice toys on Saturday mornings while watching Lydia and Beetlejuice hang out with the Monster Across the Street (a tall, hairy creature in a cowboy hat) and Ginger (a pink tap-dancing spider).

It’s fun to revisit these classic cartoons if only to see beyond the cool creatures and gross-out humor and appreciate the show’s witty dialogue and satirical storylines. While it’s a straight-forward formulaic cartoon, Beetlejuice: The Series is still insanely original and fresh for a series that’s nearly 25 years old.

Unfortunately, Shout! Factory’s Amazon-exclusive box set doesn’t include any supplemental features. The impressive set offers 94 episodes on 12 discs, but don’t expect commentaries, animatics, or behind-the-scenes featurettes on the making of the series. It would have been nice to hear Burton’s thoughts on the show and the enduring popularity of the character and give us an update about that long-gestating sequel.

At $75, Beetlejuice: The Complete Series might be a bit pricy for casual fans of Burton’s bug-eating ghoul, but this collection will no doubt appeal to a niche audience craving ’80s and early ’90s nostalgia. Now if you’ll excuse me, I’m going to use this Zagnut candy bar to lure a gigantic housefly into my grave-lair.

Trailer:

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