How Beetlejuice 2 Filmed Delores’ Resurrection Sequence (2024)

A lot of interest has gone into explaining how Tim Burton created Delores' resurrection scene in Beetlejuice 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's Alice in Wonderland as well as standing out for his dark, but appealing, stop-motion projects Corpse Bride and Frankenweenie.

Discussing the long-time coming sequel over the years, Burton decided it would not only need to feature the return of Beetlejuice'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 the reasons for Beetlejuice 2's good reviews. Delores' introduction scene, particularly, stands out for its convincing mechanics and crude feel.

Monica Bellucci Had To Learn A "Choreography" Of Assembling The Body Parts

Tim Burton Derived His Inspiration For Delores' Resurrection From Wednesday's Thing

In Monica Belluci's interview for Beetlejuice 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 doubles that 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.

The director took a lot of inspiration from the process of Thing's hand actor on Wednesday, 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 eliminated using 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.

Although Wednesday's Thing has a similar process in that the actor has to interact with objects, sets, and other performers, Beetlejuice Beetlejuice marked 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 planned practical effects in Beetlejuice Beetlejuice were responsible for most of the actual visuals of 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.

Burton's reliance on crude but enticing practical effects has been said to be responsible for Beetlejuice 2's international box office record. In an interview with the Los Angeles Times, Christine Bundell, head of hair and makeup, explains that Burton's method was like a breath of fresh air against 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 by People, actor Michael Keaton praised Beetlejuice Beetlejuice's back-to-basics visual effects. He explained, "I don't think people realize why they like it. They don't consciously know. But there'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.

Sources: Los Angeles Times, People

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Beetlejuice Beetlejuice

Comedy

Supernatural

Fantasy

Horror

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.

Director

Tim Burton

Release Date

September 6, 2024

Distributor(s)

Warner Bros. Pictures

Writers

Alfred Gough , Miles Millar , Mike Vukadinovich , Seth Grahame-Smith , Michael McDowell , Larry Wilson

Cast

Michael Keaton , Winona Ryder , Catherine O'Hara , Jenna Ortega , Justin Theroux , Willem Dafoe , Monica Bellucci , Arthur Conti , Nick Kellington , Santiago Cabrera , Burn Gorman , Danny DeVito , Sami Slimane , Amy Nuttall , Mark Heenehan , Charlie Hopkinson , Liv Spencer , Skylar Park , Matthew Lyons , Jane Leaney , David Ayres , Sophie Holland , Walles Hamonde

Runtime

104 Minutes