When The Republicans Summoned “Beetlejuice”

In the 1988 horror-comedy Beetlejuice, Alec Baldwin and Geena Davis play Barbara & Adam Maitland, an idyllic couple living in their idyllic country home in Connecticut.

Through a freak accident, they die only to discover that they are now left to haunt their own house.  Sometime later the rather avant-garde Dietz family move in with the intention of totally renovating and redesigning the house much to the chagrin of the Maitlands. 

When their initial attempts to haunt the Dietz’s out prove unsuccessful the increasingly desperate couple turn to a poltergeist named Beetlejuice to remove the Dietzs.  Although warned not to summon Beetlejuice, the Maitlands brush aside any concerns in their goal to get the Dietz’s out of their house.  Of course, Bettlejuice is let loose and madness ensues wreaking havoc on both families and their guests.

Re-watching the film last night I couldn’t help but see the parallels with the political drama that has unfolded in America the last few years.

The Maitlands embody the conservative America the Republican “base” dreams of.  Plaid shirt-wearing Adam Maitland whiles away his time painting miniature figurines in the attic of their gorgeous country home as Barbara, clad in a simple summer dress dotes on her husband as they enjoy the simple rustic life they made together. 

But then the Maitlands die.

Despite this sad turn, they continue to enjoy their afterlife existence within their beautiful Connecticut home …

… until into that idyllic setup barges the Dietzs who represents everything the Maitlands’ deplore.  They are elitist, smug know-it-alls who want to, with the help of their flamboyant (read “gay”) interior designer, remake the house in their own image complete with loud colors, wild designs, and gauche modern art. 

 

The idea of their quaint house and existence being upended by the Dietzs sends the Maitlands into a frenzied strategy to evict the intruders and Make Their House Great Again.  But like the Maitland’s crude attempts to haunt their uninvited guests out, the Defense of Marriage Act, Don’t Ask Don’t Tell, abortion restriction laws, and policies designed to protect Christianity’s preeminent position in American society did little to slow the ever-increasing diversity and inclusivity that was transforming the cultural landscape.  

Then along comes Beetlejuice, the demonic poltergeist, who begins to send advertisements to the Maitlands offering his unique services to do what they have been unable to do; clear the Dietzs out.  Likewise along came Donald Trump in 2011 calling into question Barak Obama’s heritage and place of birth.

Although laughed off by Blue State America as nonsense, Trump successfully used the antic as a dog-whistle advertisement to a large section of Red State America who started to think this might just be the guy needed to clear out the country’s “progressive” infestation.

Of course, we know from the film what happens.  Despite being warned of the awful consequences that may result the Maitlands summon Beetlejuice and the chaos begins.  At first, the Maitlands are thrilled as Beetlejuice haunts, ridicules, and humiliates the liberal Dietzs’. The previous warnings they had been given were just examples of Beetlejuice Derangement Syndrome and Adam & Barbara gleefully retire that evening comforted that they picked the right man for the job.

But then things take a downturn as Beetlejuice’s antics begin to get more mean and more dangerous.  Chaos ensues, the stakes get raised, and people start getting hurt.  The Maitlands begin to have second thoughts about the whole Beetlejuice thing.

On January 6, 2021 America looked on in horror as our nation’s capitol was ransacked at the behest of our very own Trumpian poltergeist. What started four years earlier as the incredible enjoyment of watching the “liberals” get mocked, ridiculed, and “owned” had turned violent and deadly.  Some Republicans even regretted having ever summoned Beetlejuice.

The film Beetlejuice does have a happy ending though and suggests a possible way forward for America to heal and reconcile. The Dietzs and the Maitlands learn to live together.  Having together successfully banished Beetlejuice, Adam Maitland continues to while away the afternoons with wife Barbara creating his miniature model landscapes upstairs while the Dietzs’ enjoy their eccentric lifestyle as well downstairs.  Both families find a little harmony and maybe, just maybe, the other side wasn’t so bad after all.

The house it turns out in the end was big enough for both of them both all along.

Peace,

Steve