mr_tulip

“Children’s Games”

Wall paper takes the form of blue, lively flames as it is torn from the wall by two young girls. (1) What is revealed is striking and puzzling body parts that ambiguously form a stomach and a vagina. (2) These two body parts sit on the wall like pieces of art, almost rectangular in shape. The one that is like a vagina has one of the young girl’s hair inserted in it. The long curly hair is suspended above the child’s head to reveal an unusual outfit. Her dress seems to be open in the back from her neck to her buttocks. This cut out is shaped like a tree. The roots reach through the wrinkles of her skirt and her hair becomes branches blowing in the wind. (3) The other figure in a light blue dress that is fuller than the other child’s. It does not weigh her down. It is lively, possessing the qualities of flames that the torn wallpaper has. There is a third figure that could be missed completely. Half of what seems to be a child’s legs laying on the ground protrudes from the bottom of the image. Without the visual of the rest of the body, the viewer is left wondering why she is lying there. When your eyes make it past the girls, further into the dark hallway you see what appears a doorway. (4) It is open with blue sky and possibly a landscape of sorts. There seems to be hope within the chaotic, disturbing scene.

(1) The energy of this piece, the feeling that so many elements are moving, makes it feel almost cinematic and really adds to the “unreal” nature of the piece.

(2) Tanning is interested in the body and sexuality especially in conjunction with “innocent” girls. 

(3) This unusual outfit choice adds to the dream-like quality of the painting. The morphing of a girl’s dress into a tree form would only present itself in a dream.

Burton said Beetlejuice’s origin story was like the prologue to a Fellini movie, so it had to be told in black and white and Italian with an overall visual style like those in Fellini's movies.

One of Fellini's most successful films, Toby Dammit (1968), looks like it could have possibly inspired the appearance of Betelgeuse? Just a little hunch I had, since it seems Lydia's design was inspired by the witch in Mario Bava's Black Sunday (1960), another giallo movie which Betelgeuse's backstory takes reference from :)

Toby Dammit is a film about a debauched actor who is tormented by the devil, based on a story by Edgar Allan Poe. It could be totally off, but watching this film, his unique look, the painted white face, bleached hair and purple-shadowed eyes kept reminding me of Betelgeuse's appearance, especially now that we have seen his backstory.