Beetlejuice (1988) Beetle Juice (original title)

Director:

Tim Burton

Writers:

Michael McDowell (story) &
Larry Wilson (story) ...
(more)

Release Date:

30 March 1988 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy | Fantasy

Tagline:

Say it once... Say it twice... But we dare you to say it THREE TIMES

Plot:

A couple of recently deceased ghosts contract the services of a "bio-exorcist" in order to remove the obnoxious new owners of their house.

Plot Keywords:

Ghost | Yuppie | Attic | Car Crash | Drink As Title

Awards:

Won Oscar. Another 6 wins & 10 nominations

Cast

Alec Baldwin	...	Adam Maitland
Geena Davis	...	Barbara Maitland
Annie McEnroe	...	Jane Butterfield
Maurice Page	...	Ernie
Hugo Stanger	...	Old Bill
Michael Keaton	...	Beetlejuice
Rachel Mittelman	...	Little Jane Butterfield
Catherine O'Hara	...	Delia Deetz
J. Jay Saunders	...	Moving Man #1
Mark Ettlinger	...	Moving Man #2
Jeffrey Jones	...	Charles Deetz
Winona Ryder	...	Lydia Deetz
Glenn Shadix	...	Otho
Patrice Martinez	...	Receptionist
Cindy Daly	...	3-Fingered Typist (as Cynthia Daly)
Douglas Turner	...	Char Man
Carmen Filpi	...	Messenger
Simmy Bow	...	Janitor
Sylvia Sidney	...	Juno
Robert Goulet	...	Maxie Dean
Dick Cavett	...	Bernard
Susan Kellermann	...	Grace
Adelle Lutz	...	Beryl
Gary Jochimsen	...	Dumb Football Player
Bob Pettersen	...	Dumb Football Player #2
Duane Davis	...	Very Dumb Football Player
Maree Cheatham	...	Sarah Dean (as Marie Cheatham)
Tony Cox	...	Preacher
Jack Angel	...	Preacher (voice)
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Harry Belafonte	...	The Balladeer (voice) (uncredited)
Charles Schneider	...	The Hanging Man (uncredited)

Directed by
Tim Burton

Writing credits
Michael McDowell		(story) &
Larry Wilson		(story)
Michael McDowell		(screenplay) and
Warren Skaaren		(screenplay)

Produced by
Michael Bender	....	producer
Richard Hashimoto	....	producer
June Petersen	....	assistant producer
Larry Wilson	....	producer
Eric Angelson	....	associate producer (uncredited)

Original Music by
Danny Elfman

Cinematography by
Thomas E. Ackerman		(director of photography) (as Thomas Ackerman)

Film Editing by
Jane Kurson

Casting by
Janet Hirshenson
Jane Jenkins

Production Design by
Bo Welch

Art Direction by
Tom Duffield

Set Decoration by
Catherine Mann

Costume Design by
Aggie Guerard Rodgers

Makeup Department
Steve LaPorte	....	makeup artist
Ve Neill	....	makeup artist
Robert Short	....	effects makeup artist
Yolanda Toussieng	....	hair stylist
Dale Brady	....	special makeup effects artist (uncredited)
Thomas Floutz	....	special makeup effects artist: crew (uncredited)
Bill Forsche	....	Barbara/Adam transformation assistant (uncredited)
Jon Curtis Price	....	special makeup effects artist (uncredited)
Matt Rose	....	special makeup effects artist (uncredited)

Production Management
Eric Angelson	....	production supervisor: The Geffen Company
Donald Heitzer	....	unit production manager (as Don Heitzer)

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
K.C. Colwell	....	second assistant director
Jerry Fleck	....	second assistant director
Bill Scott	....	first assistant director

Art Department
Paul J. Campanella	....	stand-by painter (as Paul Campanella)
Cheryl Carasik	....	lead person
Gary F. Kieldrup	....	assistant property master (as Gary Kieldrup)
Richard McKenzie	....	set designer (as Dick McKenzie)
Dan Ondrejko	....	greensman
Dan Pemberton	....	propmaker
William A. Petrotta	....	property master (as Bill Petrotta)
Robert Scaife	....	construction coordinator (as Bob Scaife)
Douglas Turner	....	creative construction supervisor: Short effects crew
John Warnke	....	set designer
Scot Broadus	....	model maker (uncredited)
Michael D. Costello	....	scenic artist (uncredited)
Michael Denering	....	scenic artist (uncredited)
Glenn Forbes	....	assistant property master (uncredited)
Allan Johnson	....	miniature landscape: topographical landscape (uncredited)
Jack Johnson	....	illustrator (uncredited)
Pola Shreiber	....	assistant property master (uncredited)
Craig Talmy	....	sculptor (uncredited)
John Villarino	....	propmaker foreman (uncredited)
Mike Villarino	....	construction foreman (uncredited)
Clyde Zimmerman	....	paint supervisor (uncredited)

Sound Department
Richard L. Anderson	....	supervising sound editor (as Richard Anderson)
Mary Andrews	....	supervising adr editor
Tom Durell	....	cable operator
Gil Haimsohn	....	assistant sound editor (as Gilbert Haimsohn)
Warren Hamilton Jr.	....	sound editor
Gregg Landaker	....	sound re-recording mixer
Steve Maslow	....	sound re-recording mixer
Kevin O'Connell	....	sound re-recording mixer
Mark Pappas	....	sound editor
David M. Ronne	....	production sound mixer (as David Ronne)
John B. Schuyler	....	boom operator (as John Schuyler)
David E. Stone	....	sound editor (as David Stone)
Jeffrey Wilhoit	....	foley artist

Special Effects by
Joe Day	....	special effects
Edward J. Franklin	....	special effects crew
Chuck Gaspar	....	special effects supervisor
Elmer Hui	....	special effects
William Lee	....	special effects
Thomas Mertz	....	special effects (as Tom Mertz)
Jeffrey A. Wischnack	....	special effects (as Jeff Wischnak)
Gary D. Bierend	....	special effects crew (uncredited)
Yancy Calzada	....	special effects department (uncredited)
Joerg Fiederer	....	special effects crew (uncredited)

Visual Effects by
David Beasley	....	model shop supervisor: Short effects crew
James Belohovek	....	miniature production
Beverly Bernacki	....	optical effects
Doug Beswick	....	visual effects: sandworm sequence
William S. Conner	....	optical effects (as William Conner)
Thomas Conti	....	miniature production
Jammie Friday	....	animation production
Spencer Gill	....	optical effects
Rick Heinrichs	....	visual effects consultant
Rick Kess	....	miniature production
Peter Kuran	....	visual effects
Tim Lawrence	....	visual effects: Barbara/Adam transportation
Jo Martin	....	optical effects
James D. McGeachy	....	construction supervisor: short effects crew (as James McGeachy)
Alan Munro	....	visual effects supervisor
Mark Myer	....	animation production
Sarah Pasanen	....	optical effects
Ted Rae	....	visual effects: snake sequence
Jacqueline Zietlow	....	visual effects coordinator
Jim Aupperle	....	stop-motion camera (uncredited)
Les Bernstien	....	visual effects (uncredited)
Tom Gleason	....	miniature effects unit: model maker (uncredited)
Steve Koch	....	miniatures (uncredited)
Stuart Land	....	sculptor (uncredited)
Mike Smithson	....	stop-motion fabrication (uncredited)
David Stump	....	visual effects cameraman (uncredited)
Chris Woodward	....	visual effects camera assistant: VCE (uncredited)

Stunts
Michael Cassidy	....	stunts (as Mike Cassidy)
Carl Ciarfalio	....	stunts
Shinko Isobe	....	stunts
Maria R. Kelly	....	stunts (as Maria Kelly)
Di Ann Lerner	....	stunts
Fred Lerner	....	stunt coordinator
Fred Lerner	....	stunts
James Lerner	....	stunts
Beth Nufer	....	stunts
Noon Orsatti	....	stunts
Mary Peters	....	stunts
Patrick Puccinelli	....	stunts (as Pat Puccinelli)
Anthony G. Schmidt	....	stunts (as Anthony Schmidt)
Cris Thomas-Palomino	....	stunts (as Cris Thomas Palomino)
Fred Waugh	....	stunts

Camera and Electrical Department
Patricia Harrison	....	second assistant camera (as Patty Harrison)
Douglas Knapp	....	camera operator (as Doug Knapp)
Michael Laws	....	assistant chief lighting technician
Jane O'Neal	....	still photographer
David L. Parrish	....	first assistant camera (as David Parrish)
Mark Pearson	....	best boy grip
Ted Rhodes	....	key grip
Bill Silic	....	chief lighting technician
George Stephenson	....	camera operator
Albert Hood	....	electrician (uncredited)
William M. Weberg	....	grip (uncredited)

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Linda Henrikson	....	costume supervisor
Betty Jean Slater	....	wardrobe
Chuck Velasco	....	costume supervisor

Editorial Department
Louis Benioff	....	assistant editor
John Collier Bennett	....	post-production assistant (uncredited)

Music Department
Bob Badami	....	music editor
Steve Bartek	....	orchestrator
Robert Fernandez	....	music scoring mixer (as Bob Fernandez)
Nancy Fogarty	....	music editor
William Ross	....	conductor
Tom Boyd	....	musician: oboe soloist (uncredited)
Tommy Johnson	....	musician: tuba (uncredited)
James Thatcher	....	musician: French horn (uncredited)

Transportation Department
Don Newton	....	transportation coordinator

Other crew
Chrissy Bocchino	....	choreographer
Kevin Carlson	....	puppeteer
Robert Dawson	....	title designer
Luba Dmytryk	....	production coordinator
Pablo Ferro	....	title designer
Ira Friedlander	....	assistant accountant
Linda Frobos	....	lead puppet sculptor: Short effects crew
Mary F. Galloway	....	location manager (as Mary Galloway)
Pete Gerard	....	mechanical effects supervisor: Short effects crew
Sandey Grinn	....	puppeteer (as Sandy Grinn)
James D. McGeachy	....	puppeteer (as James McGeachy)
Ralph B. Meyer	....	production associate (as Ralph Meyer)
Steve Newman	....	unit publicist
Ed Nunnery	....	sculptures designer: Delia's sculptures
Susan Spencer Robbins	....	assistant: Mr. Hashimoto
Carol Sevilla	....	script supervisor
Robert Short	....	creature designer
Barbara Slifka	....	production executive: Short effects crew (as Barbara Stephans Slifka)
Van Snowden	....	puppeteer
Fred Spencer	....	puppeteer
Jane Stewart	....	researcher
Ramona Villarrial	....	production accountant (as Ramona Dorene Villarrial)
Mark Bryan Wilson	....	puppeteer
Michael Peavey	....	helicopter pilot (uncredited)

Production Companies

• Geffen Company, The

Distributors

• Warner Bros (1988) (USA) (theatrical)
• Chapel Distribution (1997) (Australia) (theatrical)
• Warner Bros. Finland (1988) (Finland) (theatrical)
• Warner Bros. (1988) (Argentina) (theatrical)
• Warner Bros. (1988) (Germany) (theatrical)
• Warner Bros. (1988) (UK) (theatrical)
• Warner Bros. (1989) (Netherlands) (theatrical)
• Warner Bros. (1988) (Sweden) (theatrical)
• Argentina Video Home (1988) (Argentina) (VHS)
• Argentina Video Home (1999) (Argentina) (DVD)
• CBS Television Network (1990) (USA) (TV)
• Fazer Musiikki Oy/Fazer Video (????) (Finland) (VHS)
• Sandrews (1999) (Sweden) (DVD)
• Warner Home Video (1989) (West Germany) (VHS)
• Warner Home Video (1998) (Germany) (DVD)
• Warner Home Video (1999) (Finland) (DVD)
• Warner Home Video (1999) (UK) (DVD)
• Warner Home Video (2008) (Sweden) (DVD) (Blu-Ray Disc)
• Warner Home Video (19??) (USA) (VHS)
• Warner Home Video (2008) (USA) (DVD) (Blu-Ray Disc) (20th anniversary edition)
• Yleisradio (YLE) (1994) (Finland) (TV)

Special Effects

• Visual Concept Engineering (VCE)

Other Companies

• Chapman/Leonard Studio Equipment  camera cranes
• Chapman/Leonard Studio Equipment  camera dollies
• Dream Quest Images  model town
• Inter Video  24 frame video services

Also Known As:

"Beetle Juice" - USA (original title)

Runtime:

92 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Certification:

Argentina:13 (original rating) | Australia:M | Finland:K-12 | Israel:PG | New Zealand:PG | Norway:15 | Peru:PT | Singapore:PG | Sweden:15 | UK:15 | USA:PG (Approved #28914) | Canada:PG | Iceland:12 | Spain:T | Ireland:15 | South Korea:All | France:Unrated | Germany:12 | West Germany:12 (f) | Portugal:M/12 | Argentina:Atp (re-rating) | Sweden:11 (re-rating) | Brazil:Livre

Filming Locations:

Culver Studios - 9336 W. Washington Blvd., Culver City, California, USA

Company:

Geffen Company, The

Trivia:

Catherine O'Hara was a replacement for an ill Anjelica Huston as Delia. On the set she met her future husband, production designer Bo Welch.

Goofs:

Continuity: When Beetlejuice switches his number with the voodoo guy he drops his number on his lap and it falls between his legs. Then when he picks it up it's to the left of his legs.

Quotes:

Lydia:Mr. and Mrs. Maitland? Hello? Where are you?
Betelgeuse:Dead. Dead, dead, deadski.
Lydia:Of course they're dead. They're ghosts.
Betelgeuse:No, I mean they're gone, split, out of here, afterlife kids, deceased-ahh.
Lydia:Are you a ghost too?
Betelgeuse:I'm a ghost with the most, babe.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "Demo Reel: The Dark Knight Begins Rising (#1.1)" (2012)

Soundtrack:

The Light Cavalry

That quote "And it keeps getting funnier every single time I see it" will be put to good use

Once again I'm not sure exactly how to start this comment other than to praise Tim Burton, Beetlejuice is a movie that was based on his idea and is still remembered to this very day. He picked a great leading male, Michael Keaton as well as to pick a very strong cast that turned into what could have been a total flop into a cult classic that will be remembered for ages to come. Beetlejuice is a very strange movie that explores life after death, turning into a ghost and having to accept that you died, now move on. But what if there was one ghost who maybe had too much fun and just wanted to rock the living world? That's what Beetlejuice is about, the one zombie that you'd love to party with once but then ignore at the next party he's invited too.

Barbara and Adam Maitland decide to spend their vacation decorating their idyllic New England country home. Upon returning from the trip to town, however, Barbara swerves to avoid a dog wandering the roadway. The couple's vehicle crashes through a covered bridge and plunges into the river below, killing Barbara and Adam. The couple soon returns home in spirit form and quickly come to the conclusion that they are dead. A book entitled Handbook for the Recently Deceased confirms the couple's suspicion that they are, in fact, dead. Barbara and Adam's peace is soon shattered when their house is sold and the new residents arrive from New York City. Charles Deetz, aspiring sculptor and Charles' second wife Delia, and Charles' goth daughter Lydia from his first marriage, move into the home. Juno, who informs Barbara and Adam that they must remain in the house for 125 years. If they want the Deetzes out, it is up to them to scare them away. Although the Maitlands remain invisible to Charles and Delia, their daughter Lydia can see Adam and Barbara and becomes their friend. Against the advice of Juno, the Maitlands contact the miscreant Betelgeuse, a freelance "bio-exorcist", to scare away the Deetzes, but they have their hands full now with this crazy psycho.

Beetlejuice is an awesome movie, it's one of the funniest movies you'll see. I will be honest, it's a strange humor as it's a dark comedy, but it's all good. Seriously Michael Keaton is such a great comedic actor, he was the perfect choice, he brought the right amount of cockiness and comedy to the role. Also Geena Davis and Alec Baldwin had great chemistry as well as the perfect Leave it to Beaver-esquire type of couple that has a hard time accepting their world as the afterlife. Jeffrey Jones, Catherine O'Hara and Winona Ryder were perfect as the Deetzes, quite disturbing and awkward. I highly recommend this movie if you get the chance to see it, it's a great comedy classic.

10/10