Beetlejuice (1988)

The spirits of a deceased couple are harassed by an unbearable family that has moved into their home, and hire a malicious spirit to drive them out.

Director:

Tim Burton

Writers:

Michael McDowell (story), Larry Wilson (story)

Stars:

Alec Baldwin, Geena Davis, Michael Keaton

Won 1 Oscar. Another 6 wins & 11 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Alec Baldwin	...	Adam
Geena Davis	...	Barbara
Annie McEnroe	...	Jane Butterfield
Maurice Page	...	Ernie
Hugo Stanger	...	Old Bill
Michael Keaton	...	Betelgeuse
Rachel Mittelman	...	Little Jane
Catherine O'Hara	...	Delia
J. Jay Saunders	...	Moving Man #1
Mark Ettlinger	...	Moving Man #2
Jeffrey Jones	...	Charles
Winona Ryder	...	Lydia
Glenn Shadix	...	Otho
Patrice Martinez	...	Receptionist
Cindy Daly	...	3-Fingered Typist (as Cynthia Daly)

Storyline

Adam and Barbara are a normal couple...who happen to be dead. They have given their precious time to decorate their house and make it their own, but unfortunately a family is moving in, and not quietly. Adam and Barbara try to scare them out, but end up becoming the main attraction to the money making family. They call upon Beetlejuice to help, but Beetlejuice has more in mind than just helping.

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Plot Keywords:

ghost | attic | teenage girl | black comedy | shrunken head | 

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Taglines:

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

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Genres:

Comedy | Fantasy

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Certificate:

PG

Details

Official Sites:

Official Facebook

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

30 March 1988 (USA)

Also Known As:

The Maitlands

Filming Locations:

Masonic Hall, East Corinth, Vermont, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$15,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend USA:

$8,000,000, 3 April 1988

Gross USA:

$73,707,461

Company Credits

Production Co:

The Geffen Company

Technical Specs

Runtime:

92 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby Stereo Dolby Surround 7.1 (Blu-ray release) Dolby Digital (DVD version)

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Michael Keaton ad-libbed 90% of his lines.

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Goofs

In the attic, just before he draws the door, the book that Adam is holding is repeatedly open/closed between shots.

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Quotes

[Head spins wildly and begins shrieking]
Beetlejuice: Don't you hate it when that happens?

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Crazy Credits

When the Geffen Company logo appears, it is accompanied by a ghoulish version of the Banana Boat song (sung by the film's composer Danny Elfman).

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Alternate Versions

When Disney bought the rights to Beetlejuice to air on the Disney Channel, they cut out several scenes including: The scene of a second Sandworm head emerging from the mouth of another one. In the original version, when Adam and Barbara leave the model, Beetlejuice kicks over a model tree, screams "Wow! Nice F---ing model!" and then makes honking sounds while he yanks himself in an obscene way. In the Disney version he kicks over the tree, spits, and stares up at Adam and Barbara. Several scenes of Beetlejuice attacking the Deitz family as a snake were removed. The scene where the receptionist in the Afterlife Waiting room reveals she killed herself was removed A scene during the dance number where the Deitz's all moon each other was removed

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Connections

Referenced in Charlie and the Chocolate Factory (2005)

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Soundtracks

Sweethart from Venezuela
Written by Fitzroy Alexander and Robert Gordon (as Bob Gordon)
Performed by Harry Belafonte
Music arranger Robert Gordon
Courtesy of RCA Records

User Reviews

Creativity at its best

With ghosts and the dead, one would normally anticipate a horror movie loaded with screams and gory figures. But in Beetlejuice, we see a new dimension humour being experimented with.

Taking into the account that the movie was made in 1988 with limited special effects, Beetlejuice could be simply labelled as "creativity at its best".

Tim Burton is a pure visionary and with this movie you cannot help but appreciate the amount of creativity he has and his ability to translate it to screen.

Acting is top-rate from all fronts. One can't help but admire promising young Winona Ryder - a flower ready to bloom.

It would take a couple of viewings to be appreciate the movie in totality.