Beetlejuice (1988)

A recently-deceased husband and wife commission a bizarre demon to drive an obnoxious family out of their home.

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 | teenage girl | black comedy | surrealism | attic | 

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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:

Beetle Juice

Filming Locations:

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

When Barbara is frustrated after failing to scare the Deetz's, she says to Adam: "What's the good of being a ghost if you can't frighten people away?" When she says this Mr. Deetz is reading a magazine with an add on the back that states: "Hands-On Experience Required." This is a subtle allusion to the importance of Beetlejuice in the film's plot, and something the Maitland's don't have, due to their being recently deceased.

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Goofs

Otho opens a can of spray-paint and hands it to Delia, who opens it again.

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Quotes

Adam: It's the first day of our vacation, and you haven't been out of the kitchen since five a.m.
Barbara: [proudly] I always make the flag cake.
Adam: Fifty stars, thirteen stripes. Did you get it right this year?

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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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Connections

Referenced in DVD-R Hell: Pagan Invasion: Halloween, Trick or Treat? - Part 1 (2013)

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Soundtracks

Day-O
Traditional, lyrics by William A. Attaway and Irving Burgie
[Incorrectly credited as written by William A. Attaway & Irving Burgie (as Lord Burgess)]
Performed by Harry Belafonte
Courtesy of RCA Records

User Reviews

Tim Burton is awesome!

Tim Burton's Beetlejuice is a great film. The director was given free reign to make his own film visually and it is great. The casting is good, but the standout is Michael Keaton. Keaton is absolutely hilarious in the title role. This movie is very funny and well done.