Beetle Juice (1988)

Director:

Tim Burton

Writers:

Michael McDowell (screenplay)
Michael McDowell (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 | Car Crash | Attic | Spiritual Show

Awards:

Won Oscar. Another 6 wins & 8 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	...	Voice of Preacher (voice)
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Charles Schneider	...	The Hanging Man (uncredited)

Directed by
Tim Burton

Writing credits (in alphabetical order)
Tim Burton		story (uncredited)
Michael McDowell		screenplay
Michael McDowell		story
Warren Skaaren		writer
Larry Wilson		story

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		(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)
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
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)
Glenn Forbes	....	assistant property master (uncredited)
Jack Johnson	....	illustrator (uncredited)
John Villarino	....	propmaker foreman (uncredited)
Mike Villarino	....	construction foreman (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 M. Waugh	....	stunts (as Fred Waugh)

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
William Silic	....	chief lighting technician (as Bill Silic)
George Stephenson	....	camera operator
Albert Hood	....	electrician (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
Tommy Johnson	....	musician: tuba (uncredited)

Transportation Department
Don Newton	....	transportation coordinator

Other crew
Chrissy Bocchino	....	choreographer
Kevin Carlson	....	puppeteer
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
Sandy Grinn	....	puppeteer
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. Pictures (1988) (USA) (theatrical)
• Chapel Distribution (1997) (Australia) (theatrical)
• Warner Bros. Finland (1988) (Finland) (theatrical)
• Warner Bros. (1988) (Germany) (theatrical)
• Warner Bros. (1988) (UK) (theatrical)
• Warner Bros. (1989) (Netherlands) (theatrical)
• Warner Bros. (1988) (Sweden) (theatrical)
• Argentina Video Home (19??) (Argentina) (VHS)
• 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:

Beetlejuice (USA) (alternative spelling)
The Maitlands (USA) (working title)

Runtime:

92 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Certification:

Spain:T | Ireland:15 | South Korea:All | France:Unrated | West Germany:12 (f) | Germany:12 | Portugal:M/12 | Argentina:13 | Australia:M | Chile:TE | Finland:K-12 | Israel:PG | New Zealand:PG | Norway:15 | Peru:PT | Singapore:PG | Sweden:15 | UK:15 | USA:PG | Canada:PG | Iceland:12

Filming Locations:

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

Company:

Geffen Company, The

Trivia:

Tim Burton originally wanted Sammy Davis Jr., a favorite star of his since childhood, to play the role of Betelgeuse but studio executives didn't like that idea at all.

Goofs:

Continuity: When Beetlejuice becomes a snake hand-railing, he reaches for Charles' shoes. When you look at his shoes, the tops are red. But when he gets pulled out of the room, his shoes are completely black.

Quotes:

[first lines]
Adam: [about a spider on his hand] Now that's a big fella! Whoa!

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "Muppet Babies: Six to Eight Weeks (#6.3)" (1989)

Soundtrack:

Sweethart from Venezuela

Has a crazy rhythm all its own

It may take two or three viewings to warm up to "Beetlejuice". It has a kooky, cockeyed sensibility and a rhythm that is by turns easy, lazy and frenetic. A charming couple in New England die and come back to their beloved home as ghosts, determined to rid the place of the horrendous new tenants. Possibly the most benign and engaging performance ever by Alec Baldwin; Geena Davis, Winona Ryder and Sylvia Sidney are also very appealing. The new couple from New York who take over the house (Jeffrey Jones and Catherine O'Hara) aren't as well written or thought-out as the other characters and some of their bemused, dry-ice comic lines take a few seconds to reach you. Of course, there's Michael Keaton, wildly comic as Betelgeuse. I heard a lot of comments back in 1988 that Keaton wasn't around enough to make the picture worthwhile, but that's only if you only watch the film for the fast quips and sight-gags. Keaton is truly wonderful, but he's also bombastic, and I felt there was just enough of him to satisfy--it's really not his story anyway, it belongs to Baldwin and Davis; Betelgeuse is used as a horny, vulgar punchline. Director Tim Burton is very careful not to overload the movie with raunch; he is surprisingly careful in setting up this story, and he works magic within a dubious scenario: a comic fantasy about dead folks which ultimately celebrates life. ***1/2 from ****