Synopsis

After accidentally drowning, Adam and Barbara Maitland return as ghosts to their country home, only to find it occupied by an intrusive new family. Unable to scare the newcomers away, they seek help from Betelgeuse, a crude and unpredictable self-proclaimed bio-exorcist. His reckless methods create fresh problems, forcing the Maitlands and the family's goth daughter, Lydia, into an uneasy supernatural alliance.

Factoids & Trivia

• The film's title appeared as "Beetle Juice" in the onscreen credits and in some early trade-paper references, although the one-word spelling became the standard title.

• Principal photography began on March 11, 1987, in East Corinth, Vermont, which stood in for the fictional town of Winter River, Connecticut. The production later moved to Culver Studios in California for interior work.

• The film's reported production cost was approximately $14 million. Its relatively modest budget encouraged a deliberately low-tech effects style combining stop-motion animation, puppetry, prosthetic makeup, blue-screen work, and traditional mirror effects.

• The ending was reshot to give Betelgeuse a larger presence. The character's name refers to Betelgeuse, the star also known as Alpha Orionis.

• The famous "Day-O" dinner sequence became one of the film's most recognizable moments, despite concerns during production that the scene's humor might not work for audiences.

• The makeup team won the Academy Award for Best Makeup, recognizing the film's extensive creature effects and grotesque transformations.

• The film inspired an animated television series that premiered in 1989 and ran through 1991. It later expanded into video games, a stage musical, and a sequel.