Today I’m reminded of just how old I’m getting because 29 years ago today the movie Beetlejuice was released onto the world. It’s still considered one of Tim Burton’s greatest movies and the film still holds up today. The film also catapulted Tim Burton’s career to elite director status. In celebration of the film’s anniversary I’ve selected a bunch of behind the scenes shots that you should enjoy. There are a couple of takeaways from these photos. The first is that Alec Baldwin’s chest is even hairier than I ever remembered. The second is that I never realized how prevalent the use of miniatures was in this movie. It’s kind of cool now that I think about it.
Michael Keaton getting ready
Thankfully, producer David Geffen, who had been developing the script under his shingle at Warner Bros, stepped in and suggested Michael Keaton. Burton, unsurprisingly, was impressed from the beginning, with the actor’s live wire performance still among this best. Keaton also wound up in the title role of Burton’s next movie, “Batman,” a decision that would cause an outcry in fans, since Keaton was primarily known as a comic actor (“Mr. Mom” had been a big hit a number of years earlier). But the rest, as they say, is history.
Modeling for the scene Alec Baldwin pulls on his face to scare the Deetzes
Heartthrob Alec Baldwin played Adam Maitland, one half of the married couple who die and try to figure out how to haunt their home’s new inhabitants.
Winona Ryder resting between the sets
Burton cast Winona Ryder as angsty teen Lydia Deetz after seeing her performance in ‘Lucas.’
Geena Davis holding a plastic Alec Baldwin head
Tim Burton, Geena Davis, and a severed head?! Just another reason as to why this film took home the Oscar.
They’re so young and cute
The original Beetlejuice hit theaters all the way back in 1988 and became an instantly endearing. Solidifying the star power of Geena Davis, Alec Baldwin and Michael Keaton, the supernatural horror comedy centered upon a recently deceased couple that enlists the help of a mischievous spirit to scare away their home’s new occupants.
Lydia Deetz, is the daughter of Charles Deetz
Lydia is shown with jet black hair which she often wears in a bushy ponytail with long parted bangs. She wears pale face makeup and peach eye shadow around her eyelids, under her eyebrows and above her cheekbones.
Delia Deetz, is the wife of Charles Deetz
Delia is very self-centered and puts her own interests before her husband and step-daughter. She’s also known to be extremely clueless and has no respect for the dead, proving as much when assuming the Maitlands hanged themselves and lauging at a remark about suicidal people spending the afterlife as civil servants.
Lydia is a serious but kind girl
Behold the inspiration for Johnny Depp’s “Winona Forever” tattoo, though the follow-up alteration to “Wino Forever” is way more fitting.
The prankster ghost
Betelgeuse was described to Michael Keaton as “having lived in every time period but no time period.”
Geena Davis and Catherine O’Hara
Actress Catherine O’Hara initially declined Burton’s offer for the part, but accepted after Burton flew out to meet with and personally to convince her to take it. O’Hara met and eventually married production designer Bo Welch while working on Beetlejuice.
Working on the Beetlejuice snake
While snakes don’t speak, there is an interesting cartoonish reaction when one is hit. Seems as through they have the personality like a dog.
The cast ensemble
Taking us back to a simpler time, we have unearthed and shared behind-the-scenes photos of the making of the film. From Michael Keaton getting his make-up done, Alec Baldwin passionately hugging Geena Davis, to Winona Ryder hanging out with the set creatures, these will definitely make you smile and get you hyped for the imminent sequel.
Beetlejuice with Rotating Carousel Hat
Does anyone know where we can get one of those rotating carousel hats?
Young Adam Maitland
Oh, young Alec Baldwin, if you only knew how much you had the world by the balls. He’s the second-most powerful Baldwin, directly sandwiched between current Alec Baldwin and middle-aged Alec Baldwin.
Winona Ryder chilling with one of the dolls on set
A teenage Winona Ryder poses with the burnt dude from the waiting room scene.
Call me, darling
Remember Alec Baldwin before the angry phone call to his daughter? Hell, you could barely see the rage in his eyes back in 1988.
A weary-eyed Tim Burton sits next to his Panavision Camera.
Burton complains that he’s often portrayed as a bit “odd” or “reclusive” in the media. However, this is far from the truth. The director says that in real life, he’s a normal, happy, cheerful person and not some weirdo artiste. In fact, Burton usually dresses in black simply because he does not like taking the time to match colors!
Beetlejuice Suit
Keaton rocks the black and white striped suit before it was ultimately ruined at the hands of the human incarnation of a T.G.I. Friday’s, Robin Thicke.
Levitation trick
At the end of the movie, Winona Ryder levitates up the set and we get to see more of the staircase, which by then has been restored to its traditional look.
The Wedding Scene
In the wedding scene, Lydia’s dress is bright red. According to the old rhyme about wedding dress colors, it’s “Married in red, better off dead.”
The Dinner Party
At the dinner party, Otho says that people who commit suicide end up as “civil servants” in the afterlife. The character Miss Argentina, who was played by Patrice Martinez, apparently slit her wrists, which confirms Otho’s statement – she’s spending her death as the receptionist. Also in the back room as the Maitlands are being led to their door, there is another man hanging from his noose, and the man aiding them obviously stepped in front of a bus.
Tim Burton and Michael Keaton Going Over The Script
Crew Shot
Crew Shot Again
Crew Shot Last Time
