The best Beetlejuice quotes show why this classic horror-comedy remains one of Tim Burton’s most beloved cult favorite movies. 1988’s Beetlejuice stars Michael Keaton as Beetlejuice, a malicious spirit that helps Adam (Alec Baldwin) and Barbara (Geena Davis) rid their home of the new family that moved in. Through it all, Beetlejuice himself delivers some of the best scathing quotes in the movie, tearing into everyone from the dead to the undead and never caring who he insults.
Like most films by Burton, the screenwriting was sharp, and the characters were quirky, unique, and memorable. They express themselves through a series of memorable quotes, with Adam and Barbara exasperated and the new residents of their home ranging from flamboyantly annoying to dismissive and completely over it. With some great cast members joining Keaton, including Winona Ryder, Catherine O’Hara, Jeffrey Jones, and Glenn Shadix, almost every character has some great lines that helped the movie be considered a classic.The new Beetlejuice sequel has a lot to live up to.
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25 “There’s A Word For People In Our Situation: Ghosts.”
Adam
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When Beetlejuice begins, the story sees Adam and Barbara realize they are dead. They have no memory of what happened and don’t even know that they are dead at first. However, when the gravity of their situation starts to take form, they both try to figure out what is happening and what they need to do next. The two realize they live in their old house but can’t leave.
When Barbara mentions their “situation,” Adam simply breaks down their predicament, which sets up the movie. He very matter-of-factly reaches the conclusion that they are ghosts, and it is time to figure out what they are supposed to do about it. This is an important moment because they have to start to make their plans on how to settle into their new lives, which is then thrown into disarray when annoying people move into their home and they have to find help form Beetlejuice.
24 “If I Knew Then What I Know Now, I Wouldn’t Have Had My Little Accident.”
Miss Argentina
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When Adam and Barbara learn they can go to the “other side,” they see it is an office building with a waiting room. In that waiting room, many people sit waiting to find out what is next for them — from a football team that died in an auto accident to a man who was clearly run over by a car. They finally hear their number called and go to the receptionist, who happens to be the former Miss Argentina.
As Adam and Barbara argue their case, Miss Argentina relates to them, but she lets them know there is nothing she can do. She then reveals that because she took her own life — her “little accident” — she’s doomed to an eternity working behind a desk to help with the bureaucracy of the afterlife. This is a moment where Adam and Barbara realize that their situation is rough, but things could get even worse. Of course, things do get much worse for them, but at least they aren’t behind a desk.
23 “You Can’t Scare Her. She’s Sleeping With Prince Valium Tonight.”
Lydia
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Adam and Barbara begin their meticulous plans to scare the new tenants out of their beloved home. It might not be so bad if the tenants were more like the goth girl Lydia. However, her parents are a little on the weird side, with her mother very eccentric and wanting to redecorate the quaint house with art-house decor. They want nothing to do with this and begin haunting the family — to no avail.
They won’t do anything to disturb Delia, Lydia’s mom, because she has already taken her Valium and is numb to the entire situation.
Lydia seems amused and willing to help them, but she admits on this specific night that they won’t do anything to disturb Delia, Lydia’s mom, because she has already taken her Valium and is numb to the entire situation. It is a funny moment that shows Lydia’s sense of sarcastic humor, which fits her well considering her goth nature. It also says a lot about her mother, who, despite being a narcissistic pain, is also someone who self-medicates for her own reasons.
22 “Please, They’re Dead. It’s A Little Late To Be Neurotic.”
Delia
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Delia is the mother (played in Beetlejuice by Catherine O’Hara), and she wants to turn this old home into a new temple for her bizarre and eccentric works of art. Her husband seems like he has given up on caring and Lydia is ready to get out of there as soon as she can. However, once the family learns there are ghosts there, instead of running, they decide they want to communicate with the ghosts and possibly control them.
Lydia tries to explain that they don’t want their home changed, and Delia doesn’t care. As she says, they are dead, so it’s too late for them to be neurotic about the situation. This escalates things for both Adam and Barbara as originally, they just wanted this new annoying family out of their home. However, with Delia wanting to bring in someone to help control the ghosts, the dead couple realize they have no other option and realize they need to call Beetlejuice to help them.
21 “If You Act Now, You Get A Free Demon Possession With Every Exorcism.”
Beetlejuice
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Beetlejuice is many things in the movie. He is a poltergeist, a troublemaker, and wishes he could be a lady’s man. However, he is also almost the exact same as a shyster. He isn’t just a demon that shows up when someone says his name three times, like Candyman. Beetlejuice is someone whose sole purpose in life is to sell himself to people who need help. When he sees Adam and Barbara need help but seems unwilling to trust him, he goes on a long rant about what all he can offer them if they hire him.
This specific line sounds like it comes straight out of a late-night Shopper’s Network ad — but Beetlejuice is selling himself. There were rumors that he might have been a conman in his previous life, but while this was shown to be false, it is clear that he developed the attitude and skills of a conman in the afterlife, and this is a perfect example of how he sells his skills to people who might otherwise know better.
20 “Barb, Honey… We’re Dead. I Don’t Think We Have Much To Worry About Anymore.”
Adam
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For a couple that had just died, Adam and Barbara didn’t seem overly upset about it. It was more of an inconvenience, as opposed to a traumatic event. Their conversations about their predicament make for some of the best Beetlejuice quotes, with the dead-pan discussion of death like it was a leaky garage roof juxtaposing the bombastic lines from Keaton’s Beetlejuice.
This specific Beetlejuice quote is a strange and ironic silver-lining statement that showcases how the couple viewed life — and the afterlife — with a glass-half-full attitude. All they really had to contend with was an annoying family muscling in on their home, but the trade-off is a drastic reduction in daily headaches and life concerns. They realize there is still dangers later on, but it seems at first, they are willing to just hang out in their home and not deal with real-world problems anymore.
19 “I Know Just As Much About The Supernatural As I Do About Interior Design.”
Otho
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The character of Otho is a friend of Delia who is working with the Deetz family to redecorate the inside of their new home. He claims to know a lot about the supernatural, which he explains to Delia and Charles after they agree to invite Maxie Dean over to their house. Otho says, “I know just as much about the supernatural as I do about interior design,” which sums up his personality and talents quite well.
Out of everyone in the movie, Otho is the most over-confident, but he is also a salesman, just like Beetlejuice. He just doesn’t have the same stomach to follow through when things get tough. There is also a side note to this specific comment. When he says he knows as much about the supernatural as he does about interior design, he might as well be saying that he doesn’t know anything about either of those topics, in all reality.
18 “Let’s Turn On The Juice And See What Shakes Loose!”
Beetlejuice
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As unpleasant as the Deetzes are, it makes sense why Adam and Barbara want them out of their home, no matter the cost. Beetlejuice is creepy enough in his human form, but later in the movie, he transforms into a snake with a giant head to scare the Deetz’s. Right before he goes into the mortal world, he says, “Let’s turn on the juice and see what shakes loose.”
Of course, there is a pun here, with him shaking his rattler like a rattlesnake would, and it also shows how cringeworthy Beetlejuice can be because he often lives and dies by his one-liners in the movie. The line comes just moments before one of the most iconic scenes in the film, signaling that this particular ghost isn’t quite like others in the cinematic world. This is a horror comedy, and the horror moments remain shocking up until the scary Beetlejuice ending.
17 “It’s Showtime!”
Beetlejuice
The characters in Beetlejuice are quick to find out that getting help from the titular ghost does more harm than good. Unfortunately, Lydia doesn’t have a choice near the end of the film after Otho performs a séance to summon Adam and Barbara. This causes the couple to quickly decay once brought into the mortal world, so Lydia agrees to marry Beetlejuice so that he will save her new friends.
After she says “Beetlejuice” for the third time, he stretches out his arms and says, “It’s Showtime” as lightning strikes in the background. The line is among the most iconic Beetlejuice quotes, and featured in the family-friendly animated series that debuted shortly after. Of course, while it is the most iconic line, it is mostly just a tagline added to the movie that ended up bigger than even Beetlejuice itself, as it has moved into other areas of entertainment and even the sports world.
16 “I’m Trying To Cut Down, Myself.”
Char Man
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Early on in the film, Adam and Barbara discover the Handbook for the Recently Deceased and decide to travel to the Netherworld. Once they got there, they discovered a waiting room filled with other folks who had died in different ways. Adam sits down next to a gentleman burnt to a crisp who offers him a cigarette. Adam says he doesn’t smoke, and the man replies, “I’m trying to cut down myself.”
It was an obvious bit of satiric irony, and the look of the man burned to death still smoking adds to the punchline. This is something that pops up a lot in the afterlife, as most of the people in the waiting room make ironic comments or just sit there in ironic poses and appearances that tie into how they died. It even plays out hilariously at the end of the movie when Beetlejuice himself is sitting in the waiting room waiting to talk to someone and sees the wacky dead people surrounding him.
15 “I’ve Seen The Exorcist About 167 Times, And It Keeps Getting Funnier Every Single Time I See It!”
Beetlejuice
Soon after Barbara and Adam realize they are dead, a new family moves into their home. Existing as ghosts, Barbara and Adam want the obnoxious family gone, so they can spend eternity in peace in their home. To do so, they hire Beetlejuice, who advertises himself as a “bio-exorcist.” After saying his name three times, the couple ends up inside Adam’s miniature town, where they find Michael Keaonts “Bio-Exorcist” waiting.
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Well, I attended Julliard, I lived through the Black Plague and had a pretty good time during that. I’ve seen The Exorcist about 167 times, and it keeps getting funnier every single time I see it! Not to mention the fact that you’re talking to a dead guy. Now what do you think? You think I’m qualified?”
Barbara wants to hear his credentials, and Beetlejuice’s reply is a list of some of the most disturbing things imaginable. When he delivers this quote about the horror film, it shows that he is still selling himself and figures the best way to do so is by using an example that a human might recognize. In this case, it is an iconic horror movie.
14 “I’m The Ghost With The Most, Babe!”
Beetlejuice
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One of the first times Lydia interacts with Beetlejuice, the poltergeist is tanning from the lights on a strip club in Adam’s miniature town. Lydia comes to talk to Beetlejuice and asks if he is a ghost, to which the character replies, “I’m the ghost with the most, babe!” Beetlejuice then tries to get Lydia to say his name three times, to no avail.
The two characters then play charades so that Lydia can figure out his name, which also makes for a comedic scene, with Beetlejuice conjuring up a beetle and a carton of orange juice. It was a fun moment when Lydia and Beetlejuice connected for the first time. It was also probably the moment that Beetlejuice began to fall for Lydia, as he realized she was not like the other living people he remembered. Lydia, on the other hand, was fascinated by him but also realized he was a degenerate.
13 “Never Trust The Living.”
Juno
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When Adam and Barbara go to see their caseworker in the afterlife, Juno, she reprimands them for their recent decisions. Not only did the couple try to get help from Beetlejuice, but they also ended up being photographed by Lydia. They also allowed Otho to steal their copy of the Handbook For The Recently Deceased, which could cause major problems for the dead.
Confused as to how Otho got their copy of the book, Juno explained, “Never trust the living.” She was always quite blunt when she talked with Barbara and Adam, but most of the time, she was also right. It is an interesting quote because it is hard for Adam and Barbara to trust the dead, but when even the dead know that you can’t trust regular people, it says a lot about the state of the world and might be another reason the couple might be happier knowing they are on the other side.
12 “Are You ‘Night Of The Living Dead’ Under There? Like, All Bloody Veins And Pus?”
Lydia
Part of the charm of Beetlejuice is the relationship between Adam, Barbara, and Lydia. When Adam and Barbara first try scaring off the Deetz family, they simply take some sheets and cover themselves to look like ghosts. Lydia isn’t scared, remarking, “I’m not scared of sheets. Are you gross under there? Are you ‘Night of the Living Dead’ under there? Like, all bloody veins and pus? ”
Not only did this reference George A. Romero’s Night of the Living Dead, but it was the first real interaction between the three, leading to them working together later on to help out with all their personal issues. This was also a great character building moment for Lydia. She was someone who prided herself as a goth girl, and she liked to act the part, even if it was just a phase at the time for her. However, her comments here show that most of her goth sensibilities came from watching movies.
11 “I Would Rather Talk About… DAY-O… DAY-O!”
Delia
Out of all the scenes in Beetlejuice, the dinner scene featuring the Banana Boat Song is possibly the most well-known. It occurs when Charles invites his business associates over for dinner. The topic of ghosts and the paranormal quickly comes up in conversation, with Lydia explaining she has seen ghosts in their house. Delia wants to change the subject and says, “I would rather talk about…Day-O… Day-O!”
Beetlejuice” won multiple awards in 1989, including an Oscar for Best Makeup, Saturn Awards for Best Horror Film, Best Makeup, and Best Supporting Actress, a BMI Film Music Award, and a National Society of Film Critics Award.
Catherine O’Hara then lip-syncs the Banana Boat Song by Harry Belafonte as all the dinner members start dancing uncontrollably. The scene ends with their shrimp dinners turning into hands and grabbing their faces before throwing them backward. The fact that this remains one of the most iconic moments in the entire first movie shows how huge of a scene it was. It starts out in mid-conversation, which makes it even better when the family starts dancing while possessed.
10 “I Myself Am Strange And Unusual.”
Lydia
Lydia is a goth teenager who enjoys photography and shows a special interest in the afterlife, ghosts, and all things paranormal. It might be a phase, but the eccentric nature of her family might have something to do with it as well. Needless to say, she is thrilled when she realizes her house has two ghosts living in it.
While explaining to Adam and Barbara how she is able to see them, she tells them that the Handbook For The Recently Deceased says that “living people ignore the strange and unusual,” further revealing, “I myself am strange and unusual.” This shows that she feels that no one sees her, and maybe her acting out and becoming darker and more goth-like is a way for her to see if anyone cares enough to notice what she is doing. Adam and Barbara notice, as does Beetlejuice, while her own living family ignores her.
9 “Don’t Mind Her. She’s Still Upset That Somebody Dropped A House On Her Sister.”
Otho
Before the infamous musical dinner sequence, the characters are engaged in conversation, while Otho is gloating about how much he knows about the paranormal.
Otho claims he was one of New York’s leading paranormal researchers. This leads Beryl to say, “Paranormal, is that what they’re calling your kind these days?” Otho quickly responds with the quip, “Don’t mind her. She’s still upset that somebody dropped a house on her sister,”which is obviously a reference to The Wizard of Oz.
It is a fun back-and-forth that shows that Otho is not someone to mess around with. Otho stole most of the scenes in which he appeared, and his catty and sarcastic quips are a highlight, especially when he is using them in almost a form of self-defense. Of course, he is also someone who is much like Beetlejuice, a conman and salesman who wants people to think he is more important than he really is. He meets his match with Beetlejuice though, in the end.
8 “Thanks, I’ve Been Feeling A Little Flat!”
Road Kill Man
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Since Barbara and Adam have trouble adjusting to being dead, they visit their caseworker named Juno. They enter a waiting room, where they meet several people who have died in horrible ways. They see a smoker who is burned to a crisp, a hunter with a shrunken head, and even a woman cut completely in half. When it’s time to see Juno, they are called in by a man who looks to have been run over by a semi-truck since he is completely flat.
Adam tells him he looks fine, to which the man responds, “Thanks, I’ve been feeling a little flat.” It seems humor still exists in the afterlife. As with many of the people who died and are waiting, the main mode of joking is puns, and Beetlejuice might be the master of these. However, the idea that someone who was killed in such a horrific manner could have a sense of humor about it while working in the waiting room in the afterlife is an impressive feat.
7 “A Little Gasoline… Blowtorch… No Problem!”
Delia
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Catherine O’Hara’s character in Beetlejuice is very over-dramatic and has a passion for modern art. Not caring what her husband or stepdaughter wants, Delia decides to completely redesign their new home. When they first arrive at the Maitlands’ home, Delia and Otho begin spray-painting walls that need to be torn down, all while thinking of ways to “improve” the house.
At one point, Delia says that all she needs is “A little gasoline… blowtorch… no problem.” The character is eccentric, to say the least, and this line is a prime example. Of course, it is also a way to show Delia being facetious. Adam and Barbara worked hard to design their home the way they wanted it to look, as a quaint country home. Delia came in, looked around, and hated everything about it. Wanting to “torch it” and start over was her plan, and that made her someone Adam and Barbara wanted gone.
6 “The Only One I Think I Can Deal With Is Edgar Allan Poe’s Daughter. I Think She Understands Me.”
Beetlejuice
This particular quote betrays Beetlejuice’s trickery and penchant for lying in order to get what he wants — or to misdirect attention away from himself. While the idea of Edgar Allan Poe’s daughter being possibly one of the few who could possibly understand this particular ghost, in reality, no such person existed. In truth, Poe had no known children, legitimate or otherwise, though the possibility of the latter might still exist.
Whatever the case, it is obvious that Beetlejuice is merely trying to be funny, as opposed to factual. At the same time, Beetlejuice is someone that no one can trust. He betrays everyone who calls on him, and even as a conman salesman, he can’t help but lie to everyone to get what he wants to make himself happy. In this case, there are a lot of things that he is willing to say to get people on his side, even if it is lying about the affections of a non-existent being.