National Film Vault

FILM NOTES

Warner Bros. released Beetlejuice in March 1988, marking a defining moment in Tim Burton's early career and cementing his reputation for darkly comic, visually inventive filmmaking. The film blended practical effects, eccentric production design, and a sharp comedic sensibility that set it apart from mainstream studio fare of the period. Its cultural footprint has only grown in the decades since.

This cell, titled Beetlejuice, Barbara and Adam, captures Michael Keaton's Beetlejuice mid-scene alongside Geena Davis as Barbara Maitland and Alec Baldwin as Adam Maitland. The frames are oriented upside-down relative to the camera, a staging choice consistent with the film's playful spatial logic. Beetlejuice's iconic black-and-white checkered suit and hat are clearly legible across all three frames, with a white feathery element visible at the lower edge.