More than 25 years after Beetlejuice scared up big box office success, the ghost with the most is returning to theaters September 6 in the sequel Beetlejuice Beetlejuice. The long-anticipated follow-up - which you can purchase tickets for right now- reunites director Tim Burton and star Michael Keaton, while also bringing some fresh (Jenna Ortega, Willem Dafoe) and familiar (Winona Ryder, Catherine O’Hara) faces along for the spooky ride.
With the iconic/creepy character about to be reconjured, you might be considering a rewatch of the orignal to catch up. Of course, if you're too busy, say, prepping for Halloween and haven't the time to revisit the 1988 classic, you could always do a quick recap via the movie's more memorable quotes. Thankfully, we've got just what the witch doctor ordered with the following list of 13 of the film's most famous lines.
· Beetlejuice Beetlejuice materializes in theaters September 6, making it a great time to revisit the first film's most famous lines.
· From "It's showtime!" to "Go ahead, make my millenium.," the comedy-horror classic's brimming with favorite phrases that are still quoted 25-plus years later.
· We've compiled a list of 13 of our favorite quips to help get you in the mood for the ghost with most's grand return.
“Go ahead, make my millennium.” – Beetlejuice
Beetlejuice is among that rare breed of movie that's not only spawned a number of iconic lines, but has also seen some of its most famous phrases snake their way – like a sandworm – into the pop culture lexicon. As such, even folks unfamiliar with the film might find themselves quoting it without even realizing it.
The character's “Go ahead, make my millennium.,” for example, became so much more than a clever riff on Clint Eastwood’s ubiquitous “Go ahead, make my day.” Of course, the fact the ghoul spews this line immediately following his hilarious, spike-emitting falling out with Adam (Alec Baldwin) and Barbara (Geena Davis) only makes it more memorable.
“Please, they’re dead. It’s a little late to be neurotic.” – Delia
The movie’s titular “ghost with the most” is rightfully recognized for delivering some of its best lines, but many of the film's quotable phrases also come before Beetlejuice is even hired by Adam and Barbara. Many of these come courtesy of Delia Deetz (Catherine O’Hara), the reluctant NYC transplant who believes her new cozy, Connecticut home and its ghostly inhabitants are beneath her.
In her quest to meet Barb and Adam, the snobby socialite-wannabe spews a number of zingers – including, “Please, they’re dead. It’s a little late to be neurotic.” – upon finding out the recently deceased pair are upset that they’re unable to scare Delia and her family.
“You can’t scare her. She’s sleeping with Prince Valium tonight.” – Lydia
Of course, young Lydia (Winona Ryder) can be just as quippy as her despised stepmom, frequently disparaging Delia with subtly-delivered, whip-smart insults. The best among her arsenal comes after Adam and Barbara – draped in “scary” bed sheets – fail to frighten Delia, who’s zonked out in her bedroom. When they report their failure and frustration to Lydia, she wryly responds, “You can’t scare her. She’s sleeping with Prince Valium tonight.”
“It’s showtime!” – Beetlejuice
One of Beetlejuice’s most famous lines – “It’s showtime!” – is often recited without full recollection of the literal show he's introduicng. After Lydia reluctantly conjures the ghoul to help the rapidly decaying Barb and Adam, he emerges from the miniature town model. Mimicking a carnival barker – complete with a "Step right up!" – he then morphs into a test-your-strength game. Using his arms, which he’s transformed into massive, inflatable hammers, he violently sends businessman Maxie Dean (Robert Goulet) and his wife crashing through the ceiling above.
“I’m the ghost with the most, babe.” – Beetlejuice
Like many of the film’s most famous lines, “I’m the ghost with the most, babe” loses some of its magic when recited without recalling the actual events surrounding it. We’re guessing the ubiquitous quote is frequently said without full knowledge of the fact Beetlejuice delivers it just after patronizing “Dante's Inferno Room,” an underworld strip club where he’d hoped to find some “action.” The fact he casually speaks the line while lounging on a vinyl beach chair – cucumber slices carefully placed over his eyes – only solidifies its status as an absolute classic.
“Maybe we should try that Beetle guy.” – Barbara
Much of Adam and Barbara's charm stems from their relatable innocence and naivety. They’re a nice couple that haven't a clue how to navigate the afterlife, nevermind leverage their newfound ethereal state to scare away Delia. So it's almost adorable when Barb casually suggests, “Maybe we should try that Beetle guy.,” having absolutely no idea the hell they’d unleash if they chose to conjure the obnoxious creep. \
“Nice f–king model!” – Beetlejuice
Beetlejuice is a lot of things – annoying, conniving, obscene, inappropriate, and generally just an unsavory sort you wouldn’t want to associate with unless, of course, you needed to scare away unwanted house guests.
But all those unpleasant qualities also make him the absolute best character to deliver the film’s sole F-bomb. The expletive can only be used once in a PG-13 movie, and character makes the most of it, capping off an angry rant by hilariously kicking over a tiny tree in Adam’s diorama and exclaiming “Nice f–ing model!” The fact he precedes this with, “You're working with a professional here.,” is just the ironic icing on the cake.
“Don’t you hate it when that happens?” – Beetlejuice
Lacking any four-letter words – but no less funny – is the character’s casual reaction to his head rapidly and repeatedly rotating 360 degrees. Desperate to sell Adam and Barb on his ability to help them frighten off the Deetz family, he pulls off this Exorcism-rivaling trick without warning. While the couple looks on in horror as his spinning noggin' comes to a sudden stop, Beetlejuice deadpans, “Don’t you hate it when that happens?”
“Don’t mind her. She’s still upset that someone dropped a house on her sister.” – Otho
Like most of the movie’s supporting characters, Lydia’s snooty friend/interior designer Otho has enough quotable lines to support his own list of best quips. But if we had to pick just one, it’d be his smart, snarky insult directed at dinner guest Beryl. When she snidely questions Otho’s paranormal researching skills, he immediately fires back with this fan-favorite, The Wizard of Oz-referencing roast, “Don’t mind her. She’s still upset that someone dropped a house on her sister.”
“Not so fast round boy, we’re gonna have some laughs.” – Beetlejuice
Otho’s nastiness soon catches up with him, however, as he’s directly targeted by Beetlejuice toward the film’s end. When the menacing specter returns to help Barb and Adam – in exchange for Lydia’s hand in marriage – he jumps on the fleeing interior designer's back. Upon delivering the gem, “Not so fast round boy, we’re gonna have some laughs.,” he kisses Otho on the cheek, then hops off his back with a maniacal cackle.
“This thing reads like stereo instructions.” – Adam and Charles
While this entry might not be as memorable as some of the others on the list, “This thing reads like stereo instructions.” makes the cut for a couple of reasons. First up, it works as a sort of running joke, spoken by Adam early in the film and much later by Charles (Jeffrey Jones.) But we also love it for its nostalgia-stining datedness. While the film is otherwise timeless, its reference to a confusing stereo manual – or even a “stereo” for that matter – would likely send most of today’s youth Googling the meaning on their smartphones.
“I’m trying to cut down, myself.” – Burned-to-death man
Beetlejuice is packed with cool special effects and fun visual gags, many of which can be found in its Netherworld’s waiting room. The office’s recently deceased denizens famously include a woman halved at the waist, a hunter with a shrunken head, a swimmer consumed by a shark and a man burned to a crisp. The latter, an apparent victim of cigarette-ignited blaze, offers Adam a smoke. When he politely refuses, the man – who looks more like a charcoal briquette than a person – hilariously replies, “I’m trying to cut down, myself.”... before taking a drag off his own dart.
"…I’ve seen The Exorcist 167 times, and it keeps getting funnier every single time I see it!...” – Beetlejuice
More sarcastic, rage-fueled monologue than quippy one-liner, Beetlejuice’s lengthy rundown of his qualifications stands as one of the film’s funniest, most memorable scenes. Anyone who’s seen the movie is familiar with the angry rant directed at Adam and Barbara, but only the most passionate fans can recite the following word-for-word:
“Ah, well, I attended Juilliard, I’m a graduate of the Harvard business school, I travel quite extensively, I lived through the Black Plague, and had a pretty good time during that! I’ve seen The Exorcist 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?!”
Beetlejuice Beetlejuice opens September 6, only in theaters. Get your tickets right here!
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