The Beetlejuice House
EXT. THE MAITLAND HOUSE - DAY
The Tim Burton movie Beetlejuice
It turns out, there are at least ten ways, including the opening shot of the Maitland House as a miniature. A subplot in the movie about a hideous remodeling of the Maitland home by its new residents lends variety to the shots of the house as construction progresses throughout the film.
Here are the 10 different establishing shots, in chronological order:
The movie takes place in Connecticut, but was filmed in East Corinth, Vermont. The house shown in these shots is not a real house; it’s just a facade built for the movie.
Comments
If I ever have enough money, I want to have an architect copy this house for me.
Posted by: Candice | August 30, 2007 7:34 PM
my wife’s aunt lives about 40 min from E Corinth and we’ve been planning on going to see this house for well over a year now…looks like we head up in 5 weeks! can’t wait!!
Posted by: Matt | August 31, 2007 6:21 PM
I grew up in East Corinth, and remember a lot of the filming for this movie. It’s kind of cool to see how they “transform” a town - the house on that hill wasn’t the only facade.
They also built a fake “cover” over the covered bridge (it was even a separate road that didn’t even lead to where they built the shell) that the Maitlands crashed through, and dammed up the river below for the dramatic “splash”. I remember remember seeing the car go over the bridge (“all quiet on the set!”). The store, the library across the street, the mason hall that was the “school” all got fun little touches which were taken down after the shooting. On the morning they shot the intro scene, they asked everyone to stay off the road so the shots from the helicopter would be just right.
Thanks for posting this trip down memory lane!
Posted by: justin | September 6, 2007 7:17 PM
How could the house be a facade?
you can clearly see the front sides and some of the back. Facade’s are only fronts and thats it, so this couldn’t be a facade.
Posted by: Andrew | September 15, 2007 9:27 PM
Yes, he said it’s a “facade” meaning the fronts only. The house is all faces of the house, but hollow. So it’s a facade. (Or rather, a set of facades)
Posted by: Mahound | September 25, 2007 5:48 AM
I’m pretty sure the top photo is of the miniature house, not the real one. (I’ve seen the movie about 80 times, so I recognized it.)
Posted by: Christine Hamm | September 27, 2007 9:55 PM
Do you have any sources for the interior of the house? I’d love to see pictures from that crazy interior. You just inspired a post for me today - about how people say “you know, the house was totally Beetlejuice” and it conjures up such a specific aesthetic!
Posted by: becky | October 12, 2007 12:20 PM
Is it just me, or is the miniature different than the “real live” house?
Posted by: Samantha H | October 30, 2007 4:38 PM
does anyone know if this movie will get a special edition?
Posted by: jason hyland | December 4, 2007 7:23 PM
This ‘house’ was four ‘tilt up walls’, then bolted together at the corners to create a box. The roof was acheived with a painted canvas scrim. During the establish shots, the dead air space created by the four walls and the ‘roof’ were inflated, giving the illusion of a structural roof. There was not even a single scene shot for the movie from within the ‘house’ you see throught the film, all done on a soundstage.
The model that is used in Adam’s mock-up of the town looks different because in the shot you see above, you are actually looking at a 3/4 view of the West and the North sides. The two houses look different because you are viewing two different sides.
Posted by: Keaton Wolfe | December 23, 2007 3:21 AM
TO: CANDACE
“If I ever have enough money, I want to have an architect copy this house for me.
Posted by: Candice | August 30, 2007 7:34 PM”
Guess what I do for a living. I am one of the guys responsible for three major theme parks ‘special events/holiday buildings’. If you have any personal ideas integrated into the house, I am certified to create a package of working drawings to duplicate any part, or whole of the house in ‘Beetlejuice’ or any other TV/Movie homes. The drawings that I can provide would be the package that is provided to the civil planning officer of the town or city you live in. Once approved, my drawings can go to an architect who can then integrate the systems that would allow the house to pass code, local and state inspections. The only information that I would need to know is how big of a house do you want, square footage, and of you live in a state where I would have to factor in code for a ‘snow supporting roof’. I DO NOT CHARGE TO DRAW UP A SET OF WORKING DRAWINGS.
-Keaton
Posted by: Keaton Wolfe | December 23, 2007 3:32 AM
I have visited sets from 2 Tim Burton movies. One was “Edward Scissorhands” in Florida and the other one was “Beetlejuice” in East Corinth, Vermont. The thing I always remember about this film is the opening aerial shots. If you look closely you’ll notice a Wise potato chip truck parked at the “hardware” store which in real life is a General Store. Of course if I never had visited one summer after the movie was shot I wouldn’t have made the connection!
Posted by: Randy Waters | January 16, 2008 9:22 PM
does anyone know if this movie will get a special edition or second part?
Posted by: Zaidimai | February 12, 2008 3:52 AM
i like this movie very much
Posted by: Zaidimai | February 12, 2008 3:54 AM
this movie scared my little brother for weeks!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Posted by: alaina | February 25, 2008 6:11 PM
hey! you are so scary but yet funny! i ate hot dogs and drank hot coco while watching this movie. i peed my pants! LOL! LATER
Posted by: Jessie | February 25, 2008 6:14 PM
hi! the sand worms made me so scared that i jumped into my dates lap. im only 9 years old and this movie is so scary that i peed my pants and fell down the stairs when i was going to bed. i didnt sleep in my own room for weeks. well i have to go so bye.
Posted by: cassidy k. | February 26, 2008 7:53 PM
In the beginning of the movie, Barbara gives Adam a gift. He says that it is Manchurian Tongwell. Does anyone know what that is?
Posted by: Pdog | March 11, 2008 12:05 AM
Pdog: Tung oil is a wood finish. That’s what Adam is referring to when he says, “There’s enough here to do the whole table and the bureau.” -David
Posted by: David | March 12, 2008 5:59 PM
look at picture one. does any one know how to get the left side and the back side of the house (while looking at pic one)? i can get the rest of the house except those to sides. i have some of an i dea because of pic 3 but i want it exactly like it is in the movie so some of an idea is not good enough? if any one knows please help me out here
Posted by: reckless charger | April 24, 2008 9:00 AM
This is awesome that people are still talking about this movie. I Grew up in East Corinth, I lived in the last house during the fly over with the boat and the woodpile outside. Yes the house was an empty shell. in fact there was a basketball court inside. Man I could go on and on..
Posted by: Fred | May 11, 2008 12:08 AM