Beetlejuice is one of the most timeless and wickedly comedic works of Tim Burton. Despite being released in 1988, this cult classic supernatural comedy movie remains a Halloween favorite, featuring the adventures of a dead couple, Adam and Barbara Maitland, and a mischievous ghost named Betelgeuse.
The living characters find themselves dealing with strange and unusual situations when these ghosts attempt to frighten people away from their home.
With the release of Beetlejuice in 2024, these iconic quotes from the film have found new audiences while maintaining their cult status among longtime fans. Whether you're rewatching the original movie or discovering it for the first time, here are the best Beetlejuice quotes that made it a cult classic and one of the most quotable afterlife-themed films ever created.
Shop The Bettlejuice Collection Now
70 Spooky & Strange Beetlejuice Quotes For Your Undead Soul
1. “Barb, honey… We’re dead. I don’t think we have much to worry about anymore.” - Adam Maitland [1]
2. “I know just as much about the supernatural as I do about interior design.” - Otho
3. “Let’s turn on the juice and see what shakes loose.” - Beetlejuice
4. “I’m trying to cut down myself.” - Burnt Smoker Ghost
5. “Ah. Well, I attended Juilliard. I’m a graduate of 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
6. “I’m the ghost with the most, babe.” - Beetlejuice
7. “Never trust the living.” - Juno
8. “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?’ - Lydia Deetz
9. “I’ve read through that handbook for the recently deceased. It says: ‘Live people ignore the strange and unusual. I myself am strange and unusual.” - Lydia Deetz
10. “Don’t mind her. She’s still upset that somebody dropped a house on her sister.” - Otho
11. “Thanks. I’ve been feeling a little flat.” - Ghost who looks flattened by a semi-truck
12. “A little gasoline… blowtorch… no problem.” - Delia Deetz
13. “The only one I think I can deal with is Edgar Allan Poe’s Daughter. I think she understands me.” - Beetlejuice
14. “As soon as we get settled, we’ll build you a darkroom in the basement, okay?” - Charles Deetz
15. “My whole life is a darkroom. One big, dark room.” - Lydia Deetz
16. “What’s the good of being a ghost if you can’t frighten people away?” - Barbara Maitland
17. “Coach? I don’t think we survived that crash!” - Footballer
18. “Go ahead. Make my millennium!” - Beetlejuice
19. “This is what happens when you die. That is what happens when he dies. And that is what happens when they die. It’s all very personal. And I’ll tell you something: if I knew then what I know now, I wouldn’t have had my little accident.” - Receptionist [2].
20. “I’m here with you. I will live with you in this hellhole, but I must express myself. If you don’t let me gut out this house and make it my own, I will go insane, and I will take you with me!” - Delia Deetz
21. “You can’t scare her. She’s sleeping with Prince Valium tonight.” - Lydia Deetz
22. “If you insist on frightening people, do it with your sculptures.” - Bernard
23. “Beetlejuice, Beetlejuice, Beetlejuice!” - Lydia Deetz
24. “In heaven, there wouldn’t be dust on everything.” - Barbara Maitland
25. “Why did you disappear when you stepped off the porch? Are we halfway to heaven, are we halfway to hell? How long is this gonna last?” - Barbara Maitland
26. “Please, they’re dead. It’s a little late to be neurotic.” - Delia Deetz
27. “I’ll do anything to get your business. Hell, I’ll possess myself if I gotta. I’ve got demons running all through me.” - Beetlejuice
28. “If you act now, you get a free demon possession with every exorcism.” - Beetlejuice
29. “You read my mind. So few people are able to read my mind. They’re just not open to the experience.” - Otho
30. “We come for your daughter, Chuck.” - Beetlejuice
31. “We’re unhappy.” Juno: “What do you expect, you’re dead.” - Barbara Maitland
32. “Whew! Thank you, thank you! That is why I won’t do two shows a night anymore, babe, I won’t, I won’t do them.” - Beetlejuice
33. “Welcome to Winter River, a museum of natural greed, a monument to the bored businessman! Come on a little closer! Step right up! Test your strength!” - Beetlejuice
34. “I’ll eat anything you want me to eat. I’ll swallow anything you want me to swallow! So, come on down, and I’ll chew on a dog!” - Beetlejuice
35. “This is my art, and it is dangerous. You think I want to die like this! - Delia Deetz
36. “There’s a word for people in our situation: ghosts.” - Adam Maitland
37. “These aren’t my rules. Come to think of it, I don’t have any rules.” - Beetlejuice
38. “You have got to take the upper hand in all situations, or people, whether they’re dead or alive, will walk all over you.” - Delia Deetz
39. “Maybe you can relax in a haunted house, but I can’t.” - Lydia Deetz
40. “Not so fast, round boy. We’re gonna have some laughs.” - Beetlejuice
41. “Open this door, you dead people, or we’ll bust it down, and we’ll drag you out by the ropes you hang yourselves with!’ - Delia Deetz
42. “Rule number two: The living usually won’t see the dead.” - Barbara Maitland
43. “I heard. Tore your faces right off. It obviously doesn’t do any good to pull your heads off in front of people if they can’t see you!” - Juno
44. “I plan to have a stroke from the amount of MSG that’s in this food.” - Lydia Deetz
45. “Sick! Sexual perversion! If you’re going to do weird sexual stuff, you ought to stay in your bedroom, ok?” - Lydia Deetz
46. “I wanna be dead too.” - Lydia Deetz
47. “I am alone. I am *utterly* alone.” - Lydia Deetz
48. “We’re ghosts! - Adam Maitland
49. “Maybe this is heaven.” - Adam Maitland
50. “In heaven, there wouldn’t be dust on everything.” - Barabara Maitland
51. “Where are all the other people dead in the world? Why is it just you and me? - Barbara Maitland
52. “So you were miserable in New York City, and now you’re going to be miserable out here in the sticks. At least someone’s life hasn’t been upheaved.” - Delia Deetz
53. “Things seem pretty quiet. Thank God you didn’t die in Italy.” - Juno
54. “They wanted me to dissect a frog; I told them it was against my religion.” - Lydia Deetz
55. “If you tell me what you do, I’ll tell you why my husband will fire you.” - Delia Deetz
56. “I’m just doin’ my job. Besides, I thought we had a deal! Hey, it’s OK... You know why? I don’t wanna do business with you deadbeats anyway.” - Beetlejuice
57. “I wonder where a guy, an everyday Joe like myself, can find a little action.” - Beetlejuice
58. “Jane, don’t send people photos of our house.” - Barbara Maitland
59. “Adam, you had a photo of Big Foot!” - Barabara Maitland
60. “Cute couple. Look nice and stupid too.” - Beetlejuice
61. “Whew! Thank you, thank you! That is why I won’t do two shows a night anymore, babe, I won’t, I won’t do ’em.” - Beetlejuice
62. “Nice f***ing model!” - Beetlejuice
63. “There’s absolutely no organic flow through.” - Otho
64. “I noticed that too; it’s like a giant ant farm.” - Delia Deetz
65. “I’m tellin’ ya, honey, she meant nothin’ to me. Nothin’ at all!” - Beetlejuice
66. “I didn’t realize you were into the supernatural.” - Bernard
67. “And look at that kitchen. You’re finally going to be able to cook a decent meal.” - Charles Deetz
68. “You know, if I had seen a ghost at your age, I would have been scared out of my wits.” - Barbara Maitland
69. “How do I look? There are no mirrors on this side.” - Messenger
70. “Shh! They didn’t commit suicide.” - Lydia Deetz
Related Posts:
FAQs
What does Beetlejuice say in his commercial?
In his commercial, Beetlejuice was sporting a cowboy outfit in a cemetery while riding on a cow and said, "Havin' trouble with the livin'? You tired of havin' your home space violated? Wanna get rid of the pesky livin' critters once and for all? Well, come on down and see me, folks. I'm the afterlife's leading bio-exorcist."
Then, he offered a free demon possession with every exorcism and finally said, "And remember, I'll eat anything you want me to eat, and I'll swallow anything you want me to swallow. So come down, I'll chew on a dog."
What's the funniest Beetlejuice quote?
Many fans consider the funniest, memorable quotes to be Beetlejuice's qualification speech: "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?"
Why are Beetlejuice quotes so memorable?
The Beetlejuice quotes are memorable because they perfectly capture each character's unique personality while delivering Tim Burton's signature dark humor. The film's clever wordplay and supernatural comedy have made these lines quotable for over 35 years, with characters like Lydia Deetz delivering goth-inspired wisdom that resonates with fans.
Performances from Michael Keaton, Geena Davis, Jeffrey Jones, and others brought these lines to life, giving them a lasting cultural impact. Quotes like Beetlejuice's wild antics or Lydia’s brooding reflections show how humor and horror can coexist, proving that a truly sound mind can still appreciate the strange and unusual.
Say It Out Loud
Whether you got hooked on its quirky characters or Tim Burton's signature style, these best Beetlejuice quotes continue to bring laughter to fans across generations.
From the Ghost with the Most's outrageous declarations to Lydia's perfectly gothic observations, these lines have earned their place in pop culture history. Some of the funniest moments even happen in Delia's bedroom, where Catherine O'Hara delivers her unforgettable reactions, or in scenes with Alec Baldwin and Winona Ryder that have become Halloween classics.
Show your fandom with these memorable quotes, perfect for Halloween greetings or anytime you wanna celebrate the strange and unusual! These Beetlejuice quotes have maintained their relevance through decades, proving that great writing combined with memorable performances creates truly timeless entertainment that connects both the living and the dead in supernatural comedy. Whether it’s Beetlejuice shouting at the guys creeping around his world or Lydia’s haunting one-liners, the humor still resonates today.
You can also take home or gift to a fan in your life Toynk's Beetlejuice "Ghost With The Most" Curved Ceramic Mug, the perfect way to enjoy a drink while rewatching your favorite Tim Burton movie. This mug features the mischievous ghost Betelgeuse and makes a great addition to any collection.
If you're looking for more Beetlejuice merchandise to collect or surprise a fan, our collection includes everything from apparel to home decor — all celebrating the film's enduring legacy.
References:
- https://screenrant.com/greatest-lines-beetlejuice/
- https://www.cinemablend.com/movies/beetlejuice-the-funniest-and-most-memorable-quotes-from-the-tim-burton-classic
- https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0094721/characters/nm0000474
