Beetlejuice" Directed by Tim Burton, Written by Larry Wilson, Michael Mcdowell, and Warren Skarren
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BETELGEUSE Script Treatment By Rob Garlen Based on the Film "Beetlejuice" Directed by Tim Burton, Written by Larry Wilson, Michael McDowell, and Warren Skarren This is a work of Fan Fiction not to be confused with any official Product of the Warner Bros. Office concerning Betelgeuse, or Beeteljuice. I DO NOT OWN nor do I CLAIM TO OWN any characters appearing in this work of Fan Fiction. MAJOR DIFFERENCES: {NOTE: If you don’t want to read the treatment you can just read a list of noticable differences from this and the original film} - More of a Horror tone, like the original script, much like a mixture of Fright Night {Remake} and Stanly Kubrick’s The Shining. - The Original Theme would mostly stay intact but overall it would be tweaked as to create a darker, scarier tone to fit the tone of the new film. - The Maitland’s had a daughter, adopted: Cathy Maitland, that committed suicide over them taking a vacation because she wanted to spend it with her boyfriend, when she gets her way she discovers that cheated on her and suffered deeply from depression she jumped off The Bridge an hour after finding her boyfriend sleeping with her supposed best friend Jane Butterfield (Young Jane) {at the end of the film they would discover she was Reincarnated into Lydia, the Caseworker Juno saw her as being too young to stay dead and felt sorry for her, so she allowed Lydia to be reincarnated (much like all young kids are) but Lydia isn’t allowed to remember her past life as penance for suicide} - Their Daughters death is the reason they never vacation out of home. - Jane returns 15 years later, aged 30, trying to convince The Maitlands to sell their home, even going as low as saying “it’s what Cathy would want.” - Little Janet is Jane’s daughter who’s likeness is identical. - Before the Maitland’s death they talk about whether or not they would sell the house if the other had passed away, Barbara says she would while Adam wouldn’t. - Lydia’s birth mother died giving Birth, Delia use to be Charles Secretary until they started sleeping together after Lydia’s mom died. - Lydia is initially Emo, having cut her wrists attempting to cut suicide from severe depression but stopped herself {not realizing that it was actually her forcefully repressed Memories as Cathy that stopped her} and is part of the reason why Charles brought his family out there. - Through the film Lydia is a emo and suicidal but her interactions with the Maitlands begin showing her the brighter side of life. (CONTINUED) CONTINUED: 2. - Charles is a struggling writer instead of having a career in Condo Real Estate. - Delia turned to art and clothes designing after failing as an actress. - Delia is the one who sets up the Deal for “Big Max” to come down and look at the ghosts, this time in hope of turning the House into a “Haunted House” Museum. - Maxie Dean “Big Max” is a publisher and Art Dealer, his business partner Bernard attempts to dissuade Max from agreeing to deal with The Deetz. - Otho is Delia’s personal assistant and fashion coordinator. - Otho is homosexual, and he does have a sister. - Otho lives with the Deetz on contract. - Instead of using the song “Day-O”, The Maitlands use “Thriller” possessing the party guests and even appearing themselves as “Zombies” - Beetlejuice (or as it’s occasionally spelled Betelgeuse) would drop hints as to other lives he’s lived but never directly stating, the other Identities he would refer to would be: Judas, Vlad the Impaler, King Louis the XVI, George Washington, John Wilks Booth, Adolf Hitler, Zodiac. - Otho invites his sister to a dinner party at the end of the film. - Beetlejuice will marry Lydia at the end, but dies because he is made mortal. SIMILARITIES: - Beetlejuice’s signature striped suit. - You have to say his name 3 times. - Beetlejuice is a vulgar fuck. He loves to cuss. - Beetlejuice keeps his perverted tendencies. - Film retains the elements of a Black Comedy. - Most of the Story is intact. The big differences are in the additional details. 3. BETELGEUSE Based on the film “Beetlejuice” Directed by Tim Burton Based on the script "Beetlejuice" Written by Larry Wilson, Michael McDowell, and Warren Skarren Screen Story and Script Treatment by Robert Garlen. OPEN with a Preamble, taking place before the opening credits: Arguing off screen in a house. A girl and the parents, all of screen the argument goes over the vacation the girl wants to stay, the parents want to go to Hawaii. The argument ends with the girl getting her way... Hard on Winter River, Connecticut. Rain is pouring like a motherfucker. We see a young, beautiful girl (15) CATHY running down a neighborhood, happy, smiling. She runs up to a door, she knocks on the door, another girl (15) “Little” Jane Butterfield with just a T-Shirt on, and behind her comes up a boy (16) Timothy Michael. The three of them stare at each other like a deer at headlights. Cathy takes off. Wide on her running away... Slide/transition to: INT. Maitland’s Home. Cathy is in her room crying, writing a suicide note speaking it out loud, the camera pushes in on the note as it’s read: “I am so utterly alone. By the time you have read this you will have this I will be gone having plummeted into the Winter River Bridge, having no reason to live, as the one boy I love betrayed me. I am so sorry Mom and Dad. Goodbye forever... Cathy Maitland.” We fade onto the Winter River Bridge. Cathy is crying sitting on the window opening. ADAM MAITLAND (25) handsome, glasses, Fatherly, is working on a half built model of the city. BARBARA MAITLAND (25) Beautiful, sweet, Motherly bursts in the room, CATHY is gone. Adam searches her room finds the note, tells Barb he knows where she is and runs for it. Adam bursts out of the house and runs with the note dropping out of his hand. ADAM finds Cathy at the Winter River Bridge. He runs down the Bridge hollering for Cathy, she sees Adam and leaps off. Adam sees her go and drops to his knees. Barbara finds him (CONTINUED) CONTINUED: 4. with the note in hand at the bridge the two sit there and cry as... FADE IN: OPENING CREDITS: “BETLEGEUSE” No score. Instead it’s a funeral for Cathy. We go through the session and we see Tim apologize before Adam takes him by the neck and throws him out. Barbara stops Adam from throwing Jane out as she begins crying and begging for forgiveness. CUT TO: 15 YEARS LATER... WINTER RIVERS, CT... The Maitland’s are enjoying their vacation, now respectively in their early 40’s. They’re vacationing at home, just like Cathy wanted. They get each other presents celebrating their 15th marriage anniversary. They almost ignore the subject of Cathy. They talk and force the subject on each other. They decide they’ll try again for a baby. Jane visits to offer her condolences and to persuade them to sell the house, they give her a harsh no and threaten to have her disbarred from the Realtor Association. She leaves, a bit pissy. Scene moves... Adam and Barbara sitting outside; enjoying a nice tan and sunlight. Adam is working on his model. He needs a part, He and Barb head out in their Blue/Grey station wagon. They talk on the way there about whether or not to sell the house if the other passes, Barbara right off admits she would, Adam says he couldn’t live with himself if he ever sold the house. They talk about Cathy, they finally agree they’ve come to terms, and can no longer blame themselves and agree to try raising another baby {but since they physically can’t have children they decide to adopt again}. Adam goes through his routine at the hardware store, grabbing this and that for a model and exits. He and Barbara begin heading back home hitting the bridge, Where a stray dog forces Barbara off the road. They sit in the car unconscious for a few seconds and sees the stray stands on a beam and jumps off as they plunge into the river - ADAM & BARB’S P.O.V.: CATHY - They wake up. Their bedroom; they look at each other, they know something isn’t right. They investigate and discover they’re dead. Adam leaves the house - the venture sends him (CONTINUED) CONTINUED: 5. to OCEAN - He crosses the field to get back to the house. Barb tells him that he’s been gone for hours. They discuss the best course of action. They find "The Handbook for the Recently Deceased" on their coffee table. They flip through it look for what to do. They walk through the house while Jane and her daughter JANET (15) {Spitting Image of young Jane} do a walkthrough with the DEETZ. Charles Deetz (40’s) handsome but hardworking. Delia (40’s) Lydia’s step mother, beautiful but she radiates pure bitch in her movements and the last member of the gang: Lydia (15), the spitting image of Cathy; but Emo, scars on her wrists, she accompanies Jane. Lydia talks to Jane, asking her what happened Jane explains the Maitland’s death, says they had a daughter that when the same way 15 years ago, Janet accuses them of suicide. Adam and Barb watches them, they’re dumb struck at Lydia.