Sumith Prasad
In Tim Burton’s 1988 horror comedy film ‘Beetlejuice,’ the titular bio exorcist’s name is spelled “Betelgeuse.” The latter can be seen on his tombstone and advertisement flyer, even though the title uses an alternative spelling. The difference is also present in the sequel, ‘Beetlejuice Beetlejuice.’ Over the years, the name and its alternative spelling have been the subject of numerous discussions worldwide. A viewer’s initial reasoning after watching the film can be that the title is a twisted way of referring to the beetle-eating antagonist. However, that’s not why the title has a different spelling!
Betelgeuse is a Red Supergiant Star in the Orion Constellation
Michael Keaton’s protagonist’s name, “Betelgeuse,” can be traced back to the red supergiant star of the same name. It is part of the constellation of Orion and is usually the tenth-brightest star in the night sky. The particular name has been used in several different instances. The United States Navy used it to name two World War II ships, USS Betelgeuse (AKA-11) and USS Betelgeuse (AK-260), in 1939 and 1944, respectively. There was also a French supertanker named after the star, and its explosion caused the infamous Betelgeuse disaster. Michael McDowell, who wrote the horror comedy with Warren Skaaren, named the character Betelgeuse without revealing his personal reasoning.
However, McDowell was surprised that many people could connect the character’s name to the distant star. “During the four years I spent with the project in Hollywood, I was repeatedly delighted—and somewhat astonished—by people who responded to the title Beetlejuice with the question, ‘Oh, you mean like the star?’ Somebody even suggested that the sequel be named Sanduleak –69 202 after the precursor of Supernova 1987A,” he wrote in a letter published in the American Astronomical Society’s magazine Sky & Telescope. Therefore, “Betelgeuse” is not a twisted name given to a twisted dead man who eats beetles and drinks the insect’s “juice.”
According to Greek mythology, Orion was a giant huntsman placed among the stars by Zeus. In ‘Beetlejuice,’ the protagonist can also be seen as a huntsman after human beings. His principal occupation is killing or exorcising the living for the dead, which is not drastically different from what Orion did with regard to animals on Earth, as per the legends.
Betelgeuse’s Original Pronunciation Makes it a Difficult Title
If “Betelgeuse” is an established name, why the alternative spelling “Beetlejuice”? Tim Burton and his writers must have chosen the latter because of its simplicity. According to Paul Kunitzsch, a German linguaphile and a renowned expert in Arabic, Betelgeuse is pronounced as “BET-ul-jow-ZAY—with a stronger accent on ZAY than on BET,” as stated by Fred Schaaf in ‘The Brightest Stars: Discovering the Universe through the Sky’s Most Brilliant Stars.’ The particular pronunciation is incredibly difficult, especially in a film where the character is summoned by saying his name thrice. The alternative spelling and pronunciation, Beetlejuice and BEE-təl-jooss, respectively, eliminate this difficulty.
Since the horror comedy is a studio film, the last thing Warner Bros. had wanted while aiming for a blockbuster might have been a confusing title the audience couldn’t pronounce. Thus, Burton and his screenwriters must have titled their film ‘Beetlejuice’ instead of the star’s name. The alternative spelling and pronunciation are justified through Betelgeuse’s inability to say or write his name on his own after becoming an exorcist without the permission of his boss, Juno. As the scene in which he makes Lydia Deetz guess his name depicts, “Beetlejuice” can be seen as a word he relies on to refer to himself to avoid his original name.
When the horror comedy was in the works at Warner Bros., the studio wanted the title ‘House Ghosts.’ As per reports, Burton jokingly retaliated by suggesting ‘Scared Sheetless,’ only for the production company to accept the same. The filmmaker had to ultimately put his foot down and fight for the original title to release the film as ‘Beetlejuice.’
Read More: Is the House in Beetlejuice Real? Where is it Located?
