Beetlejuice Page #18

The two women try to push back their chairs from the table, but

can't.

The patterned flowers and vines in the carpet have begun to grow,

twisting around the chair- and table-legs.

New shoots and vines appear, unfold, and twist even as we watch.

The flowers bud and bloom, as in a Disney time-lapse nature film.

Everyone looks on with astonishment as more of the carpet

sprouts. There is a general retreat from the table.

LYDIA fetches one of her cameras, never very far away.

LYDIA:

It's the ghosts. I told you.

I told you they were real.

CHARLES:

Then Cathy was telling the

truth too. (To OTHO) She

said she had talked to them.

OTHO:

It's woooon-der-fullll. In-

controvertible proof of the presence

of the supernatural element in this

house. I was, and I remain, an

expert in this field.

DELIA shoots a look of triumph at EVELYN.

INT:
ATTIC ROOM -- NIGHT

ADAM and BARBARA lying on the floor with their heads near the

window, looking out over the front yard.

ADAM:

Any minute now. They'll all

run screaming --

Timid knock at the door of the attic.

BARBARA glances at ADAM and then goes to the door and opens it.

CATHY is standing there, sheepish.

CATHY:

They'd like for you to come

downstairs. Mom says you

can use any sheets you want.

INT:
LIVING ROOM -- NIGHT

The DEETZs, OTHO, and EVELYN are sitting expectantly. The

photographs are being passed around.

DELIA:

I mean, doesn't it indicate a

marvellous sense of humor on the

part of the ghosts that they

actually do appear in sheets?

Who would expect that?

OTHO:

We are obviously dealing with

a very sophisticated pair.

EVELYN:

Charles, I want to know why

you didn't call me about this

right away. The book rights

alone could make us a fortune...

She waves a hand toward the dining room. It's a total jungle in

there now.

CHARLES:

We were just waiting for proof,

Evelyn.

He points to LYDIA's photographs.

EVELYN:

Yes, of course. Lydia

darling, these prints alone --

CATHY appears at the base of the stairs. Everyone looks to her

expectantly.

CATHY:

They just won't. They wouldn't

say why.

DELIA:

Well they have to. That's all

there is to it.

OTHO:

They must have a reason.

CATHY:

I think the reason is they were

trying to scare you, and you

didn't get scared --

DELIA:

Of course we weren't scared.

Just a little startled.

CHARLES:

I don't see --

He breaks off when he looks back at the dining room. It's

completely clear again. All eyes travel to that room.

EVELYN:

Of course they were rather

spectacular effects -- for

Connecticut I mean.

DELIA:

Are you insinuating --

OTHO:

(To CATHY) You can see them,

can't you?

CATHY doesn't answer.

CHARLES:

Where do they live? Hide out?

OTHO:

All presences have a home

space. A place where they

work out of, so to speak.

CATHY:

The attic.

DELIA:

(To CATHY) Well then, come

on.

INT:
LANDING OUTSIDE OF ATTIC

CATHY AND DELIA:

DELIA:

They're in there? This is

where they've been hiding

out?

CATHY nods. DELIA pounds on the door.

DELIA:

All right, you dead people,

come on out, or we're going

to break down this goddamn

door and drag you downstairs.

CATHY:

Why don't you say please?

DELIA:

You've got to take the

right tone in things like this,

Cathy, or people -- whether

they're dead or alive -- people

will walk all over you. These

are lessons that it's important

for you to learn. (Loud) Come

on you, or I will make death

so miserable for you that you

will wish you had never been

buried.

The door cracks open with an EERIE WHINE.

INT:
LIVING ROOM -- NIGHT

The family waiting, expectant. DELIA comes down the stairs with

a smug smile. CATHY follows, looking worried.

CHARLES:

Are they coming?

OTHO:

They're already here. I can

feel it.

EVELYN:

(Sceptical)

How do we know?

She looks at CHARLES, as if to say, DELIA's Trying To Pull a Fast

One.

Then, quite suddenly, these things happen:

An ugly modern lamp is knocked over and smashed.

An enormous rip appears in a dreadful canvas on the wall.

The ugly rug in the center of the room has a pentangle charred

into it.

All the chairs are knocked over backwards, with everyone

spilling out.

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