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For almost four decades, the quaint town of East Corinth, Vermont, has become a magnet for fans of “Beetlejuice,” eager to explore the iconic locations where this imaginative horror-comedy was filmed.
With just about 1,500 residents, East Corinth has gained fame as a destination for movie enthusiasts and those seeking out spooky-themed adventures, thanks to the enduring popularity of “Beetlejuice.”
“It felt like a rite of passage movie for me,” shared Lisa Pinkerton, a “Beetlejuice” devotee visiting from England with her family. “It brings back memories of watching it with friends. It’s thrilling to see the movie magic in person.”
Debuting in 1988, “Beetlejuice” is set in the fictional town of Winter River, Connecticut.
The film follows a recently deceased couple, portrayed by Geena Davis and Alec Baldwin, as they try to haunt a family out of their home. When their efforts fall short, they enlist the help of the mischievous “bio-exorcist” Beetlejuice, played by Michael Keaton, only to regret it soon after.
But in reality, director Tim Burton chose East Corinth, located near the New Hampshire border, for many of the iconic scenes.
This includes shooting the 100-year-old building that serves as the movie’s Miss Shannon’s School for Girls, where Lydia Deetz, played by Winona Ryder, attends school, as well as the red covered bridge where the main characters, Adam and Barbara Maitland, drive off and plummet to their death.
East Corinth resident Sarah Polli lives beside the bridge used in the film, and her garage was converted into the Winter River Fire Department, with the rest of her home serving as Jane Butterfield’s Real Estate and Travel Agency.
Her uncle, Maurice Page, was the only local who scored a role in the film.
“He was supposed to be the barber, but he kept ad-libbing, which frustrated Tim Burton,” Polli said. “So, he gave him a nonspeaking part basically, and he became Ernie dusting off the statues in front of the library.”
Page can be seen in the film saying, “Hi, how are you?” to the Maitlands as they drive by in their yellow Volvo.
“I think it was a lot of fun for everyone, but a lot of the older people in town, I think, they thought that this was going to be a pleasant, bucolic movie about the countryside. There was some shock when the movie came out,” said Polli.
Burton, a moody gothic hero, returned to the Vermont town to film the sequel — “Beetlejuice Beetlejuice” — which has only helped spark more tourists flocking to East Corinth.
Polli says the town welcomes fans, who residents affectionately refer to as “juicers,” from all over the world.
“It’s just been a continuous stream. I’ve met people from France, Germany, Spain, Denmark, Belgium, Great Britain, all over Canada, and all over the United States. It’s just amazing,” she said.
Wade Pierson, who grew up in East Corinth, created a walking tour for fans like Pinkerton, highlighting the various filming locations that can be seen around town.
Because some of the scenes incorporated a bit of movie magic, Pierson’s roughly 10-minute, self-guided tour helps enthusiasts visualize the films’ iconic sets with the use of large signs featuring screenshots from the films.
“People say, ‘Where’s the house?’ It was a movie set, so it was taken down,” Pierson said. “We do have a picture on a pole that if you stand in the right place and squat down, you can line it up with the hill across the river, take a pretty realistic-looking photo of what it looked like when they shot the film.”
Meanwhile, the schoolhouse building has since been sold to a “Beetlejuice” enthusiast who hopes to restore and transform it into a community center that can serve as a “Beetlejuice” museum and theater.
Decked out in “Beetlejuice”-themed Halloween decorations, Pierson’s home is located directly across from the schoolhouse, where he says he’s had a front-row seat to the filming of both movies.
“I literally have the honor of living across the street from Miss Shannon’s, which is a living, standing movie set,” he said. “The more people that enjoy it, the better.”