 Although Adam and Barbara remain invisible to Charles and Delia , teenage Lydia can see the ghost couple and befriends them . Against Juno 's advice , the Maitlands contact the miscreant Beetlejuice , Juno 's former assistant and now freelance " bio @-@ exorcist " ghost , to scare away the Deetzes . However , Betelgeuse quickly offends the Maitlands with his crude and morbid demeanor ; and they reconsider hiring him , though too late to stop him from wreaking havoc on the Deetzes . The small town 's charm and the supernatural events inspire Charles to pitch his boss Maxie Dean on transforming the town into a tourist hot spot , but Maxie wants proof of the ghosts . Using the Handbook for the Recently Deceased , Otho conducts what he thinks is a séance and summons Adam and Barbara , but they begin to decay and die , as Otho had unwittingly performed an exorcism instead . Horrified , Lydia summons Betelgeuse for help ; but he agrees to help her only on the condition that she marry him , enabling him to freely cause chaos in the mortal world . Betelgeuse saves the Maitlands and disposes of Maxie , his wife , and Otho . Betelgeuse then prepares a wedding before a ghastly minister . The Maitlands intervene before the ceremony is completed , with Barbara riding a <unk> through the house to devour Betelgeuse . 
