Tim Burton Movies, From Bizarre to Bewitching

Tim Burton. If you asked me which person in the entire world I would most want to have a conversation with, I would be tempted to say Tim Burton. I just want to know ...What goes on in that mind of his? Does he have nightmares? And if so, does he actually get scared of them? Or maybe I don’t want to know.

At any rate, Tim Burton is an artist in the sense that he puts his own mark on everything that he works on. Tim Burton movies are sometimes strange, sometimes grotesque, sometimes dark, but they are always unique and original.

I don’t always agree with Tim Burton’s worldview, especially when he dwells on the living dead and such, but I do appreciate his artistry and his ability to always surprise me. I love escaping into his world for a couple of hours. It's a world filled with fantasy and imagination. The side of Tim Burton that I disapprove of, is his fascination with death. Some of his animated films are down-right scary, and yet, I think Tim Burton tries to redeem the death with life and hope. As you can probably tell, I'm not all too sure exactly what I think of Tim Burton, only that sometimes I like his movies and sometimes I don't. I would love to hear your opinions about one of the most artistic film-makers out there, so please leave a comment at the bottom, if you'd like.

Here's a guide to some of Tim Burton's most popular movies, most of which I have seen. They range from superhero movies to horror films to animations. This is a small tribute to an artist worth noticing, an artist who is hard to understand.

Director: Tim Burton

Cast: Paul Rubens, Elizabeth Daily

Rated PG

Have I seen it? Yes, a long time ago

I remember those childhood days watching Pee-wee Herman and his crazy antics. I think I thought he was funny back then. Pee-wee’s Big Adventure was Pee-Wee Herman’s first movie and came out of the theatrical The Pee-Wee Herman Show. This movie came out a year before the popular children’s television show Pee-wee’s Playhouse aired on CBS. The plot follows Pee-wee as he sets off on an adventure to recover his stolen bicycle. “I know you are but what am I? I know you are but what am I?” – echoes in my ears.

Director: Tim Burton

Cast: Michael Keaton, Alec Baldwin, Geena Davis, Winona Ryder

Rated PG

Have I Seen It? No

I wasn’t allowed to watch this as a kid, and seeing the trailer now, I completely understand. Beetlejuice is about a couple of ghosts who, unable to scare away the living people in their old house, call upon another ghost named Beetljuice to help them out. Beetlejuice causes more harm than good, and almost succeeds in marrying the character played by Winona Ryder. Perhaps this is the beginning of Tim Burton’s fascination with marriage of the dead and the living.

Director: Tim Burton

Cast: Michael Keaton, Jack Nicholson, Kim Basinger, Michael Gough

Rated PG-13

Have I Seen It? Maybe, back in the day

Batman was one of the first superhero feature films. Perhaps the making of this movie sparked the growing popularity that superheroes have today. Batman deals with the conflict between Batman (whose real identity is Bruce Wayne) and The Joker, one of the greatest villains of all time. Tim Burton also helped make the movies Batman Returns and Batman Forever.

Director, Producer, and co-Writer: Tim Burton

Cast: Johnny Depp, Winona Ryder, Dianne Wiest

Rated PG-13

Have I Seen It? Yes, I love it!

Edward Scissorhands is by far my favorite Tim Burton movie. The story is a grown-up fairy tale, and it’s been said that it is a partial autobiography of Tim Burton. Edward is an “abnormal” being in a “normal” world one street wide. The extremes are obvious. Edward (presumably representing Tim Burton himself) is strange, he has scissors for hands, and real-world logic doesn’t make sense to him. Everybody else fits into a mold. They have no personal identity. But from the view of Tim Burton, the other people are the abnormal, inhumane ones, and Edward is the one with heart and imagination.

Producer and Co-Writer: Tim Burton

Cast: Chris Sarandon, Catherine O’Hara, Paul Rubens

Rated PG

Have I Seen It? No

The Nightmare Before Christmas is a Disney film, but was originally released under Touchstone Pictures due to its non-children-friendly themes. Jack Skellington, the pumpkin king of HalloweenTown, decides to drop Halloween and try out Christmas for a while. After kidnapping Santa Claus, he attempts to take over the Christmas rituals. I imagine that Halloween and Christmas somewhat clash.

Producer: Tim Burton

Cast: Richard Dreyfuss, Susan Sarandon, Simon Callow, Paul Terry, Joanna Lumley

Rated PG

Have I Seen It? Yes, I could live in a peach

James and the Giant Peach is based on the book by Roald Dahl. Tim Burton and Roald Dahl are the perfect match as far as creativity goes. This adaption of the classic children’s book is a mix of both animation and live action. James lives with his horrid aunts after his parents disappear until one day when he escapes via (you guessed it) a giant peach that takes him and his new friends (giant talking bugs) to the magical land of New York City. The horrid aunts are grotesquely scary, but there are many interesting characters and adventures to entertain, if you have the acquired taste.

Director: Tim Burton

Cast: Johnny Depp, Christina Ricci, Michael Gough, Miranda Richardson, Christopher Lee

Rated R

Have I Seen It? Yes, but couldn't handle it

Sleepy Hollow is based on the short story by Washington Irving. But the movie really isn’t much like the written story. This version is more horror than folk legend. I confess, I couldn’t make it though the entire film because all the blood and evilness was getting to me and making me ill. I never was one for horror. The movie version has a lot of murder and hellish plots, not quite like Irving’s work at all. I can appreciate Tim Burton’s originality, but not quite in this case.

Director: Tim Burton

Cast: Mark Wahlberg, Helena Bonham Carter, Paul Giamatti, Tim Roth

Rated PG-13

Have I Seen It? No

Tim Burton’s Planet of the Apes is a remake of the 1968 film. In science fiction form, the plot follows an astronaut who falls through a vortex and travels through time, landing on a planet inhabited by talking apes. In reverse of natural roles, the apes on this new planet are in control of the world, and treat humans like animals. I haven’t made time to watch this movie yet (monkey business isn't quite my thing) but I might have to change my mind ... it is Tim Burton after all.

Director: Tim Burton

Cast: Ewan McGregor, Albert Finney, Jessica Lange, Helena Bonham Carter

Rated PG-13

Have I Seen It? No

The director of Big Fish was supposed to be Steven Spielberg, but Spielberg ended up working on another movie and Tim Burton replaced him. Big Fish sounds intriguing in that it is told as a fairy tale set in the South. After a long separation, a father and son are brought together through the father’s telling his life story which sounds more like myth than truth. This is on my list of movies to watch.

Director: Tim Burton

Cast: Johnny Depp, Freddie Highmore, Helena Bonham Carter, Christopher Lee

Rated PG

Have I Seen It? Yes, of course

Charlie and the Chocolate Factory is a marvelous concoction of Tim Burton, Johnny Depp, and Roald Dahl, with lots of candy thrown in for extra sweetness. Although I like Gene Wilder as Willy Wonka, I love Johnny Depp in the part. The only part of this version that I didn’t like was the bizarre songs by the Oompa Loompas. But the story is great: a boy from a poor family gets the chance to explore the best chocolate factory in the world, run by the quirkiest chocolatier in the world.

Co-Director, Co-Producer, Co-Writer: Tim Burton

Cast: Johnny Depp, Helena Bonham Carter, Emily Watson, Paul Whitehouse, Joanna Lumley, Albert Finney, Christopher Lee, Michael Gough

Rated PG

Have I Seen It? No

Corpse Bride looks very like The Nightmare Before Christmas. It is based on a very old folktale. The plot follows a young couple, Victor and Victoria, about to be wed. Victor accidentally marries a corpse bride while practicing his vows. A flurry of complicated events follow. This is yet another “children’s film” that deals with the restless dead and a backwards view of the afterlife.

Director: Tim Burton

Cast: Johnny Depp, Helena Bonham Carter, Alan Rickman, Timothy Spall, Sacha Baron Cohen

Rated R

Have I Seen It? No

Sweeney Todd, what can I say... it’s a horror/ musical/ period piece. I am very tempted to watch this one, but my former traumatizing experience with Sleepy Hollow dissuades me. I think I would enjoy the music and the costumes and maybe even the storyline, but I have a hard time watching straightforward slaughter. Sweeney Todd is a murderous barber who spills much blood as he seeks revenge for the death of his family, all the while singing his thoughts out loud.

Co-Producer: Tim Burton

Cast: Elijah Wood, Christopher Plummer, Jennifer Connely, Crispin Glover

Rated PG-13

Have I Seen It? Yes, it was ok

9 is the darkest animation film I have ever seen. I believe there was approximately 90 seconds of sunlit happiness to the tune of a happy song. But every other moment was dark and dreary. This movie follows the 2009 trend of post-apocalyptic films. After all the humans on earth die off, nine man-made creations, given parts of the soul of their creator, attempt to survive a world ridden with destructive machines.

Director: Tim Burton

Cast: Johnny Depp, Helena Bonham Carter, Mia Wasikowska

Rated PG

Have I Seen It? Can't wait!

I am very excited about the new Alice in Wonderland. I have a feeling this version will be more faithful to Lewis Carroll than the Disney cartoon of 1951. Although, the plot will be a little different as the new Alice is nineteen years old and is returning to Wonderland.