Tim Burton
Birthday:
25 August 1958, Burbank, California, USA
Birth Name:
Timothy Walter Burton
Height:
180 cm
Timothy Walter Burton was born in Burbank, California, to Jean Rae (Erickson), who owned a cat-themed gift shop, and William Reed Burton, who worked for the Burbank Park and Recreation Department. He spent most of his childhood as a recluse, drawing cartoons, and watching old movies (he was especially fond of films with Vincent Price). When he was ...
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Timothy Walter Burton was born in Burbank, California, to Jean Rae (Erickson), who owned a cat-themed gift shop, and William Reed Burton, who worked for the Burbank Park and Recreation Department. He spent most of his childhood as a recluse, drawing cartoons, and watching old movies (he was especially fond of films with Vincent Price). When he was in the ninth grade, his artistic talent was recognized by a local garbage company, when he won a prize for an anti-litter poster he designed. The company placed this poster on all of their garbage trucks for a year. After graduating from high school, he attended California Institute of the Arts. Like so many others who graduated from that school, Burton's first job was as an animator for Disney.His early film career was fueled by almost unbelievable good luck, but it's his talent and originality that have kept him at the top of the Hollywood tree. He worked on such films as The Fox and the Hound (1981) and The Black Cauldron (1985), but had some creative differences with his colleagues. Nevertheless, Disney recognized his talent, and gave him the green light to make Vincent (1982), an animated short about a boy who wanted to be just like Vincent Price. Narrated by Price himself, the short was a critical success and won several awards. Burton made a few other short films, including his first live-action film, Frankenweenie (1984). A half-hour long twist on the tale of Frankenstein, it was deemed inappropriate for children and wasn't released. But actor Paul Reubens (aka Pee-Wee Herman) saw Frankenweenie (1984), and believed that Burton would be the right man to direct him in his first full-length feature film, Pee-wee's Big Adventure (1985). The film was a surprise success, and Burton instantly became popular. However, many of the scripts that were offered to him after this were essentially just spin-offs of the film, and Burton wanted to do something new.For three years, he made no more films, until he was presented with the script for Beetlejuice (1988). The script was wild and wasn't really about anything, but was filled with such artistic and quirky opportunities, Burton couldn't say no. Beetlejuice (1988) was another big hit, and Burton's name in Hollywood was solidified. It was also his first film with actor Michael Keaton. Warner Bros. then entrusted him with Batman (1989), a film based on the immensely popular comic book series of the same name. Starring Michael Keaton and Jack Nicholson, the film was the most financially successful film of the year and Burton's biggest box-office hit to date. Due to the fantastic success of his first three films, he was given the green light to make his next film, any kind of film he wanted. That film was Edward Scissorhands (1990), one of his most emotional, esteemed and artistic films to date. Edward Scissorhands (1990) was also Burton's first film with actor Johnny Depp. Burton's next film was Batman Returns (1992), and was darker and quirkier than the first one, and, while by no means a financial flop, many people felt somewhat disappointed by it. While working on Batman Returns (1992), he also produced the popular The Nightmare Before Christmas (1993), directed by former fellow Disney Animator Henry Selick. Burton reunited with Johnny Depp on the film Ed Wood (1994), a film showered with critical acclaim, Martin Landau won an academy award for his performance in it, and it is very popular now, but flopped during its initial release. Burton's subsequent film, Mars Attacks! (1996), had much more vibrant colors than his other films. Despite being directed by Burton and featuring all-star actors including Jack Nicholson, Glenn Close, Pierce Brosnan and Michael J. Fox, it received mediocre reviews and wasn't immensely popular at the box office, either.Burton returned to his darker and more artistic form with the film Sleepy Hollow (1999), starring Johnny Depp, Christina Ricci and Casper Van Dien. The film was praised for its art direction and was financially successful, redeeming Burton of the disappointment many had felt by Mars Attacks! (1996). His next film was Planet of the Apes (2001), a remake of the classic of the same name. The film was panned by many critics but was still financially successful. While on the set of Planet of the Apes (2001), Burton met Helena Bonham Carter, with whom he has two children. Burton directed the film Big Fish (2003) - a much more conventional film than most of his others, it received a good deal of critical praise, although it disappointed some of his long-time fans who preferred the quirkiness of his other, earlier films. Despite the fluctuations in his career, Burton proved himself to be one of the most popular directors of the late 20th century. He directed Johnny Depp once again in Charlie and the Chocolate Factory (2005), a film as quirky anything he's ever done. Show less «
You don't know whether chimps are going to kill you or kiss you. They're very open on some levels and much more evil in a certain way.
You don't know whether chimps are going to kill you or kiss you. They're very open on some levels and much more evil in a certain way.
[commenting on the demolition of the Landmark casino in Las Vegas for the film Mars Attacks! (1996)] "It was like watching something die."
[commenting on the demolition of the Landmark casino in Las Vegas for the film Mars Attacks! (1996)] "It was like watching something die."
[genres] "I had never really done something that was more of a horror film, and it's funny, because those are the kind of movies that I like...Show more »
[genres] "I had never really done something that was more of a horror film, and it's funny, because those are the kind of movies that I like probably more than any other genre. The script had images in it that I liked ." Show less «
[memories] "I remember when I was younger, I had these two windows in my room, nice windows that looked out onto the lawn, and for some reas...Show more »
[memories] "I remember when I was younger, I had these two windows in my room, nice windows that looked out onto the lawn, and for some reason my parents walled them up and gave me this little slit window that I had to climb up on a desk to see out of. To this day I never asked them why; I should ask them." Show less «
Anybody who knows me knows I would never read a comic book. And I certainly would never read anything written by Kevin Smith.
Anybody who knows me knows I would never read a comic book. And I certainly would never read anything written by Kevin Smith.
[suburbia] "I think the atmosphere that I grew up in, yes, there was a subtext of normalcy. I don't even know what the word means, but it's ...Show more »
[suburbia] "I think the atmosphere that I grew up in, yes, there was a subtext of normalcy. I don't even know what the word means, but it's stuck in my brain. It's weird. I don't know if it's specifically American, or American in the time I grew up, but there's a very strong sense of categorization and conformity. I remember being forced to go to Sunday school for a number of years, even though my parents were not religious. No one was really religious; it was just the framework. There was no passion for it. No passion for anything. Just a quiet, kind of floaty, kind of semi-oppressive, blank palette that you're living in." Show less «
[the approach you have to take in movies] " . . . you always have to feel like it's gonna be the greatest, even if it's a . . . you know . ....Show more »
[the approach you have to take in movies] " . . . you always have to feel like it's gonna be the greatest, even if it's a . . . you know . . . piece of crap." Show less «
[Talking about the Batman characters]: "These are some of the wildest characters in comics and yet, they seem the most real to me."
[Talking about the Batman characters]: "These are some of the wildest characters in comics and yet, they seem the most real to me."
[About working with Jack Nicholson on Batman (1989)] "By the time Jack walks onto the set, he feels very clear and strong about the characte...Show more »
[About working with Jack Nicholson on Batman (1989)] "By the time Jack walks onto the set, he feels very clear and strong about the character. So when you're shooting it's great, because that's when you toy around with the levels of how broad to go." Show less «
I'll always remember this image of being in line to see When Dinosaurs Ruled the Earth (1970), and all the younger kids were like, 'Dinosaur...Show more »
I'll always remember this image of being in line to see When Dinosaurs Ruled the Earth (1970), and all the younger kids were like, 'Dinosaurs are so cool!' and all the older kids were like, 'Oh, man, I hear there's this really hot babe in this movie!' Show less «
[on WB's lame suggestions for Charlie and the Chocolate Factory (2005)] "They thought the Charlie character should be more proactive and tha...Show more »
[on WB's lame suggestions for Charlie and the Chocolate Factory (2005)] "They thought the Charlie character should be more proactive and that Wonka should be more of a father figure, and I'm sitting there thinking, 'Willy Wonka is NOT a father figure! If that's your idea of a father figure, yikes. Willy Wonka's a weirdo.' " Show less «
[on the stress of delivering a summer movie in an era when release dates are often set by studios before a script is finished] It's like you...Show more »
[on the stress of delivering a summer movie in an era when release dates are often set by studios before a script is finished] It's like you're a runner and they beat the shit out of you and break your legs right before you're supposed to race, and then they say, 'Now go win the race.' Show less «
[on cult director Edward D. Wood Jr.] "Nobody had his style. That's something I try to do in my films. You have your own kind of cryptic mes...Show more »
[on cult director Edward D. Wood Jr.] "Nobody had his style. That's something I try to do in my films. You have your own kind of cryptic messages in there - cryptic things that most people wouldn't understand but are important to you. Things that kind of keep you going through the process." Show less «
[on picking screenplays] I wouldn't know a good script if it bit me in the face.
[on picking screenplays] I wouldn't know a good script if it bit me in the face.
[on style] I remember, I was at Cal Arts and I wasn't a good life-drawer; I struggled with that realistic style of drawing. And one day I wa...Show more »
[on style] I remember, I was at Cal Arts and I wasn't a good life-drawer; I struggled with that realistic style of drawing. And one day I was sitting in Farmer's Market sketching, and it was this weird, mind-blowing experience. I said, 'Goddamit, I don't care if I can't draw, I'm just gonna draw how I feel about it.' All of a sudden I had my own personal breakthrough, and then I could draw, and satisfied myself. I've had very few experiences like that, and I'll never forget it. Show less «
In Hollywood, they think drawn animation doesn't work anymore, computers are the way. They forget that the reason computers are the way is t...Show more »
In Hollywood, they think drawn animation doesn't work anymore, computers are the way. They forget that the reason computers are the way is that Pixar makes good movies. So everybody tries to copy Pixar. They're relying too much on the technology and not enough on the artists. The fact that Disney closed down its cel animation division is frightening to me. Someday soon, somebody will come along and do a drawn-animated film, and it'll be beautiful and connect with people, and they'll all go, 'Oh, we've got to do that!' It's ridiculous. Show less «
[Becoming a movie director] "There was one moment, and it happened in school. I had a big final exam--we were supposed to write a 20-page re...Show more »
[Becoming a movie director] "There was one moment, and it happened in school. I had a big final exam--we were supposed to write a 20-page report on this book about Houdini [Harry Houdini]. I probably would have loved reading it, but I didn't, so I just decided to make a little super-8 movie based on it. I tied myself to the railroad tracks and all that. I mean, this is kid stuff, but it impressed the teacher, and I got an A. And that was maybe my first turning point, when I said, 'Yeah, I wouldn't mind being a filmmaker.' " Show less «
It is unfortunate that Disney closed down its drawn-animation unit. I find it quite upsetting, because they made a few drawn movies that wer...Show more »
It is unfortunate that Disney closed down its drawn-animation unit. I find it quite upsetting, because they made a few drawn movies that weren't successful and they went, `Well, that is dead, so we have to go to computers.' They forget that the reason that they have been successful is because Pixar [whose films Disney distributes] makes good movies. Success is the real reason people try to copy things in Hollywood. Someday someone will do a beautiful cell- animation film that connects with people and then someone will say, `We have to go and do that again.' The number-one priority should be that the story and the medium are compatible. Show less «
I've always been misrepresented. You know, I could dress in a clown costume and laugh with the happy people but they'd still say I'm a dark ...Show more »
I've always been misrepresented. You know, I could dress in a clown costume and laugh with the happy people but they'd still say I'm a dark personality. Show less «
I grew up watching things like The Brain That Wouldn't Die (1962) on Saturday afternoon television. There's a guy with his arm ripped off an...Show more »
I grew up watching things like The Brain That Wouldn't Die (1962) on Saturday afternoon television. There's a guy with his arm ripped off and blood smeared all over the wall. I never saw it as negative. I find that stuff, when it's not rooted in reality, to be cathartic. Show less «
I've always loved the idea of fairy tales, but somehow I never managed to completely connect with them. What interests me is taking those cl...Show more »
I've always loved the idea of fairy tales, but somehow I never managed to completely connect with them. What interests me is taking those classic images and themes and trying to contemporize them a bit. I believe folk tales and fairy tales have some sort of psychological foundation that makes that possible. Show less «
I always liked strange characters.
I always liked strange characters.
[on Batman Begins (2005)] "I saw a tape of it. It was very touching. Very good."
[on Batman Begins (2005)] "I saw a tape of it. It was very touching. Very good."
If you've ever had that feeling of loneliness, of being an outsider, it never quite leaves you. You can be happy or successful or whatever, ...Show more »
If you've ever had that feeling of loneliness, of being an outsider, it never quite leaves you. You can be happy or successful or whatever, but that thing still stays within you. Show less «
All these kinds of stories, whether it be The Wizard of Oz (1939) or Alice in Wonderland (2010), are an internal journey. I think that's a f...Show more »
All these kinds of stories, whether it be The Wizard of Oz (1939) or Alice in Wonderland (2010), are an internal journey. I think that's a fairly universal concept. These characters represent things inside the human psyche. I think that's what every child does. You try to work out problems as you go along. Same thing as an adult. Some people get therapy, some people get to make movies. Show less «
[on living in England] I love the weather more than in California. I am serious! You know, you can go for a walk in any kind of weather. In ...Show more »
[on living in England] I love the weather more than in California. I am serious! You know, you can go for a walk in any kind of weather. In Los Angeles you immediately arouse suspicion when you're out without a car. Show less «
[on Michelle Pfeiffer as Selina Kyle/Catwoman in "Batman Returns"] I don't really go back and look at the movies but her performance in that...Show more »
[on Michelle Pfeiffer as Selina Kyle/Catwoman in "Batman Returns"] I don't really go back and look at the movies but her performance in that was one of my favorite performances of anything by anyone in any movie that I've worked on. It was just the best. Really, I'll never forget her in that... I just have all these memories of her - letting a live bird fly out of her mouth and learning to use the whip and jumping around rooftop sets in high heels. The work and just the performance were very, very impressive. Show less «
[on Johnny Depp] Johnny's always wanting to sort of hide behind a character, become a character. I've always loved great character actors.
[on Johnny Depp] Johnny's always wanting to sort of hide behind a character, become a character. I've always loved great character actors.
After being asked what Batman Returns will be about.Havent you heard? There is no plot.
After being asked what Batman Returns will be about.Havent you heard? There is no plot.