Wednesday 18 January 2012

Tim Burton Imagination Man


It is no secret that I love movies. I plan to make it my profession (original i know). A defining movie moment in my life was watching Big Fish. The movie is magic, beautiful, heartfelt and one that transports me to another world. So who do I have to thank for this otherworldly experience? Non other than Mr. Imagination himself, Tim Burton. Tim Burton is definitely one of my top 5 directors and so today I want to share some of his magic with you.

I am going to post some pictures from some of my favorite Tim Burton directed films. There are still some I need to see, the top of that list being Ed Wood and Mars Attack! But for now I will start with the ones I have seen and really enjoyed. Enjoy!


Beetlejuice, 1988, starring Alec Baldwin, Geena Davis, Winona Rider and Michael Keaton as Beetlejuice. The film went on to win an Oscar for Best Makeup.



The year after Beetlejuice Burton directed Batman, and again teamed up with Michael Keaton. Keaton took on the role of Batman, Kim Basinger and Jack Nicholson also starred. Nicholson playing the homicidal Joker. The film went on the win the Oscar for Best Art Direction-Set Direction.




In 1990 Tim Burton collaborated with Johnny Depp for the first time, a partnership that is still alive 20 years later. The film was Edward Scissorhands a tragic tale of a gentle sole with scissors for hands. Winona Ryder once again starred in a Burton directed film along with Dianne West, Kathy Baker and Alan Arkin. The film received an Oscar nomination for Best Makeup.



Burton took on the story of Batman again, but this time the studios gave him the freedom to create a true Tim Burton film. Batman Returns starred Michael Keaton as Batman for the second time and marked the third time he worked with the director. Michelle Pfeiffer played the dangerously sexy Catwoman, and Danny Devito played the Penguin. Christopher Walken also starred. The film received two Oscar nomination for Best Makeup and Best Visual Effects. 




In 1999 Sleepy Hollow was released. The film starts Johnny Depp investigating the legend of the Headless Horseman. Christina Ricci, Miranda Richardson, Michael Gambon, Christopher Walken, and Christopher Lee all starred in the Horror. Nominated for Best Cinematography, Best Costume Design and winning Best Art Direction-Set Direction at the Oscars.




Big Fish, 2003, is one of my favorite films of all time. The films cast was magnificent, the great Albert Finney was the heart of the film, which also included Jessica Lange, Ewan McGregor, Alison Lohman, Marion Cotillard, Steve Busceni, the awesome Helen Bohem-Carter and even a young Miley Cyrus. Danny Elfman the legendary film composer was nominated for an Oscar for his beautiful score.




In 2005 Burton decided to remake a classic. Burton's Charlie and the Chocolate Factory starred Freddie Highmore as Charlie and Johnny Depp as Willy Wonka. Helen Bohem-Carter, David Kelly, AnnaSophia Robb and  Missi Pyle (also in Big Fish) rounded out the cast. The film got a Best Achievement in Costume Design Oscar nomination and became Burton's second biggest commercial success taking in $475 million worldwide.




Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street, 2007, was Burtons first musical. The film was based on a based on the hit Broadway musical and stars Depp as the titular character. Helen Bohem-Carter, Burtons partner, plays miss Mrs. Lovett the baker who cooks Todd's victims. Alan Rickman, Timothy Spall, Sacha Baron Cohen, Jamie Campbell Bower all star. The movie received Oscar nominations for Best Achievement in Costume Design, Best Performance in a Leading Role for Johnny Depp, and won for Best Achievement in Art Direction.




The last film that Tim Burton has Released has been Alice in Wonderland. The film follows alice returning to Underland a few years after she first visited. A virtually unknown, Mia Wasikowska, was cast as Alice. Depp played the Mad Hatter and Helen Bohem-Carter was brilliant as the Red Queen. Anne Hathaway, Michael Sheen, Stephen Fry, Alan Rickman, and Crispin Glover (the thin man anyone?) rounded out the stellar cast. The movie is Burton's highest grossing film and one of the highest grossing films of all time, taking in over $1 billion. The movie won two Oscars, BestAchievement in Art Direction and Best Achievement in Costume Design. It was also nominated for Best Achievement in Visual Effects. 


It was hard to pick the right pictures for each film, and also to find pictures without Depp. haha. I will post a few pictures from some of his soon to be released films, which I am ridiculously excited for, in the next day or so. But for now I leave you with one more still from Big Fish.


Good day to you kind folk :)

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