Tim Burton's Dark Genius

In 1989, the name ”Tim Burton” entered my personal lexicon. Batman exceeded all my expectations, providing something that truly struck fear into the hearts of villains, as the title hero had done in the comics for decades. Who knew Michael Keaton, star of such comedies as Night Shift, Mr. Mom, Johnny Dangerously, and Gung Ho could fulfill the title role? I had seen and enjoyed all of the films I just listed, but had a hard time envisioning him as Batman, until I saw those first trailers with him in costume, yanking a thug close and stating in a coarse whisper, “I'm BATMAN!” The music of Danny Elfman, who would go on to be a frequent Burton collaborator and become one of my favorite composers, enhanced the new Dark Knight. Finally, the solid insanity of Jack Nicholson completed the new gothic tale of the caped crusader. Nicholson's career is vast, with more than sixty roles to his credit, and I'm still catching up on such things as Chinatown and The Two Jakes, both of which I saw this past week. Batman had a lot of great ingredients, but it was the work of Burton as chef that made it so tasty.

Tim Burton's view of the world combines gothic elements with twisted circus imagery to create a new entity. A fact I often forget is that, while Batman is the first time I registered his name in my consciousness, Pee Wee's Big Adventure is actually the earliest Burton film I've seen. Keaton worked with Burton prior to Batman on Beetle Juice, but I'd actually catch that film a few years later, well after watching the animated spinoff. Certain things, from stripes to distorted architecture to exaggerated anatomy, from rotund figures to twigs with spindly legs, all mark Burton's signature. What he achieved with live action in Edward Scissorhands, which I'm ashamed to admit I've not regarded in its entirety, bordered on animation. In 1993, The Nightmare Before Christmas marked his liberation from the restraints of the real world.

The Nightmare Before Christmas was released while I was in college. At the time, my school would often screen movies for free once they left theaters but just before they were released on video cassette. It was in this manner that I also enjoyed Ed Wood. In the age before DVD special features, I'm not sure how I found myself watching a special delving in to the complicated process of stop animation used in Nightmare. Perhaps it was shown as an addendum to the movie in the college auditorium, or perhaps we watched a video in one of my film electives. I was fascinated with the patience required to move each figure slightly and precisely, snap a frame, then repeat the process. Enamored, I woke one morning in a half-dreaming state and exclaimed, “I Am the Pumpkin King!” A lack of common sense led to recounting the tale to classmates and budding friends later that day, a story that took years to live down.

It's hard to believe that was over a decade ago. Burton returned to the world of stop animation with last year's Corpse Bride, a very enjoyable tale that includes the voice of Johnny Depp, another Burton favorite. It's hard to go wrong with Burton, Depp, and Elfman. I think A Nightmare Before Christmas is the better of his two animated works, but Corpse Bride is a fun and twisted ride with a lot of great characters. Every expression, every gesture, and every little facial tic add to the rich and amusing tapestry. Even as I write this, I'm playing the DVD for a second time using the “soundtrack only” option, which removes all dialogue and truly shows how much Elfman's music contributes to storytelling. I don't want to influence readers who haven't sent in their Myclofig votes yet, and I still have some nominees to watch myself, but Corpse Bride definitely ranks high for me at the moment.

With the exception of the tragically disappointing Planet of the Apes remake, I've enjoyed every Burton project I've consumed. I'll close tonight with my top ten favorite movies directed or produced by Burton, in descending order:

10) Mars Attacks!

9) Beetle Juice

8) James and the Giant Peach

7) Corpse Bride

6) Batman Returns

5) The Nightmare Before Christmas

4) Charlie and the Chocolate Factory

3) Pee Wee's Big Adventure

2) Batman

1) Big Fish