"Burtonjuice. Burtonjuice. Burtonjuice."
Wednesday, March 7, 2012 at 1:00PM Tim Burton was one of my very first movie loves. I fell out of love abruptly when Planet of the Apes crash-landed but the divorce was lengthy and complicated. My lawyers cited irreconcilable differences (Charlie and the Chocolate Factory), emotional neglect (Sweeney Todd) and physical visual abuse (Eyesore in Wonderland) and we thought we had a great case. But somehow Burton still won in court and our alimony is now paid in movie tickets; we are required to see all his movies no matter how terrible!
But by returning to his first stab at greatness with the upcoming Frankenweenie expansion in October and reuniting with his Batman Returns superstar Michelle Pfeiffer for the upcoming Dark Shadows in May, how can we not feel nostalgic for our failed marriage to that wild haired auteur?
A retrospective calls.
BURTONJUICE begins March 15th and we'll do it each Thursday until we finish the movies and/or we can't stand it anymore whichever comes first. (My bets on the latter.) Will you relive the ecstasy and torture with me? I can't go through it alone! If I ask you to "hold me" by the Christmas decorations, the proper response is (say it with me) "_ ____" even if you don't have scissors for hands.
Burtonjuice, Directors, Michelle Pfeiffer, Tim Burton
Reader Comments (16)
Can't wait for your revisiting of Mars Attacks!...hands down my fav Burton film (though I might be in the minority)...as well as Big Fish!! Lookin forward to your retrospective!!
Yesss! Batman Returns needs to be revisited!
I'd say "I can't" but I'm ALL THE WAY THERE WITH YOU NATHANIEL! =D
oh, but i can. and i will =)
Not sure why Sweeney Todd is being lumped in with Apes and Eyesore. The singing might have been only so-so (I actually thought it was great, but I don't know anything about singing), but everything else about it was refreshingly old-school Burton.
You know I feel similarly about Burton, even though I think he made two of his finest films in the past 10 years (Big Fish & Sweeney Todd) I just can't get interested in him.
The best way I ever put it was "Oh Tim Burton, in the 20 years since I fell in love with you, I've changed so much.... why haven't you?"
Yeah, I agree on the singing mostly being okay. It sounded so shaky partially because Depp wasn't a trained singer and partially because, well, Depp cited IGGY POP as his singing influence. It made one song (Epiphany) absolutely phenomenal, but, because Depp was focusing on maintaining the vocal style of a singer who DOESN'T HOLD NOTES LONG (punk rock and all), the rest of the songs were at least a little awkward for him to execute.
As for the original Batman: Painfully dull. The Joker's not threatening, the dialogue is either completely cliche (romance scenes between Bruce Wayne and Vicki Vale in particular) or idiomatically bankrupt (The Joker says "You never rub another man's rhubarb" about Bruce Wayne dating his lust object Vicki Vale. Look at a rhubarb plant (long, pink, stick) for even ONE SECOND and you'll know exactly what's wrong with the context of that dialogue) and there's a few clear signs, if you pay attention, that the script might have started life as a DAREDEVIL script. You might give up three films in.
Batman '89 is criminally underrated these days because of those Nolan magic tricks passed off as legitimate highbrow genre cinema. Never! When Burton's film was released in the summer of '89, I was only six years old, and so much of the film was too adult, and it took years for me to appreciate the humor, and fully recognize the dark beauty of the whole piece. I could careless what comic fans thought. I'm not a fan of comics just of their adaptations in other mediums.
I'm a big Burton fan. I'm with you until the bitter end. Cannot wait for Ed Wood and Corpse Bride.
//The best way I ever put it was "Oh Tim Burton, in the 20 years since I fell in love with you, I've changed so much.... why haven't you?"//
@Robert - My thoughts exactly.
3rtful: Really? RETURNS is the sharply observed dark beauty with a phenomenal Daniel Waters script, villains with legitimately threatening presences (even if they are the leads of the film) and gorgeously inky cinematography. Batman 89 has poor pacing, a generic, predictable script (and moments of idiomatic bankruptcy that I've mentioned) and an overly lit Gotham City. Now as to the Nolan films: Phenomenally shot and acted, if a little "speechy" in the approach to dialogue. However, still not the absolute best Batman adaptation. That vaunted honour has to go to the 90s animated show.
Batman '89 all the way. Just watched it again a couple weeks ago. The most subversive blockbuster of its era. Is it an entirely coherent film? No. Is it meant to be? Again, I'd argue no. Its a perfect 80s pop/gonzo explosion of the genre, Jack Nicholson's Cagney-on-acid performance is justifiably legendary, and Danny Elfman's score is one of the all time greats. I love Returns and both Nolan films, but Batman '89 will always be top of the heap for me.
I would say "I can't" but it'd be a lie. Sounds like a great idea!
*sigh* But I'm unable to hear "I can't" without immediately hearing the final words spoken on film by my favorite actor of all time: "I know it's a little early for Christmas, Edward, but...I have a present for you." Tearing up now. THANKS, NATHANIEL.
Oh, and I'm so there.
RETURNS is the sharply observed dark beauty with a phenomenal Daniel Waters script, villains with legitimately threatening presences (even if they are the leads of the film) and gorgeously inky cinematography.
Yes it's pretty to look at.
Batman 89 has poor pacing, a generic, predictable script (and moments of idiomatic bankruptcy that I've mentioned) and an overly lit Gotham City.
Now you're going off the brighten up broadcast and home video versions. The last DVD transfer and BD release brings back the "printed down" finish originally seen theatrically. Audiences then complained about the overly dark appearance of the film.
Now as to the Nolan films: Phenomenally shot and acted, if a little "speechy" in the approach to dialogue. All of his films are overly long with shitty female casting. I prefer the cleaner spherical cinematography of the Burton features.
However, still not the absolute best Batman adaptation. That vaunted honour has to go to the 90s animated show.
We agree on something.