Hollywood

Happy Birthday Tim Burton

Hindustantimes.com
New Delhi, August 24, 2012

First Published: 19:00 IST(24/8/2012)
Last Updated: 00:30 IST(25/8/2012)

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Hollywood actor Johnny Depp looks on as director Tim Burton holds the Golden Lion.

He is a celebrated director and producer of Hollywood films, which do not just please the critics with their unique storytelling but also set the cash registers ringing at the Hollywood box office. Meet Tim Burton, the quirky mind behind much-favourited films like Beetlejuice, Edward

Scissorhands, Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street, 9 and Dark Shadows, and for grand blockbusters such as Pee-wee's Big Adventure, Batman, Batman Returns, Planet of the Apes, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory and Alice in Wonderland.

Alice in the Wonderland was the second highest-grossing film of 2010, and the eleventh highest-grossing film of all time.

Tim Burton was born in 1958 in California, and went on to study in the California Institute of the Arts. He started working with the Walt Disney Productions' animation studio. During his stint at Walt Disney, he made his first short, Vincent, a six-minute black-and-white stop motion film based on a poem written by the filmmaker.

Tim Burton(Photo: Getty Images)

In the foreword of the book Burton on Burton, Johnny Depp says about him, "What more can I say about him? He is a brother, a friend, my godson's father. He is a unique and brave soul, someone that I would go to the ends of the earth for, and I know, full and well, he would do the same for me."

Johnny Depp and Tim Burton have wored togethe rin several films, and their professional partnership has evolved into a lasting friendship.

Tim Burton with Johnny Depp(Photo: Getty Images)

Tim Burton got married to Lena Gieseke for two years. He left her to live with model and actress Lisa Marie who acted in the films he made during their relationship from 1992 to 2001, most notably Ed Wood and Mars Attacks!

After leaving Lisa Marie, Tim Burton's romance with English actress Helena Bonham Carter began, whom he met while filming Planet of the Apes.

Burton and Bonham Carter have two children: a son, Billy Raymond and daughter, Nell.

Tim Burton with wife, Helena Bonham Carter(Photo: Getty Images)

Burton was the President of the Jury for the 63rd annual Cannes Film Festival, which was held from May 12 to May 24, 2010 in Cannes, France.

Over a lengthy and eventful filmmaking career, Tim Burton has managed to establish a distinct trademark. He has carved a niche for his type of cinema which is replete with avid nightfall, the color black, Halloween or Christmas flavour, scarecrows and fantasy.

The child in his movies is very evident, with the emotions being portrayed are generally those of a misunderstood, outcast character. His use of music and colours, while being dramatic, has a spec of pervasive melancholy.

Known to be inspired by his various childhood writers and directors, like Edgar Allan Poe, Stanley Kubrick, Christopher Lee, Vincent Price, Ed Wood, Stephen King, Alfred Hitchcock, Charles Addams, Roald Dahl et al- his movies contain an inspired element from the aforementioned artistes.

Visually, his usage of the colour black, unwashed hair, sunglasses are as omnipresent in his movies as are in his personal sense of being.

His sets are designed in a gothic undertone, and many films prominently feature castles, churches or other old, forsaken buildings.

Here is wishing the quirky yet loved director-producer a very happy 54th birthday! We all are thankful to him for giving us such vivid, surreal and imaginative cinema.

Tim Burton's filmography

Year Film

1982 Vincent
1984 Frankenweenie
1985 Pee-wee's Big Adventure
1988 Beetlejuice
1989 Batman
1990 Edward Scissorhands
1992 Batman Returns
1993 The Nightmare Before Christmas
1994 Cabin Boy, Ed Wood
1995 Batman Forever
1996 James and the Giant Peach, Mars Attacks!
1999 Sleepy Hollow
2001 Planet of the Apes
2003 Big Fish
2005 Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, Corpse Bride
2007 Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street
2009 9
2010 Alice in Wonderland, Dark Shadows
2012 Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter, Frankenweenie

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