Tim Burton


Tim Burton

Tim Burton (Director) is widely regarded as one of cinema's most imaginative and visual filmmakers. He has achieved both critical and commercial success in the live-action and animation genres.

Burton's "Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children" (2016) is based on the visually arresting novel of the same name, a story that features a collection of vintage photographs. Its characters and imagery are brought to life in Burton's unique adaptation.

In addition to Burton's dedication to filmmaking, he has an enthusiasm for drawing and painting. In 2014 he directed "Big Eyes," a film about the artist Margaret Keane, for whose portrayal Amy Adams received a Golden Globe® for best actress – musical or comedy. The film is a confluence of his two passions"film and art.

Burton is known for reinvigorating the stop-motion industry, starting with the cult classic "The Nightmare Before Christmas" (1993), followed by "Corpse Bride" (2005) and "Frankenweenie" (2012), both Academy Award®- and BAFTA-nominated films. He also produced "James and the Giant Peach" (1996).

In 2010, Burton directed Disney's blockbuster hit "Alice in Wonderland," which won two Academy Awards®, and earned more than a billion dollars at the worldwide box office. Burton received a National Board of Review Award for his directing work on "Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street" (2007), which also won the Golden Globe® for best film – musical or comedy, and best actor, musical or comedy for Johnny Depp. In 2003, Burton received a BAFTA nomination for best director for the fantasy drama "Big Fish." His most critically acclaimed film, "Ed Wood" (1994), won two Oscars® and a Golden Globe, and received two BAFTA nominations.

Burton has a passionate following, notably for unique features such as his directorial debut and surprise comedic hit, "Pee-wee's Big Adventure" (1985), the wildly inventive "Beetlejuice" (1988), the genre-defining "Batman" (1989) and its 1992 follow-up "Batman Returns."

Arguably his most beloved film is the 1990 romantic fantasy "Edward Scissorhands""directed, co-written and produced by Burton. The film also marked the start of his successful cinematic partnership with Johnny Depp, who delivered a poignant performance in the title role. Burton's other films include "Dark Shadows" (2012), "Frankenweenie" (2012), "Charlie and the Chocolate Factory" (2005), "Sleepy Hollow" (1999), "Planet of the Apes" (2001) and "Mars Attacks!" (1996).

In addition to his role as director, Burton has produced several films including "Alice Through the Looking Glass" (2016), "Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter" (2012), "9" (2009), "Batman Forever" (1995) and "Cabin Boy" (1994). He has also directed two music videos for rock band The Killers.

In 2015, Burton released "The Napkin Art of Tim Burton," a book of sketches and doodles drawn on napkins he collected on his travels. It is a look into the mind of a man who is always on the road, and sharply observant of the strange world around him. The book is a mini-companion to his 2009 release, "The Art of Tim Burton," a 430-page tome comprising more than 40 years of his personal and professional artwork. The Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) opened an extensive exhibition of his work in New York, which went on to tour in Melbourne, Toronto, Los Angeles, Paris and Seoul. An updated version of his exhibition, "The World of Tim Burton," has been presented in Prague, Tokyo, Osaka, Brühl, São Paulo, Shanghai, Hong Kong, and Mexico City. It continues to tour internationally, with a stop planned in Las Vegas in the fall of 2019.

In 1997, Burton released a collection of illustrated poems entitled "The Melancholy Death of Oyster Boy & Other Stories."

Burton grew up in Burbank, Calif., and attended California Institute of the Arts, where he studied animation, before moving on to the animation department at Walt Disney Studios. While there, he directed the 1982 stop-motion animated short film "Vincent," which was inspired and ultimately narrated by Burton's idol, Vincent Price. At Disney, he also directed the 1983 kung-fu–inspired adaptation of "Hansel and Gretel," and the 1984 live-action short "Frankenweenie."

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