Is Tim Burton a Good Director?

[TMC1982]

[YT]ZGKvHcm872w[/YT]

Cap and Vince discuss whether or not Tim Burton directorial abilities deserve the elusive title of good.

 

[El Payaso]

Who the hell are Cap and Vince? Are they any good at anything?

Tim Burton was great a long time ago. Batman, Batman Returns, Edward Scissorhands, Nightmare Before Christmas, Ed Wood and even Mars Attacks! were fantastic to me. But then, as far a I know, he had to find a way to survive in Hollywood which led him to become an average visual director. After Mars Attacks! the only good movies I'0ve seen of him were Big Fish and Sweeney Todd (which was a fantastic musical to start with). So currently I don't think that much of him as I did suring the 90's.

 

[GothamAlleys]

This is not even a subject of opinion. Im a former film school student, and theres absolutely no denying that Burton is one unique and brilliant visionary. He is often cited as the person who brought back Expressionism and brought it into mainstream media, and his movies are filled with art like no other movies from anyone. You cant liken Burton to any director and vice versa, and thats a quality very few people have. The use of light and the surroundings and the colors is extraordinary, and thats also the word Nolan used to describe his Batman movies. While Beetlejuice and Batman sshowed us his amazing sensibility and style, it was Edward Scissorhands and Batman Returns that showed us the heart of his stories, and showed that Burton is a modern day expressionist and a person equivalent to Brothers Grimm.

I dont have any writeup on Edward, but here the brilliance of BR as an art peace is brushed a little - http://gothamalleys.blogspot.com/2010/09/nightmare-that-tastes-like-candy-was.html

Not only is he a great visionary and expressionist and operatic artist, but he also brings to his movies the most important thing - heart. Edward is the best example of it

What really irks me is people who have absolutely no clue judging and discussing things they just know nothing about. Sure, not everyone is knowledgeable in film and storytelling, but at least do some research then before discussions. I know people who do podcasts and online shows, and they always do extensive research even before discussing something even tho they dont have to or have a very small audience, so I have no sympathy whatsoever for those who dont do it and then through their misguided criticism list mistakes which really arent mistakes. If they would do some research, they would know that Burton is an expressionist, and in expressionism the story is told visually even more so than narratively, and the realism is always sacrificed. Its never about realism, its about feel and heart, its like abstract art, so if someone critiques Burton's stories for having plotholes and not making sense then I just grab my head and think "Jesus" because I realy dont like when people who dont know what theyre talking about talk about it with such misguided view. In short, Im not fond of ignorance

 

[DarkKnight88]

What really irks me is people who have absolutely no clue judging and discussing things they just know nothing about. Sure, not everyone is knowledgeable in film and storytelling, but at least do some research then before discussions. I know people who do podcasts and online shows, and they always do extensive research even before discussing something even tho they dont have to or have a very small audience, so I have no sympathy whatsoever for those who dont do it and then through their misguided criticism list mistakes which really arent mistakes. If they would do some research, they would know that Burton is an expressionist, and in expressionism the story is told visually even more so than narratively, and the realism is always sacrificed. Its never about realism, its about feel and heart, its like abstract art, so if someone critiques Burton's stories for having plotholes and not making sense then I just grab my head and think "Jesus" because I realy dont like when people who dont know what theyre talking about talk about it with such misguided view. In short, Im not fond of ignorance

+1

This thread isn't even worth answering. The answer is an obvious yes. Now let's start one called Is Martin Scorsese a Good Director?

 

[Travesty]

Who the hell are Cap and Vince? Are they any good at anything?

Tim Burton was great a long time ago. Batman, Batman Returns, Edward Scissorhands, Nightmare Before Christmas, Ed Wood and even Mars Attacks! w

Burton didn't direct A Nightmare Before Christmas, he just wrote and produced it. It was directed by Henry Selick.

As for the question: I LOVE Tim Burton. I got hooked onto his movies at an extremely young age with Pee Wee's Big Adventure, Beetlejuice, and Batman. After that, I loved Edward Scissorhands, Batman Returns, Ed wood, Mars Attacks, Sleep Hollow, Big Fish, Sweeney Todd, etc

The only movie I didn't really like, was A Planet of the Apes, and I haven't seen Alice in Wonderland yet.

 

[El Payaso]

Burton didn't direct A Nightmare Before Christmas, he just wrote and produced it. It was directed by Henry Selick.

So Selick came with this fabulous idea and told Burton to write it and produce it for him?

True, Selick was behind the camera but every idea, character and frame screams Burton. It was Burton who did everything but didn't have the time to be behind the camera for so long.

Selick just directed.

 

[SuperFerret]

"Good" is elusive? Really? "Good" is a step or two above "decent", and Burton has shown himself to be more than just "good".

 

[Travesty]

So Selick came with this fabulous idea and told Burton to write it and produce it for him?

True, Selick was behind the camera but every idea, character and frame screams Burton. It was Burton who did everything but didn't have the time to be behind the camera for so long.

Selick just directed.

Dude, I'm not trying to argue with you, I was merely saying he didn't direct the movie.

 

[El Payaso]

Dude, I'm not trying to argue with you, I was merely saying he didn't direct the movie.

I thought something else when you said Burton "just wrote and produced" the movie.

 

[Ponyboy]

[YT]ZGKvHcm872w[/YT]

Cap and Vince discuss whether or not Tim Burton directorial abilities deserve the elusive title of good.

I think two or three (more than a 1 hit wonder) GREAT films entitles a director to call himself good, even if his other films are questionable.

As far as Burton is concerned... I think Pee Wee's Big Adventure, Beetlejuice, Batman, Batman Returns, Edward Scissorhands, and Ed Wood are his best films. And they're all, arguably, great films. So yes, he's a "good" director.

 

[hopefuldreamer]

Yeah I don't think there is much of an arguement for him not being GOOD at his job. And I would definitely say he is an Auteur, as his style is one of the most distinctive and recognisable of any director I have ever seen.

But personally, i'm not a fan.

I mean, I have enjoyed some of his films. I liked Edward Scissorhands, Sleepy Hollow, Batman (only the first one), Sweeny Todd and 9... and Corpse Bride was alright. But some of his stuff comes across a bit pretentious.

 

[SuperFerret]

I think two or three (more than a 1 hit wonder) GREAT films entitles a director to call himself GREAT, even if his other films are questionable.

Fixed that for you.

"Good" implies that he's capable of making good films consistently. Most directors are "good".

 

[Bruce_Wayne29]

I think he's one of the last true genius in movies today. I think he compromised a bit with Alice In Wonderland so Disney could market it more to kids but that's about it.

 

[Knight Rise]

yeah, Tim Burton is a great director. He just needs to lay off of Johnny Depp for a while

 

[Elevator Man]

This is not even a subject of opinion. Im a former film school student, and theres absolutely no denying that Burton is one unique and brilliant visionary. He is often cited as the person who brought back Expressionism and brought it into mainstream media, and his movies are filled with art like no other movies from anyone. You cant liken Burton to any director and vice versa, and thats a quality very few people have. The use of light and the surroundings and the colors is extraordinary, and thats also the word Nolan used to describe his Batman movies. While Beetlejuice and Batman sshowed us his amazing sensibility and style, it was Edward Scissorhands and Batman Returns that showed us the heart of his stories, and showed that Burton is a modern day expressionist and a person equivalent to Brothers Grimm.

I dont have any writeup on Edward, but here the brilliance of BR as an art peace is brushed a little - http://gothamalleys.blogspot.com/2010/09/nightmare-that-tastes-like-candy-was.html

Not only is he a great visionary and expressionist and operatic artist, but he also brings to his movies the most important thing - heart. Edward is the best example of it

What really irks me is people who have absolutely no clue judging and discussing things they just know nothing about. Sure, not everyone is knowledgeable in film and storytelling, but at least do some research then before discussions. I know people who do podcasts and online shows, and they always do extensive research even before discussing something even tho they dont have to or have a very small audience, so I have no sympathy whatsoever for those who dont do it and then through their misguided criticism list mistakes which really arent mistakes. If they would do some research, they would know that Burton is an expressionist, and in expressionism the story is told visually even more so than narratively, and the realism is always sacrificed. Its never about realism, its about feel and heart, its like abstract art, so if someone critiques Burton's stories for having plotholes and not making sense then I just grab my head and think "Jesus" because I realy dont like when people who dont know what theyre talking about talk about it with such misguided view. In short, Im not fond of ignorance

I agree with this. Now I usually enjoy Cap. Logan's Superhero Rewind videos on youtube as well as his Geeks not Nerds YT videos. But this video had potential to be interesting. Instead it was dull and you can tell they didn't know much about Burton or his films. They didn't even mention Ed Wood , Big Fish, or even his Batman movies. If I was involved with the video I would've had a Burtonite and a Burton hater debating if Burton is a good director in a friendly but combative conversation. Or better yet they should've done their homework and looked at all of Burton's movies. And actually judge for themselves if Burton's a good director or not. They really didn't have a clear answer to give when the video ended. And I couldn't help but laugh at Vince when he said Burton missed the mark on ST:TDBOFS. He's saying it should've been like this or that. But then Vince says he never saw the actual play it's based on. So how do you know what way the movie should've been like then. I usually enjoy hearing their opinions on comic books and such, but man did they miss the mark on this video.

 

[GothamAlleys]

I dont even really think this is a Batman thread really

 

[GothamAlleys]

And I couldn't help but laugh at Vince when he said Burton missed the mark on ST:TDBOFS. He's saying it should've been like this or that. But then Vince says he never saw the actual play it's based on. So how do you know what way the movie should've been like then. I usually enjoy hearing their opinions on comic books and such, but man did they miss the mark on this video.

Which further proves my point and proves theres no qualification or any credibility to what they say

 

[Ponyboy]

Fixed that for you.

"Good" implies that he's capable of making good films consistently. Most directors are "good".

haha, no, I meant it to read the way I wrote it.

 

[SuperFerret]

Then you're wrong.

 

[Xtroid]

Yeah Burton is a good director. But he hasn't done anything interesting since Mars Attacks.

 

[Ponyboy]

Then you're wrong.

Your face is wrong. Just kidding.

Sometimes films end up being great and it has less to do with the director. It's like when the US President gets props for good economic times, when, realistically, he has little to do with it.

 

[Elevator Man]

Yeah Burton is a good director. But he hasn't done anything interesting since Mars Attacks.

Sleepy Hollow and Big Fish disagree with you.

 

[MessiahDecoy123]

Tim Burton used to be good.

Today his movies are just weird without being memorable. They used to be both.

 

[Travesty]

Tim Burton used to be good.

Today his movies are just weird without being memorable. They used to be both.

I think Sweeny Todd is/will be extremely memorable.

 

[Paste Pot Pete]

Gotta love the internet.

One major mistake was saying that all Burton had done before Batman was Beetlejuice. Someone forgot about Pee Wee, apparently.

Tim Burton is da bomb. He's made some below average movies, and he needs to step out of his box more often, but any director with Edward Scissorhands and Ed Wood on his resume gets a lifetime pass.

**** this trend of crucifying directors for their latter day disappointments. I don't give a damn; George Lucas directed Star Wars & American Graffiti and he rocks for that, Sam Raimi directed Evil Goddamn Dead and he rocks for that.