An (Imaginary) Autobiography of Tim Burton Through his Movies

Vincent (1982)

Frankenweenie (1984)

I'm different from the other children.
I'm a bit lonely, but I imagine things which are so real to me —

Pee-wee's Big Adventure (1985)

 
 
 
I like to have fun, too.
I will always be a kid at heart —

Beetlejuice (1988)

 
 
 
I'm not afraid of the dark. This is where my weird friends live; they brighten up my life —

Batman (1989)

 
 
 
Don't go thinking I'm meek though, I can take on huge challenges and deliver in a truly heroic fashion —

Edward Scissorhands (1990)

 
 
 
Yet, deep down, I feel I'm still this strange and lonely creature looking for emotional bonds —

Batman Returns (1992)

 
 
 
But you need me again. And so I come save the day with might and grandeur —

The Nightmare Before Christmas (1993)

 
 
 
Oh, why am I growing so weary?
There's something missing in my life. I work hard to forget but the feeling keeps coming back —

Conversations with Vincent (1994)

Ed Wood (1994)

I turn to my idols for advice and helping keep the creative flame alive —

Mars Attacks (1996)

 
 
 
But something is still missing;
Anger is growing.
I hate this superficial world, I don't understand people, I wish I could destroy them all! —

 
Oh,
I'm losing my head.
Not everyone is horrible.

Sleepy Hollow (1999)

 
 
 
I would just dispose of a few individuals in some particularly gruesome ways, while staying classy, naturally —

Planet of the Apes (2001)

 
 
 
But it's not happening. I'm surrounded by apes. I need to get away, to get back where it all started.
Wait! Who is that? Could it be... —

Big Fish (2003)

Yes, it is her, finally, the love of my life!
I live in a dream. Now I feel complete —

Corpse Bride (2005)

 
 
 
 
We won't really get married, but it will be as if we were —

Charlie and the Chocolate Factory (2005)

 
 
 
And then we'll have children. I might make a quirky dad, but I think we'll enjoy life together, I have so much to offer.
Did I put on a little weight? —

Sweeney Todd (2007)

 
 
People are not taking me seriously anymore since I'm a family man. This is vexing me very much. Did they forget how frightful I can be? I will show them! —

Alice in Wonderland (2010)

 
 
 
This was maybe too much. I shall return to more peaceful imaginary kingdoms. I'm still the same kid as I was when I started. I know it, I just need to find myself again. —

Dark Shadows (2012)

 
 
 
 
I am still longing for the dark and the company of my monstruous friends.
My other family —

Frankenweenie (2012)

 
 
 
 
And then I will take the trip down memory lane and return to my roots.

A few notes on this imaginary autobiography

The idea for it came while listening to the fantastic Nightmare Before Christmas soundtrack, by Danny Elfman and various contributing artists. For some reason, this year, I've been listening to it over and over. I don't remember doing that in years. Anyway, while listening, it came to me how closely The Nightmare Before Christmas and Tim Burton's movies in general seemed to mirror aspects of him and of his life. I can't believe no one noticed that before (well, maybe someone did!). The child-like innocence of his early movies in the 80s, the depth and maturity of the 90s, that came with a growing discomfort that turned into weariness in the early 2000s, until he met who we can assume is his true love, Helena Bonham-Carter. Then, there was a change of style during the 2000s as he became a father, the tone became lighter or extreme (to me, his weakest decade) and now maybe, he will go back, or at least try to go back, to a more refined style, with less gratuitous violence and CGI, and better scripts. At least I hope so.

I have seen every single one of these movies except, of course, the two that hasn't been released yet, Conversations with Vincent, which is extremely rare as far as I know (the photograph of Vincent Price is not from the movie itself; I couldn't find one), and Big Fish. I've owned Big Fish DVD for years but never got around to watching it for some strange and very mysterious reason which eludes my grasp. I also decided to leave some titles out, such as Stainboy, which in my opinion were of lesser importance.

Just for the record, if I had to rank Tim Burton's movies, from my most to less favorite, it would look something like this: Vincent, Batman Returns, Beetlejuice, Batman, Ed Wood, The Nightmare Before Christmas, Mars Attacks, Sleepy Hollow, Edward Scissorhands, Frankenweenie, Corpse Bride, Planet of the Apes, Pee-wee's Big Adventure, Alice in Wonderland, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, and Sweeney Todd, which is the only movie of his that I somewhat disliked. And I must add that the first picture from Dark Shadows had me excited about a Tim Burton's movie like I hadn't been in a loooong while! (since Mars Attacks and Sleepy Hollow?)

And yes, I know Tim Burton didn't direct The Nightmare Before Christmas, but the story is his and I believe it's such a personal one, that it has to be part of his imaginary autobiography.

I wish I had had more time to write each of the little comments and that my English was more natural or poetic, but in the end I think the result is pretty okay. I might update some parts later if I get inspired. And, who knows, maybe this will find its way to Tim Burton himself, so that he could tell us how far or close to the truth I have been!

Thanks for reading.