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Tim Burton -

Timothy Walter Burton is an American animator, director, producer, writer, and illustrator. He was born on August 25, 1958, in Burbank, California.

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Early career -

Burton studied at the California Institute of the Arts, which had just opened at the time. As a student of the renowned character animation program, his work soon caught the eye of Walt Disney Productions, earning him an apprenticeship.

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First short film -

Inspired by his hero Vincent Price, Burton created a six-minute black and white stop-motion short film named 'Vincent.' It was inspired by a poem he wrote and narrated by none other than Vincent Price!

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Disney -

While at Disney, Burton directed a short film adaptation of ‘Hansel and Gretel’ (1983), and a live-action short film, ‘Frankenweenie’ (1984), which was remade in 2012 as a feature-length stop-motion film.

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Films in the '80s -

Burton started out with short films in the early '80s. After he got fired from his job at Disney as an animator, Burton went on to create his first full-length film. In 1985, he made his directorial debut with the comedy hit, ‘Pee-wee’s Big Adventure’ (1985).

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'Pee-wee's Big Adventure' (1985) -

Pee-wee Herman is a delightful character played by comedian Paul Reubens. This light-hearted comedy adventure maintains Burton's signature '60s-inspired suburban scenery with a spooky ghost story scene that will give you a jumpscare.

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'Beetlejuice' (1988) -

'Beetlejuice' was Burton's first film that struck his signature balance between horror and comedy. This supernatural film was a smash hit but fans had to wait 36 years to see the sequel, ‘Beetlejuice Beetlejuice,' which was released in September 2024.

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'Batman' (1989) -

Who would have thought Tim Burton directed a Batman movie in the late '80s? This hit starring Micheal Keaton was all anyone talked about that summer. A sequel titled ‘Batman Returns’ (1992) was released starring Michelle Pfeiffer as catwoman.

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Films in the '90s -

Burton has achieved both critical and commercial success in live-action and animation genres. Burton earned a National Board of Review award for his directing work. In the 1990s, we see Johnny Depp star in most of his quintessential ‘Burtonesque’ films.

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'Edward Scissorshands' (1990) -

You can always count on Tim Burton to give a love story a bizarre twist! Starring Winona Ryder and Johnny Depp as leads, this coming-of-age film hit gold at the box office in the ‘90s.

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'The Nightmare Before Christmas' (1993) -

A timeless classic that never gets old, 'The Nightmare Before Christmas' is still popular during Halloween (and Christmas!). This film was written by Burton and directed by Henry Selick who has collaborated with Burton on multiple films.

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'Ed Wood' (1994) -

This black-and-white biopic about the filmmaker Ed Wood hits the mark with Burton going deep into a real-life story. The film was praised by Rolling Stone as “Burton’s most personal and provocative movie to date.”

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'Mars Attacks!' (1996) -

This film probably didn’t get all the love it deserved. When an army of space invaders from Mars visit Earth, they meet the president of the United States to offer peace, but later reveal their true intentions.

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'Sleepy Hollow' (1999) -

The classic headless horseman tale that haunted our childhoods. Set in the 18th century, this fairytale is about a police officer who is sent into the misty woods to investigate the headless horseman.

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Films in the 2000s -

Burton gained increasing recognition in the 2000s. His films in the early to mid-2000s had increasing budgets and box office success.

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'Big Fish' (2003) -

After the passing of his father, Edward Bloom, played by Ewan McGregor, tries to learn more about his father by reliving unbelievable stories and myths he told him about his life.

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'Corpse Bride' (2005) -

Set in the 17th century and based on a Jewish folk tale, this animated feature stars Helena Bonham Carter and Johnny Depp. Carter plays Emily, an undead girl who rises from her grave to disrupt an arranged marriage.

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'Charlie and the Chocolate Factory' (2005) -

Burton always connected with Roald Dahl’s work. He put his own unique spin on this adaptation, starring Johnny Depp as the eccentric chocolatier. 

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'Sweeney Todd' (2007) -

Burton was inspired to create this musical horror when he visited London in 1980 as a student and watched Stephen Sondheim’s stage musical. Once again, he cast his favorite pair: Helena Bonham Carter and Johnny Depp. 

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'Alice in Wonderland' (2010) -

Alice in Wonderland is Disney’s live-action adaptation of Lewis Carroll’s classic children’s tale about a girl who gets lost in a deadly fantasy world full of strange creatures. It stars Mia Wasikowska as Alice, Johnny Depp as the Hatter, and Helena Bonham Carter as the Red Queen. A sequel was made in 2016. 

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'Dark Shadows' (2012) -

Johnny Depp stars in this film, which is based on the supernatural story of the 1960s soap opera of the same name. It centers around the life and loves of New England vampire Barnabas Collins.

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'Big Eyes' (2014) -

'Big Eyes' is based on the true story of painter Margaret Keane, whose husband claimed her work as his own without giving her credit. He enjoys her success until a legal battle makes the scandal go public. The leads are played by Amy Adams and Christoph Waltz.

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'Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children' (2016) -

Burton decided to adapt Ransom Riggs' delightful novel about foster home kids who are special (or peculiar). They are being trained and cared for by headmistress Alma Lefay Peregrine, played by Eva Green.

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'Dumbo' (2019) -

'Dumbo' was Burton's second Disney live-action film after 'Alice in Wonderland' (2010). He reunited with Micheal Keaton, who plays a cruel impresario to a circus elephant whose distinctive ears defy gravity

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Some of Burton's television work -

Throughout his career, Burton worked on various TV projects including 'The World of Stain Boy,' 'Family Dog',' 'Beetlejuice,' and most recently, 'Wednesday.'

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'Wednesday' -

Netflix's Gothic show is an 'Addams Family' spin-off revolving around the life of Wednesday Addams. It's directed by Tim Burton and stars Jenna Ortega. The first season was a smash hit and it was renewed for season two. 

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Burton's art -

Before Burton became a director, he expressed himself through art, such as drawings, paintings, and photography. Later, it all became an integral part of his creative process, and he continues to pursue it to date. His works have been documented in books.

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Exhibitions -

The Museum of Modern Art opened a sweeping exhibition of his work in New York, which later toured in Melbourne, Toronto, Los Angeles, Paris, and Seoul, simply titled 'Tim Burton.'

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'The World of Tim Burton' -

The second exhibition of his artwork, ‘The World of Tim Burton,' has been presented in Prague, Tokyo, Osaka, Brühl, São Paulo, Shanghai, Hong Kong, Genk, and Mexico City, and is going to be in London from October 25, 2024, to April 21, 2025.

Sources: (Tim Burton website) (Odeon) (Imdb) (TVguide)

See also: The worst movies made by the best directors

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