What do you think?
Rate this book
Burton on Burton
A revised edition of the only book to explore the unique brilliance of director Tim Burton's work, including a new chapter on the making of Sleepy Hollow.
Still only in his thirties, Tim Burton has established himself in the past fifteen years as one of the great visionaries of film. With the Batman films, Beetlejuice, Edward Scissorhands, The Nightmare Before Christmas, Ed Wood, and, most recently, Sleepy Hollow, he has continually broken new ground both visually and thematically, exploring the dark anguish--as well as the dark humor--that animates many of his characters while also creating a densely textured, sometimes bizarre look specific to each film.
In Burton on Burton, Burton talks to Mark Salisbury about his training as an animator at Disney, the importance of design in his films, and the recurring themes present in his work. In this revised edition, he also discusses the influence of 1950s sci-fi and 1970s disaster films on Mars Attacks! as well as how he conceived his highly stylized approach to the content and setting of Sleepy Hollow, his acclaimed retelling of the Washington Irving story that stars Johnny Depp, perhaps the actor most identified with Burton's work. Enhanced by stills from the films, storyboards, and illustrations of set designs for all his major films, Burton on Burton provides insights and information about the man and his work, throwing light on both his unique artistic vision and on the extraordinary films that have been the result.
Still only in his thirties, Tim Burton has established himself in the past fifteen years as one of the great visionaries of film. With the Batman films, Beetlejuice, Edward Scissorhands, The Nightmare Before Christmas, Ed Wood, and, most recently, Sleepy Hollow, he has continually broken new ground both visually and thematically, exploring the dark anguish--as well as the dark humor--that animates many of his characters while also creating a densely textured, sometimes bizarre look specific to each film.
In Burton on Burton, Burton talks to Mark Salisbury about his training as an animator at Disney, the importance of design in his films, and the recurring themes present in his work. In this revised edition, he also discusses the influence of 1950s sci-fi and 1970s disaster films on Mars Attacks! as well as how he conceived his highly stylized approach to the content and setting of Sleepy Hollow, his acclaimed retelling of the Washington Irving story that stars Johnny Depp, perhaps the actor most identified with Burton's work. Enhanced by stills from the films, storyboards, and illustrations of set designs for all his major films, Burton on Burton provides insights and information about the man and his work, throwing light on both his unique artistic vision and on the extraordinary films that have been the result.
262 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1995
165 people are currently reading
2499 people want to read
About the author
Tim Burton
103 books2,022 followersTimothy "Tim" William Burton is a prolific American film director/writer, best known for the dark imagery and quirky nature of his popular films. He is also the author and illustrator of the poetry collection "The Melancholy Death of Oyster Boy & Other Stories."
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 152 reviews
May 11, 2015
من چندان طرفدار بیوگرافیها محسوب نمیشم، و وقتی این کتاب رو دیدم (با اون زیرعنوان "با مقدمه ای از جانی دپ" که مشخصا گروه هدف خاصی داره) فقط به خاطر علاقه به این کارگردان اون رو خریدم. با این حس که هیچ وقت تا آخر نمی خونمش. ولی کتاب من رو غافلگیر کرد.
متن اصلی نوشته ی خود تیم برتونه و حاشیه ی هم با حروف ایتالیک لابلای این متن گنجانده شده که نوشتهی سالینزبری هست. این دوصدایی شدن جذابیت زیادی برای من داشت و البته به فهم بهتر سیال ذهن گاهی دیوانهوار برتون هم کمک زیادی میکرد. خوندن کتاب از اول تا آخر مثل یه سفر جادویی به دنیای برتون بود، که طی اون میفهمیدم چرا این فیلم رو ازش دوست داشتم و اون یکی رو نه. و البته از فانتزی که یکی از ژانرهای محبوب من در ادبیات و سینماست درک عمیقتری پیدا کردم. خلاصهاش کنم، با تجربه ی گذشتهی من از بیوگرافی تفاوت چشمگیری داشت.
کتاب چندان وارد عمق فنی سینما نمیشه که این هم برای من نکتهی مثبتی به شمار میاومد.
متن اصلی نوشته ی خود تیم برتونه و حاشیه ی هم با حروف ایتالیک لابلای این متن گنجانده شده که نوشتهی سالینزبری هست. این دوصدایی شدن جذابیت زیادی برای من داشت و البته به فهم بهتر سیال ذهن گاهی دیوانهوار برتون هم کمک زیادی میکرد. خوندن کتاب از اول تا آخر مثل یه سفر جادویی به دنیای برتون بود، که طی اون میفهمیدم چرا این فیلم رو ازش دوست داشتم و اون یکی رو نه. و البته از فانتزی که یکی از ژانرهای محبوب من در ادبیات و سینماست درک عمیقتری پیدا کردم. خلاصهاش کنم، با تجربه ی گذشتهی من از بیوگرافی تفاوت چشمگیری داشت.
کتاب چندان وارد عمق فنی سینما نمیشه که این هم برای من نکتهی مثبتی به شمار میاومد.
February 7, 2010
I randomly found this book at work, thumbed through it, and decided, what the hell, why not give it a read? I was also further encouraged by the excellent foreword written by Johnny Depp. If this foreword is any indication, Johnny Depp would be able to write one hell of an interesting (and hilarious) book.
Anyway, this book just goes over Burton's career, from his humble beginnings as a grunt for Disney's animation studio, to the release of Sleepy Hollow. The format is like a book length Q and A with the director, whereby the writer talks about a certain aspect of Burton's films, and Burton further elaborates. I found it interesting how Burton hardly writes any of his movies, but rather, he draws the story out with sketches and rough storyboards. It really explains why all of his films have a certain, distinct feel. It was interesting to hear his perspective on all of his movies, as well as his personal connections with them, and his opinion of the Hollywood system in general. While the book doesn't go nearly in as much depth about Burton's process as I'd prefer, it's still a good read for anyone who is a fan, and most certainly for aspiring filmmakers.
Anyway, this book just goes over Burton's career, from his humble beginnings as a grunt for Disney's animation studio, to the release of Sleepy Hollow. The format is like a book length Q and A with the director, whereby the writer talks about a certain aspect of Burton's films, and Burton further elaborates. I found it interesting how Burton hardly writes any of his movies, but rather, he draws the story out with sketches and rough storyboards. It really explains why all of his films have a certain, distinct feel. It was interesting to hear his perspective on all of his movies, as well as his personal connections with them, and his opinion of the Hollywood system in general. While the book doesn't go nearly in as much depth about Burton's process as I'd prefer, it's still a good read for anyone who is a fan, and most certainly for aspiring filmmakers.
April 3, 2017
همان طور که از اسم کتاب پیداست، کتاب در مورد برتون است. از شرح مختصری درباره ی کودکی و نوجوانی برتون تا سال 2005 و ساخت عروس مرده. کتاب فیلم های تیم برتون و حس و حال برتون حین ساختشان و اتفاقات شخصی و حرفه ای که افتاده را بررسی کرده. برای برتون شناسی و درک دنیایش کتاب را پیشنهاد می کنم. فقط به نظرم ترجمه ی کتاب می توانست بهتر باشد.
December 17, 2020
واقعاً از خوندن این کتاب راضیم. توضیحاتی که از نحوهی ساخت هر فیلم میداد آدم رو دلتنگ میکرد و خاطرهها رو زنده. افکار و احساسات این مرد در عین سادگی خیلی کمیابن و ملموس بودن تفکراتش باعث ارتباط برقرار کردن آدم با خودش و فیلمهاش میشه.
May 25, 2013
Scroll down for the English version
Tim nel paese delle meraviglie
Dire che Tim Burton è un genio visionario del cinema si avvicina sicuramente alla verità, ma se si vuole avere un'idea di tutto ciò che si cela dietro il lavoro di questo regista/autore/disegnatore, il libro "Burton racconta Burton" è senza dubbio una buona base di partenza.
Ho amato questo regista dalla fine degli anni '80, esattamente dall'89, quando uscì "Batman", film che ha permesso anche a noi, che stiamo da questa parte dell'oceano, di conoscerlo. Da allora in poi ho seguito la sua carriera passo passo, tornando anche indietro a vedere il suo precedente "Beetlejuice", che è tuttora il film che ho visto più volte in assoluto (ho perso il conto intorno a quota 40), sia in italiano che in lingua originale e che di volta in volta riguardo con piacere.
Mi ha fatto commuovere con "Edward Mani di Forbice", in cui c'è stato il mio (e il suo) primo incontro con Johnny Depp, mio attore preferito da oltre 20 anni. Mi ha divertito con film come "Mars Attacks!", "Ed Wood" e "Il mistero di Sleep Hollow", mi ha entusiasmato con "Batman", "Batman - Il ritorno" (un po' meno del primo) e il recente "Dark Shadows" (a cui dedicherò un post a parte), mi ha fatto meravigliare con "La Sposa Cadavere", "Nightmare before Christmas", "Alice in Wonderland", mi ha intrigato con "Sweeney Todd". In alcuni casi non mi ha convinto del tutto, come in "Il Pianeta delle Scimmie". Altri suoi film non li ho visti affatto sia per scelta, "Big Fish" e "La Fabbrica di Cioccolato", che per mancanza di opportunità, "Pee Wee's Big Adventure", ma prima o poi li vedrò.
In ogni caso è senza dubbio il mio regista preferito. Nei suoi film, se da una parte si può vedere il suo tocco e la presenza ricorrente di certi temi, esiste però una notevole varietà di generi. Abbiamo il fantastico, la commedia paranormale, il supereroe, la fantascienza, l'animazione, il musical, la favola per bambini, il giallo, la biografia. Ce n'è per tutti i gusti.
Leggendo questo bellissimo libro, in cui lo stesso Burton racconta se stesso nelle varie fasi della sua carriera e della sua vita, si riesce a capire veramente a cosa sia dovuta questa varietà e che cosa allo stesso tempo renda i suoi film "burtoniani". Si scopre come spesso sia arrivato a fare un film quasi per caso e come in altre occasioni si trattasse di storie create da lui e da lui stesso fortemente volute, a costo di lunghe attese.
Burton ci racconta la genesi spesso inusuale di certi film, come "Nightmare Before Christmas", la cui storia venne scritta passo passo con la creazione della colonna sonora. Ci parla del suo sodalizio con Johnny Depp, con Danny Elfman e con altri collaboratori che hanno lavorato spesso con lui. Ci mostra il mondo spesso spietato di Hollywood, al quale ha sempre cercato di non piegarsi, sostenendo di voler fare solo ciò che sentiva nelle sue corde, perché tutto il resto non era semplicemente in grado di farlo. Ci rivela l'uomo dietro il regista, da ragazzino "particolare" a talentuoso disegnatore, fino a (quasi casualmente) regista.
Ciò che emerge è senza dubbio la sua enorme fantasia unita a una forte volontà di trasformarla in realtà.
Questo libro è a mio parere una vera ispirazione, per tutti coloro che hanno un talento artistico e vogliono trovare il modo di utilizzarlo al meglio, senza scendere a compromessi. Ma è anche soltanto la vita di un uomo, la semplicità del quale appare evidente da come parla e da quello che dice. Lui non si sente e non vuole essere una celebrità. Vuole solo portare in vita i suoi personaggi e le sue storie. È un artista vero.
Da fan ed esperta di Tim Burton, nel leggere questo libro, ho sperimentato quasi un viaggio nel tempo, ripercorrendo insieme a lui i periodi in cui ha lavorato ai suoi film. Ma credo che "Burton racconta Burton" sia un'ottima lettura anche per l'amante del cinema in generale, poiché offre una prospettiva privilegiata nei confronti di questo mondo, da cui molti sono affascinati.
Ottimo il lavoro del curatore, Mark Salisbury, che ha messo sapientemente insieme i testi tratti dalle varie interviste, intermezzandoli con interessanti spiegazioni. Infine devo fare una nota alle due prefazioni scritte da Johnny Depp, che hanno aggiunto al tutto un po' di colore, raccontandoci Burton da un punto di vista diverso, quello di un amico, che ha condiviso (e tuttora condivide) con lui la parte più importante della sua carriera di attore.
Tim in Wonderland
To say that Tim Burton is a visionary genius of cinema surely approaches the truth, but if you want to get an idea of all that lies behind the work of this writer/director/drawer/artist, the book “Burton on Burton” is definitely a good starting point.
I loved this director since the late 80s, exactly since ’89, when “Batman” was released, a movie that has also allowed us, who are on this side of the ocean, to meet him. Since then I have followed his career step by step, also returning back to see his previous movie “Beetlejuice”, which is still my most seen one (I lost the count somewhere around 40), both in Italian and in the original language and which I watch again with pleasure from time to time.
He made me move with “Edward Scissorhands”, in which there was my (and his) first encounter with Johnny Depp, my favourite actor for over 20 years. He amused me with movies like “Mars Attacks!”, “Ed Wood” and “Sleep Hollow”, he made me enthusiastic with “Batman”, “Batman Returns” (a little less than with the first one though) and the recent “Dark Shadows”, he surprised me with “The Corpse Bride”, “Nightmare Before Christmas”, “Alice in Wonderland”, he intrigued me with “Sweeney Todd”. In some cases I was not completely satisfied, as in “Planet of the Apes”. I have not seen some movies at all by choice, like “Big Fish” and “Charlie and The Chocolate Factory”, or for lack of opportunity, like “Pee Wee's Big Adventure”, but sooner or later I will watch them.
In any case, he is without a doubt my favourite director. In his films, if on one hand you can see his touch and the presence of certain recurring themes, however, there is a wide variety of genres. We have fantasy, paranormal comedy, superhero, science fiction, animation, musical, children's story, crime story, biography. There's something for all tastes.
Reading this wonderful book, in which Burton tells about himself at various stages of his career and his life, you can really understand where this variety comes from and at the same time what makes his films “Burtonian”. It turns out as he often has come to make a film almost by accident and as on other occasions they were stories created by him and that he strongly desired to develop, at the cost of long waiting.
Burton tells us about the often unusual genesis of certain films, such as “Nightmare Before Christmas”, whose story was written step by step with the creation of the soundtrack. He talks about his partnership with Johnny Depp, Danny Elfman and with other collaborators who have often worked with him. He shows us the often ruthless world of Hollywood, to which he has always tried not to give in, claiming he wanted to do only what he was feeling in his heart, because he was simply not able to do anything else. He reveals the man behind the director, from “special” kid to talented artist, to (almost casually) director.
What emerges is undoubtedly his enormous imagination combined with a strong desire to turn it into reality.
This book is in my opinion a true inspiration to all those who have an artistic talent and want to find ways to use it well, without compromise. But it is also only the life of a man, the simplicity of whom is evident from the way he speaks and what he says. He does not feel and does not want to be a celebrity. He just wants to bring to life his characters and his stories. It is a true artist.
As a fan and expert of Tim Burton, whilst reading this book, I have experienced almost a journey through time, going along with the periods during which he worked on his films. But I think “Burton on Burton” is a great read for any movie lover, as it offers a privileged perspective towards this world, from which many are fascinated.
Excellent work by the curator, Mark Salisbury, who has expertly put together the texts taken from various interviews, alternating them with interesting explanations. Finally, I must spend a few words to the two prefaces written by Johnny Depp, who added to it a little colour, telling us about Burton from a different point of view, that one of a friend, who shared (and still shares) with him the most important part of his career as an actor.
Tim nel paese delle meraviglie
Dire che Tim Burton è un genio visionario del cinema si avvicina sicuramente alla verità, ma se si vuole avere un'idea di tutto ciò che si cela dietro il lavoro di questo regista/autore/disegnatore, il libro "Burton racconta Burton" è senza dubbio una buona base di partenza.
Ho amato questo regista dalla fine degli anni '80, esattamente dall'89, quando uscì "Batman", film che ha permesso anche a noi, che stiamo da questa parte dell'oceano, di conoscerlo. Da allora in poi ho seguito la sua carriera passo passo, tornando anche indietro a vedere il suo precedente "Beetlejuice", che è tuttora il film che ho visto più volte in assoluto (ho perso il conto intorno a quota 40), sia in italiano che in lingua originale e che di volta in volta riguardo con piacere.
Mi ha fatto commuovere con "Edward Mani di Forbice", in cui c'è stato il mio (e il suo) primo incontro con Johnny Depp, mio attore preferito da oltre 20 anni. Mi ha divertito con film come "Mars Attacks!", "Ed Wood" e "Il mistero di Sleep Hollow", mi ha entusiasmato con "Batman", "Batman - Il ritorno" (un po' meno del primo) e il recente "Dark Shadows" (a cui dedicherò un post a parte), mi ha fatto meravigliare con "La Sposa Cadavere", "Nightmare before Christmas", "Alice in Wonderland", mi ha intrigato con "Sweeney Todd". In alcuni casi non mi ha convinto del tutto, come in "Il Pianeta delle Scimmie". Altri suoi film non li ho visti affatto sia per scelta, "Big Fish" e "La Fabbrica di Cioccolato", che per mancanza di opportunità, "Pee Wee's Big Adventure", ma prima o poi li vedrò.
In ogni caso è senza dubbio il mio regista preferito. Nei suoi film, se da una parte si può vedere il suo tocco e la presenza ricorrente di certi temi, esiste però una notevole varietà di generi. Abbiamo il fantastico, la commedia paranormale, il supereroe, la fantascienza, l'animazione, il musical, la favola per bambini, il giallo, la biografia. Ce n'è per tutti i gusti.
Leggendo questo bellissimo libro, in cui lo stesso Burton racconta se stesso nelle varie fasi della sua carriera e della sua vita, si riesce a capire veramente a cosa sia dovuta questa varietà e che cosa allo stesso tempo renda i suoi film "burtoniani". Si scopre come spesso sia arrivato a fare un film quasi per caso e come in altre occasioni si trattasse di storie create da lui e da lui stesso fortemente volute, a costo di lunghe attese.
Burton ci racconta la genesi spesso inusuale di certi film, come "Nightmare Before Christmas", la cui storia venne scritta passo passo con la creazione della colonna sonora. Ci parla del suo sodalizio con Johnny Depp, con Danny Elfman e con altri collaboratori che hanno lavorato spesso con lui. Ci mostra il mondo spesso spietato di Hollywood, al quale ha sempre cercato di non piegarsi, sostenendo di voler fare solo ciò che sentiva nelle sue corde, perché tutto il resto non era semplicemente in grado di farlo. Ci rivela l'uomo dietro il regista, da ragazzino "particolare" a talentuoso disegnatore, fino a (quasi casualmente) regista.
Ciò che emerge è senza dubbio la sua enorme fantasia unita a una forte volontà di trasformarla in realtà.
Questo libro è a mio parere una vera ispirazione, per tutti coloro che hanno un talento artistico e vogliono trovare il modo di utilizzarlo al meglio, senza scendere a compromessi. Ma è anche soltanto la vita di un uomo, la semplicità del quale appare evidente da come parla e da quello che dice. Lui non si sente e non vuole essere una celebrità. Vuole solo portare in vita i suoi personaggi e le sue storie. È un artista vero.
Da fan ed esperta di Tim Burton, nel leggere questo libro, ho sperimentato quasi un viaggio nel tempo, ripercorrendo insieme a lui i periodi in cui ha lavorato ai suoi film. Ma credo che "Burton racconta Burton" sia un'ottima lettura anche per l'amante del cinema in generale, poiché offre una prospettiva privilegiata nei confronti di questo mondo, da cui molti sono affascinati.
Ottimo il lavoro del curatore, Mark Salisbury, che ha messo sapientemente insieme i testi tratti dalle varie interviste, intermezzandoli con interessanti spiegazioni. Infine devo fare una nota alle due prefazioni scritte da Johnny Depp, che hanno aggiunto al tutto un po' di colore, raccontandoci Burton da un punto di vista diverso, quello di un amico, che ha condiviso (e tuttora condivide) con lui la parte più importante della sua carriera di attore.
Tim in Wonderland
To say that Tim Burton is a visionary genius of cinema surely approaches the truth, but if you want to get an idea of all that lies behind the work of this writer/director/drawer/artist, the book “Burton on Burton” is definitely a good starting point.
I loved this director since the late 80s, exactly since ’89, when “Batman” was released, a movie that has also allowed us, who are on this side of the ocean, to meet him. Since then I have followed his career step by step, also returning back to see his previous movie “Beetlejuice”, which is still my most seen one (I lost the count somewhere around 40), both in Italian and in the original language and which I watch again with pleasure from time to time.
He made me move with “Edward Scissorhands”, in which there was my (and his) first encounter with Johnny Depp, my favourite actor for over 20 years. He amused me with movies like “Mars Attacks!”, “Ed Wood” and “Sleep Hollow”, he made me enthusiastic with “Batman”, “Batman Returns” (a little less than with the first one though) and the recent “Dark Shadows”, he surprised me with “The Corpse Bride”, “Nightmare Before Christmas”, “Alice in Wonderland”, he intrigued me with “Sweeney Todd”. In some cases I was not completely satisfied, as in “Planet of the Apes”. I have not seen some movies at all by choice, like “Big Fish” and “Charlie and The Chocolate Factory”, or for lack of opportunity, like “Pee Wee's Big Adventure”, but sooner or later I will watch them.
In any case, he is without a doubt my favourite director. In his films, if on one hand you can see his touch and the presence of certain recurring themes, however, there is a wide variety of genres. We have fantasy, paranormal comedy, superhero, science fiction, animation, musical, children's story, crime story, biography. There's something for all tastes.
Reading this wonderful book, in which Burton tells about himself at various stages of his career and his life, you can really understand where this variety comes from and at the same time what makes his films “Burtonian”. It turns out as he often has come to make a film almost by accident and as on other occasions they were stories created by him and that he strongly desired to develop, at the cost of long waiting.
Burton tells us about the often unusual genesis of certain films, such as “Nightmare Before Christmas”, whose story was written step by step with the creation of the soundtrack. He talks about his partnership with Johnny Depp, Danny Elfman and with other collaborators who have often worked with him. He shows us the often ruthless world of Hollywood, to which he has always tried not to give in, claiming he wanted to do only what he was feeling in his heart, because he was simply not able to do anything else. He reveals the man behind the director, from “special” kid to talented artist, to (almost casually) director.
What emerges is undoubtedly his enormous imagination combined with a strong desire to turn it into reality.
This book is in my opinion a true inspiration to all those who have an artistic talent and want to find ways to use it well, without compromise. But it is also only the life of a man, the simplicity of whom is evident from the way he speaks and what he says. He does not feel and does not want to be a celebrity. He just wants to bring to life his characters and his stories. It is a true artist.
As a fan and expert of Tim Burton, whilst reading this book, I have experienced almost a journey through time, going along with the periods during which he worked on his films. But I think “Burton on Burton” is a great read for any movie lover, as it offers a privileged perspective towards this world, from which many are fascinated.
Excellent work by the curator, Mark Salisbury, who has expertly put together the texts taken from various interviews, alternating them with interesting explanations. Finally, I must spend a few words to the two prefaces written by Johnny Depp, who added to it a little colour, telling us about Burton from a different point of view, that one of a friend, who shared (and still shares) with him the most important part of his career as an actor.
June 12, 2015
Fascinating. If you are a dedicated Tim Burton fan, this book is incredible. Even if you just like him, it is great. Written by the man himself, you can't get more truthful than this.
Full review when I read this in depth.
Full review when I read this in depth.
April 8, 2024
3.5
Fun BTS view of Burton's work but it's not so much a book on Burton, as it's about his films. And Johnny Depp. Nothing wrong with that, just puttin' it out there.
Also, Burton had nothing to do with The Addams Family from 1991.
I am shook.
I always thought that was a Burton movie, kinda like Nightmare before Christmas, where he's involved but not as a director. (could have googled it, I know, but I'm not that much of a google-er if I'm convinced that I'm right.)
Fun BTS view of Burton's work but it's not so much a book on Burton, as it's about his films. And Johnny Depp. Nothing wrong with that, just puttin' it out there.
Also, Burton had nothing to do with The Addams Family from 1991.
I am shook.
I always thought that was a Burton movie, kinda like Nightmare before Christmas, where he's involved but not as a director. (could have googled it, I know, but I'm not that much of a google-er if I'm convinced that I'm right.)
May 22, 2008
Normalmente me ladillan las autobiografias pero esta en particular me pareció fantástica. Que esté estructurada por película la hace más interesante. Sumamente completa y bien editada. Una experiencia sumamente intíma y nutrida que no podrás soltar hasta terminar la última página.
May 8, 2016
This was a really intersting book. I love Burton's movies, even if I didn't watch all of them (and I do not think I would it, too) but it was intersting to learn something about some of my favourites movies (like Nightmare before Christmas).
And I loved the drawings!
And I loved the drawings!
October 17, 2013
Fascinating insight into a modern-day legend of cinema. Funny and honest, a must-read for Burton fans everywhere.
January 30, 2024
Very good read, however, burton tends to repeat himself and kinda complain a lot, so a lot of the book is just him complaining about technology
January 29, 2025
“Io non so disegnare le bestiole a quattro zampe della Disney. Semplicemente non so farlo. Non riuscivo neanche a imitare lo stile Disney. Le mie bestiole assomigliavano piuttosto a dei cadaveri di animali investiti da un’automobile.”
Tim Burton è senza ombra di dubbio uno dei registi più importanti e caratteristici del cinema americano degli ultimi 40 anni. Un genio visionario che ha fatto del grottesco, dell’inadeguatezza e della figura dell’emarginato la sua massima espressione artistico-cinematografica.
“Burton racconta Burton” è un curioso e coinvolgente viaggio all’interno della testa del celebre cineasta di Burbank. Il nostro si racconta senza peli sulla lingua, attraverso uno snodo narrativo impostato tramite un collage di varie interviste, a lui fatte nel corso degli anni.
Partendo dall’infanzia e arrivando fino agli anni 2000 inoltrati della sua carriera, la biografia ne dipinge un ritratto piuttosto autentico, contorto, per alcuni aspetti contradditorio, ma anche indiscutibilmente sincero e appassionato.
Per chi, come il sottoscritto, è un cultore dell’arte di quest’uomo, un passo di lettura d’obbligo.
Tim Burton è senza ombra di dubbio uno dei registi più importanti e caratteristici del cinema americano degli ultimi 40 anni. Un genio visionario che ha fatto del grottesco, dell’inadeguatezza e della figura dell’emarginato la sua massima espressione artistico-cinematografica.
“Burton racconta Burton” è un curioso e coinvolgente viaggio all’interno della testa del celebre cineasta di Burbank. Il nostro si racconta senza peli sulla lingua, attraverso uno snodo narrativo impostato tramite un collage di varie interviste, a lui fatte nel corso degli anni.
Partendo dall’infanzia e arrivando fino agli anni 2000 inoltrati della sua carriera, la biografia ne dipinge un ritratto piuttosto autentico, contorto, per alcuni aspetti contradditorio, ma anche indiscutibilmente sincero e appassionato.
Per chi, come il sottoscritto, è un cultore dell’arte di quest’uomo, un passo di lettura d’obbligo.
March 27, 2022
Reading this book was a bit like eating a bag of M&M's in that while they were good while eating, but afterwards that full why-did-I-eat-them-all-at-once feeling happens. I enjoy Burton's movies, in fact I've probably seen most of them, but I should have read this book in small doses because I probably would have appreciated his narrative more. Don't get me wrong, I did enjoy it but towards the end I was grateful I was finished.
January 14, 2024
I’m fascinated by Tim Burton’s brain, and I need them to update the revised edition to include his more recent works.
The fact that it ends with him saying he needs a break to reassess what films he makes, and that he would love to make a horror movie, but it’d be like learning a new language.
Flash forward two years and we have the beauty that is Sweeney Todd. Iconic.
The fact that it ends with him saying he needs a break to reassess what films he makes, and that he would love to make a horror movie, but it’d be like learning a new language.
Flash forward two years and we have the beauty that is Sweeney Todd. Iconic.
May 17, 2024
Abbastanza interessante, essendo però una raccolta di interviste a volte risulta ripetitivo. Avrei apprezzato più aneddoti da set.
October 13, 2024
very interesting to learn more about tim burton!! i love his work
October 3, 2018
کتابی از تیم برتون با فیلمهای فوقالعادش مثل کابوس قبل از کریسمس،ادوارد دستقیچی،فرانکنوینی و.. با مقدمه جانی دپ؟نمیشه نه گفت به این کتاب! مدتها پیش تو کتابخونه دیده بودمش اما بخاطراینکه حس میکردم بخش زیادی از فیلموگرافی برتون رو ندیدم هنوز نباید بخونمش؛میخواستم دستپر برم سراغش و نهایتا بیتل جوس رو کع دیدم گفتم وقتش شده که بخونمش.
بهنظرم چنتا چیز تو کتاب مکررا بهچشم میخورد؛حسی بودن کارهای برتون،معنادار بودن همهی کاراکترها،بعضا شخصیسازی اونها مثل ادوارد،نقش زیاد خودآگاه و ناخودآگاه دوران کودکی و محل و شرایط زندگی،دردسرسازبودن برتون برای کمپانیهای فیلمسازی بخاطر وسواس و دقت بیش از حدش(که بابتش ممنونیم ازش.)و،عدم توجهش به گیشهسازی و درک نشدن.
کتاب جذابی بود،به این معنی که نذاشتمش کنار و تقریبا لاینقطع خوندمش،بهعلاوه ترقیب شدم باقی فیلمها مثل بتمن و ادوود رو ببینم و باقی فیلمهارو هم بازبینی کنم چون با خوندن این متن و بدستآوردن دیدگاه جدید راجع کاراکترها و طراح و خالقشون،قطعا دیدن دوبارشون لطف دیگهای داره.
بهنظرم چنتا چیز تو کتاب مکررا بهچشم میخورد؛حسی بودن کارهای برتون،معنادار بودن همهی کاراکترها،بعضا شخصیسازی اونها مثل ادوارد،نقش زیاد خودآگاه و ناخودآگاه دوران کودکی و محل و شرایط زندگی،دردسرسازبودن برتون برای کمپانیهای فیلمسازی بخاطر وسواس و دقت بیش از حدش(که بابتش ممنونیم ازش.)و،عدم توجهش به گیشهسازی و درک نشدن.
کتاب جذابی بود،به این معنی که نذاشتمش کنار و تقریبا لاینقطع خوندمش،بهعلاوه ترقیب شدم باقی فیلمها مثل بتمن و ادوود رو ببینم و باقی فیلمهارو هم بازبینی کنم چون با خوندن این متن و بدستآوردن دیدگاه جدید راجع کاراکترها و طراح و خالقشون،قطعا دیدن دوبارشون لطف دیگهای داره.
April 3, 2025
Tienen que renovar edicion porque faltan pelis 😭😭😭
October 14, 2020
Un libro ben fatto che ha riacceso in me l'amore per il cinema e in particolare per questo artista. I film di Tim Burton sono stati una pietra miliare della mia infanzia e hanno formato il mio gusto dal punto di vista cinematografico ed estetico. Il libro è un interessantissimo viaggio (anche se breve) all'interno della mente di Burton e tocca diversi punti del suo personalissimo processo della realizzazione di un'opera, come il modo in cui lavora, come si approccia agli attori, gli elementi ricorrenti (e spesso autobiografici) dei suoi film, tutto questo a partire dalla sua storia personale, dai suoi pensieri e la sua visione del mondo e del cinema. E' interessante scoprire quali sono gli eventi e le sensazioni che hanno segnato la vita del regista e vedere come questi dettagli emergono nelle sue storie e nei suoi personaggi, che hanno sempre e inevitabilmente qualche tipo di connessione con lui. Peccato che questa edizione presenti alcuni errori di traduzione e abbastanza frequenti errori di battitura. Il contenuto rimane tuttavia estremamente godibile e riscalda il cuore di tutti i fan affezionati di Burton. Vivamente consigliato.
October 17, 2021
C’est mon professeur d’espagnol qui m’a donné ce livre qui appartenait à un de ses amis, parce que j’aimais bien dessiner et tous les deux on parlait de films durant le cours. Bref, j’ai bien adoré ce film. Tim Burton nous donne des fun facts sur chaque film qu’il a fait, et il nous plonge dans son imagination. Honnêtement cet homme est incroyable.
July 10, 2023
I just wanna work with Tim, Johnny and Helena so bad
September 3, 2018
Questa lettura non mi ha soddisfatta :( amo molto Burton e sicuramente leggendo questo libro si scoprono alcuni retroscena carini. Ma non abbastanza perché si possa considerare un buon saggio di cinema. Il problema è che l'autore ha basato ogni capitolo (a cui corrisponde un film di Burton) su delle interviste al regista che sembra non aver in alcun modo rimaneggiato. L'impressione è che abbia trascritto ogni singola parola detta dal regista, il che è una pessima idea se si vuole pubblicare un libro. Togliendo la maggior parte delle sue domande, ne esce fuori una specie di racconto in prima persona della carriera dell'autore. Il problema principale è che non c'è abbastanza editing quindi ogni capitolo va incontro a una serie di ripetizioni infinite sugli stessi concetti. Un tipo di scrittura molto fastidiosa.
July 20, 2022
A must for any Burton fan.
I enjoyed this behind-the-scenes look into his creations from movie industry process, inspiration, and life experiences.
The forwards by Johnny Depp were cool too. A lovely insight into their director/ actor relationship, and how characters like Edward Scissorhands and Willy Wonka evolve.
I enjoyed this behind-the-scenes look into his creations from movie industry process, inspiration, and life experiences.
The forwards by Johnny Depp were cool too. A lovely insight into their director/ actor relationship, and how characters like Edward Scissorhands and Willy Wonka evolve.
September 12, 2020
I read this for an essay I’m writing on Burton as a film student. Some parts I found insightful but overall I seemed to be a lot of Burton talking without really saying much. Really my issue is with Burton himself, I struggled to get though this cuz Burton is so boring and poorly spoken. If you’re reading this as a fan of his work I’m sure it’ll be really fun but I found it frustrating. I read it to try find a deeper meaning to his work but it seem in most cases there isn’t any.
December 14, 2012
Das Buch besteht aus einer Sammlung von Interviews, die im Laufe von zwanzig Jahren, der Herausgeber Mark Salisbury mit dem Kult-Regisseur Tim Burton geführt hat. Die Interviews gewähren dem Leser einen tiefen Einblick in die Entstehung der Filme, die in diesem Zeitraum entstanden sind. Von ‚Vincent‘ bis zu ‚Alice im Wunderland‘ hat der Leser Anteil an der Kreativität und dem Schaffen von Tim Burton. Es gibt aber auch Einblicke in die Seelenwelt und in die Kindheit des Regisseurs.
Die beiden Vorworte, die Johnny Depp als Einführung in die Welt von Tim Burton geschrieben hat und die einen Zeitunterschied von elf Jahren aufweisen, sind einfühlsam und man spürt die tiefe Verbundenheit dieser beiden Männer, die der Filmwelt mit ihrer gemeinsamen Arbeit einige großartige Werke geschenkt haben. Das Buch enthält zahlreiche Fotografien und Zeichnungen, die das Buch wunderschön abrunden.
Wer schon immer wissen wollte, wie es ist mit Johnny Depp, Helena Bonham-Carter oder Jack Nicholson zu arbeiten, der wird hier einige Antworten finden. Das Buch dürfte aber auch für Menschen, die allgemein am Filmemachen interessiert sind eine gute Wahl sein. Herzlichen Dank an den Quadriga-Verlag, der den deutschen Fans die Möglichkeit gab, diesen Buch-Schatz in Händen zu halten.
Die beiden Vorworte, die Johnny Depp als Einführung in die Welt von Tim Burton geschrieben hat und die einen Zeitunterschied von elf Jahren aufweisen, sind einfühlsam und man spürt die tiefe Verbundenheit dieser beiden Männer, die der Filmwelt mit ihrer gemeinsamen Arbeit einige großartige Werke geschenkt haben. Das Buch enthält zahlreiche Fotografien und Zeichnungen, die das Buch wunderschön abrunden.
Wer schon immer wissen wollte, wie es ist mit Johnny Depp, Helena Bonham-Carter oder Jack Nicholson zu arbeiten, der wird hier einige Antworten finden. Das Buch dürfte aber auch für Menschen, die allgemein am Filmemachen interessiert sind eine gute Wahl sein. Herzlichen Dank an den Quadriga-Verlag, der den deutschen Fans die Möglichkeit gab, diesen Buch-Schatz in Händen zu halten.
November 8, 2013
I am a big fan of Tim Burton. I love his films, and his art and style. Maybe I was expecting too much of this book, but it felt lacking to me.
If it was suppose to be a biography than it is not personal enough and only skin deep avoiding any real interesting insights.
If it was suppose to be a book about his work then it's not detailed enough. There are hardly any details about the process or technical/inventive/artistic solutions (and I know that there must have been, as Tim Burton doesn't like to use CG and uses real state-of-art sets created by artists) I wanted to get the feel of how he overcomes obstacles, see more sketches feel the process.
The book felt a bit repetitive coming back to the same motives and explanations mentioned in the beginning in many different ways.
My favourite quote:
"They say, 'No. No. You can't draw like this. You have to draw like this.' And I remember one day I was so frustrated - because I love drawing, but actually I am not that good at it. But one day something clicked in my brain. I was sitting sketching and I thought, 'fuck it, I don't care if I can draw or not. I like doing it.' And I swear to God, from one second to the next I had a freedom which I never had before."
If it was suppose to be a biography than it is not personal enough and only skin deep avoiding any real interesting insights.
If it was suppose to be a book about his work then it's not detailed enough. There are hardly any details about the process or technical/inventive/artistic solutions (and I know that there must have been, as Tim Burton doesn't like to use CG and uses real state-of-art sets created by artists) I wanted to get the feel of how he overcomes obstacles, see more sketches feel the process.
The book felt a bit repetitive coming back to the same motives and explanations mentioned in the beginning in many different ways.
My favourite quote:
"They say, 'No. No. You can't draw like this. You have to draw like this.' And I remember one day I was so frustrated - because I love drawing, but actually I am not that good at it. But one day something clicked in my brain. I was sitting sketching and I thought, 'fuck it, I don't care if I can draw or not. I like doing it.' And I swear to God, from one second to the next I had a freedom which I never had before."
Read
July 11, 2015Una serie di interviste che hanno come argomento l'infanzia, le prime esperienze e da allora tutti i film girati e pensati dal visionario ed eccentrico Tim Burton.
Il suo sentirsi estraneo al resto del mondo si riflette quasi sempre nei personaggi principali delle sue opere, da quelle originali ai rifacimenti, come Batman o Il pianeta delle scimmie.
Diventato un regista di culto, spiega in queste interviste cò che sta dietro alla realizzazione di Nightmare Before Christmas e altri film, il suo legame ai film dell'orrore, a personaggi come Vincent Price e in qualche modo a tutti i doppi.
Una lettura doverosa per chi ha è commosso con Edward mani di forbice o parteggiava per Beteljuice.
Il suo sentirsi estraneo al resto del mondo si riflette quasi sempre nei personaggi principali delle sue opere, da quelle originali ai rifacimenti, come Batman o Il pianeta delle scimmie.
Diventato un regista di culto, spiega in queste interviste cò che sta dietro alla realizzazione di Nightmare Before Christmas e altri film, il suo legame ai film dell'orrore, a personaggi come Vincent Price e in qualche modo a tutti i doppi.
Una lettura doverosa per chi ha è commosso con Edward mani di forbice o parteggiava per Beteljuice.
March 26, 2011
quite an interesting read. It has information straight from Burton about his creative process behind each film (up to the corpse bride). I found the chapter on Edward Scissorhands and Ed Wood particularly informative (perhaps because they are my fave Burton films) however overall there was an in depth look into his work, and it was enjoyable to read.
June 23, 2016
I fairly enjoyed the book as in being able to access someones reflection on his carreer and pesonality. I do like a few of his films, do however not know many of his older films discussed in this book. I do not think that that made the book less enjoyable in any way, as I still found it very interesting and it actually made me want to look up and watch the films of his that I did not know before
June 25, 2021
Tim Burton has been a favourite creator and inspiration for me for years but I only recently discovered this book! It was cool to get his point of view on so many projects that he was involved in and getting inside his mind and process. I loved how the book was organized by film.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 152 reviews