Tim Burton (updated edition): The iconic filmmaker and his work

by Ian Nathan

Tim Burton is one of the most popular and remarkable filmmakers of the last 30 years, being responsible for such films as Edward Scissorhands, The Nightmare Before Christmas, Corpse Bride and Alice in Wonderland. He is famed for the visually arresting style of his films that combine with highly original storylines. A truly international filmmaker, Tim Burton has carved a reputation as one of the world's greatest creative directors. This stunning treasury explores the influences on his development as a filmmaker and assesses how he has captured the fruits of his imagination on screen. Illustrated with many behind-the-scenes photographs and stunning film stills, chapters analyze the success and style of films such as Beetlejuice, Ed Wood and Mars Attacks!, and examine how Burton breathed new life into well-known stories that include Batman, Planet of the Apes and Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. Finally, the book looks towards the future and his latest film, the live-action version of Disney's Dumbo, as well as the possibility of Beetlejuice 2. Tim Burton's entire filmography is presented in this handsome package. Tim Burton, The Iconic Filmmaker and His Work, is a must for anyone who enjoys the creativity of films and is a fitting appreciation of one of Hollywood’s most dynamic movie directors. 

 

Genres: Nonfiction, Biography, Art, Film, Photography, Media Tie In, Collections

194 pages, Kindle Edition

First published October 14, 2016

About the author

Ian Nathan is the popular, London-based author of Anything You Can Imagine: Peter Jackson and the Making of Middle-earth, The Coen Brothers: The Filmmakers and their Films, Alien Vault, Terminator Vault, and many other books, many of which have really long titles.

He is the former editor of Empire Magazine.

If you live in the UK, you may also know from from the Discovering Film series on Sky Arts television extolling the virtues of classic film stars and directors, and he can also be heard on Talk Radio every Friday afternoon, mostly berating the state of current movies. He is just about younger than this makes him sound.

Reviews

[Love_and_lilacs · Rating 3 out of 5]

2.5 stars

Content warnings: none

What promised to be an intriguing look at one of the most famous directors of my lifetime fell flat for me. While I was entertained by learning more about Tim Burton and the behind-the-scenes of his filmography, the narrator of this book is insufferable.

The nearly fanatical way in which the author praises Burton and his work comes across less like genuine adoration and more like sycophantic obsession. Even when discussing Burton's movies that were flops or failures, the author still manages to blame this on audiences, studios, Disney – anyone but perhaps, maybe, the guy who made the movie.

I say this as someone who loves Burton's movies, actually. It comes across as disingenuous to not acknowledge Burton's failures as failures.

There's also a huge issue running throughout the length of the book in which the author attempts to interconnect every Burton film and character. Certainly there are running themes throughout much of the director's works, but to say that Alice (as in Wonderland's Alice) is just another Batman and the Mad Hatter her Joker is a bit a stretch. Every character is also either Burton as he is or Burton as he wishes he was. It's insufferable.

And just for one more jab at Nathan for irritating me – maybe use the word dotty less often? How many times can you use that in one book?

Criticisms aside, there are good aspects to this book. The layout of the pages is aesthetically pleasing, and the actual structure of the book in terms of following the director's filmography is well done. The inclusion of the photos from sets, posters and promotional materials, and examples from the works of others who inspired Burton is informative.

If you're just looking for a pretty picture book to flip through every so often and not a book to sit down and read straight through, this is probably an excellent example of what it is. But at the end of the day, I couldn't get past the author's tone and voice.


ARC provided by NetGalley

[Laetitea · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sous un titre assez explicite, il s'agit là d'un livre illustré et officiel qui raconte l'histoire et les coulisses de cette carrière exceptionnelle. Certains pourront déplorer le caractère privilégié du contexte évoqué, contester un épilogue dans la bonne tradition du succès critique et commercial de Burton.

[Stephanie · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was an exciting book to explore.

Consider a visual reading experience covering the highlights of Tim Burton's early life and highly prestigious directing career. There are excellent pictures included with each film covered. You will read about and see backstage photos of films like Alice in Wonderland, Charlie & The Chocolate Factory, The Nightmare Before Christmas, Sweeney Todd, and many more.

I appreciated this book's presentation of information and formatting. It is well put together and I enjoyed reading it.

[Alenka · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5
Really enjoyed this one. Just the right amount (and kind) of information on each movie, nice inserts of Tim Burton's quotes, and a great insight into the man behind the scenes through his creative development.

[Julia Waters · Rating 1 out of 5]

I started to lose interest when Tim Burton was given credit for finding “the monster to be so much more interesting than humans” in films like King Kong and Godzilla. As if he is somehow more perceptive and misunderstood for liking the very monsters everyone else also likes? ...in this book I discovered that Burton performed less work (through writing, visual art, and direction) on his most iconic films than I had assumed. He didn’t write Beetlejuice. He didn’t direct The Nightmare Before Christmas. His friend wrote Edward Scissorhands. The Corpse Bride was a Jewish fairytale...he also lacks sense and depth when quoted. His way of describing characters rarely goes beyond comparisons with - surprise surprise - himself (the poor misunderstood weirdo). I’m not rating this book poorly just because Burton’s merit has fallen in my eyes. I found it boring and fawning, giving him credit where it seems to be due to others. I’m left feeling confused about how he ever rose to such fame as a director, with a long series of flops and no clear interest in directing itself. His first break as a director seems to have been a last resort by Disney. I have to admit, I have a deep aversion to the group-think adoration of self-appointed “outcasts” living lives full of privilege and safety as they revel in the admiration of others who fall for the misunderstood artsy genius trope. (Suburban Los Angeles is not the “pit of hell” - look, I get it, suburbia sucks, but try living in a refugee camp or growing up homeless!) Tim, you don’t even read, buddy! Can’t respect that. Lamey lame sauce. Makes goths look bad.

[Megan Rose · Rating 5 out of 5]

Tim Burton; the auteur of the weird and morbid. I grew up watching Tim Burton's films scared of a few of them, at first, but now I love them for their otherworldliness and uniqueness in the world of cinema. Finding Ian Nathan's book, I found it fascinating, showing the inner workings of Tim Burton's mind. Each chapter shows an intriguing mechanic in the making of his films as well as the hidden details from his childhood that make Tim Burton's work much more intriguing.

Overall, Tim Burton: The Iconic Filmmaker and His Work was an intriguing and inspiring read that delves deep into the mind of one of cinema's most unique filmmakers. If you love Tim Burton's work and want to see the amazing inner workings of his mind, I highly recommend Ian Nathan's book.

Thank you, NetGalley and Quarto Publishing Group – White Lion for sending me an ARC in exchange for my honest review.

[Andrew · Rating 4 out of 5]

What an amazing career (thus far), influence, imagination, design, and uniqueness!

Tim Burton is one of the "oddballs" of Hollywood. From Beetlejuice to Batman, Nightmare before Christmas to Alice in Wonderland, Tim has crafted a stellar career for himself as a director, designer and storyteller.
While his style may not be the norm, he will forever stick out to me as a legend in Hollywood.

The book goes on a cinematic journey with behind-the-scenes trivia, pictures, film stills, inspirational photos, some of Burton's top stars and inspiration even for their characters, and how his legacy in cinema continues to inspire and shine, even in his dark and moody worlds.

[Corrina Westfall · Rating 5 out of 5]

such an amazing read if you’re an aspiring film maker in any field or genre!!

[Briony · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5/5 ⭐️

[Steff Fox · Rating 4 out of 5]

I had no idea that Ian Nathan’s Tim Burton: The Iconic Filmmaker and His Work was an updated revision until I went to add it on Goodreads. It’s honestly pretty cool to see this book has been getting regularly updated through the years as Tim Burton’s vast number of directorial credits accrues. Though, I’ll admit, that does slightly make me want to suggest holding off on purchasing until the man has directed his final film.

Then again, I’ve never been a huge Tim Burton fan.

I’m sure the die-hards will love to have the original alongside each updated copy of this book as new work is added. For me, though, I can count the number of Burton works that I genuinely enjoyed and would watch again on a single hand. In a way, that makes this as a read a little out of character for me. After all, when you really only liked the Batman films and only truly loved Sweeney Todd and Wednesday, it’s not like you can truly call yourself a fan.

I do, however, appreciate the cultural impact that this man and his films has had on a large swath of the population.

As such, as far as compiling a director’s life work and really tracking the story of how that man got to where he is, this is a pretty brilliant book. Is it a little bare bones at times? Yeah, I think so. A large amount of the book is made up of photographs, after all. And for that, I do think that we are missing out on a lot of context and information that might be really interesting to learn. But, overall, I was impressed. And for friends of mine who genuinely are big fans of the man’s work overall, I think it’d make a fantastic gift.

Also, the Goodreads page doesn’t have the updated cover for some reason, but I do want to quickly plug the fact that the cover on NetGalley was absolutely beautiful.

I received a copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

[Aurora Jay · Rating 4 out of 5]

Just a glance at this eBook and I’m a kid with my sister watching Beetlejuice for the fourth time this week!

This book is a biographical account of Tim Burton’s life, with a strong focus on his work

We learn how Burton wanted and did work for Disney and then with PeeWee Herman (he makes me cringe)

After Beetlejuice, did you know he made Batman?! With Michael Keaton (who as a kid didn’t realize was also Beetlejuice!) and Jack Nicholson - I mean come on!

I learnt a lot reading this book and I appreciate the layout and many incredible images displayed on every page. Such a beautiful book, I’d actually love to have the hard copy

The book ends with Beetlejuice 2 and how Burton has come full circle. Sadly I didn’t learn anything new and there were no filmset pics…. It seems this is the third edition, so maybe I’ll have to wait till the fourth for the tea

Thanks to Netgalley and Quarto Publishing Group – White Lion for access to this eBook ARC in exchange for my honest review

[Nicki Markus · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have long loved many of Tim Burton's iconic films, so requesting this book to review was a no-brainer. Tim Burton: the Iconic Filmmaker and His Work was an insightful read from start to finish. It introduced Burton from his childhood, following his career right through to the current day and the forthcoming Beetlejuice sequel. There were several pages dedicated to each of his major projects, incorporating commentary, film stills and behind-the-scenes shots. All up, this book is highly recommended for Tim Burton fans as a lovely, well-presented overview of his directing life and works. I am giving it 5 stars.

I received this book as a free eBook ARC via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

[Silver Jenkins · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really love Tim Burton since I was child. My sister and I used to watch all his movies together so obviously I had to read this book. And whoa! What can I say? It shows you Burton's work over the decades. The pictures are truly amazing and I love the way they are organized.

One of the things I love the most about Burton's movies are the photography, and the film stills that appears in here are just something else. I would love to be a filmmaker someday so reading this was an amazing privilege. Even if you don't love Tim Burton you should take a look because it's gonna surprised you a lot.

[Mandy Kool · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a great Tim Burton biography. I enjoyed reading more about his background and the ups and downs of his career. While I would consider myself a Burton fan, it is still fun to read more about his influences and how he grew up. I loved the little tidbit about his parents insulating the house with bricks. Very Poe-esque.

The only thing that would have made this even better was to have had photos of his illustrations, as the book talked about them, but not even one of them were in this one.

Thank you Quarto and Netgalley for this ARC, it was a great read!

[Peter Wright · Rating 4 out of 5]

The book was disappointingly light on details when it came to many of the films. At the end, it was explained that Tim Burton and all the others quoted in the book had nothing to do with it's creation, which to me means that the entire book was researched using articles. It might have been a LOT stronger had the author has the ability to actually interview those involved in the movies.

[Haley Carter]

3.5 stars rounded up. If you love Tim Burton this is a wonderful look into his films. Growing up he was one of my favorite movie men, alongside Wes Craven, and it was so interesting to learn about all his work on a deeper level. Loved all the photographs that were included, made me want to rewatch all of my favorites for the umpteenth time!

Thank you Netgalley for the chance to read this.

[ashley and the never ending TBR · Rating 5 out of 5]

A great read for anyone who has seen any of Burton’s films. I grew up watching his movies and was always drawn to the dark allure that I knew each movie would provide. This book gives details not only to the films ( and in Wednesdays case show) but also the man behind the madness.

[Katie · Rating 2 out of 5]

Meh.

[Janel · Rating 4 out of 5]

Tim Burton is a legend. This illustrated book is great in unveiling him and his craft. I’ve learned so much more about him having read this.

[Jaimie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Considering that I count myself as part of the goth/weird girl community, you would think that Tim Burton would be one of my favourite filmmakers. And he is, but I’ll also admit that about half of his films don’t do anything for me. Thankfully, the ones that I love I love with the wild abandon that only the truly quirky can appreciate and understand. This volume covers all of Burton’s work - up to and including Netflix’s Wednesday and a preview of the now recently released Beetlejuice Beetlejuice - and while I confess that I skimmed the chapters on his work that I’m blasé about (I won’t name names, since that’s just rude), I absolutely revelled in the brief explorations written by author Ian Nathan who is a true fan of Burton’s oeuvre. Nathan explores Burton’s life growing up in sunny California and points emerging themes and social commentary towards the films that would lead him to icon status, pairing his commentary artfully with more in depth critiques of the films themselves and wrapping the narrative in well-designed graphics that rely on photography and film-stills to illustrate without any further embellishment. The book could have easily doubled in size with additional commentary, interviews, concept artwork or been artificially bulked by a more illustrative design concept, but I appreciate the concise presentation and simplicity that veers away from the norms of most explorations of the pop-culture art world. Keeping it simple, while still getting to the point, may not be a reflection of Burton, who often revels in lavish sets, compelling character design, and an artfully-done overdesign aesthetic, but letting the work of the filmmaker speak for itself holds a strength that just works.

[Jess · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ian Nathan is not the best writer I am come across. His paragraphs don't naturally flow and each pages makes you think that you might have missed a connecting sentence but he gets the information across concisely and with a good amount of style in his word choice.

The story of Tim Burton is though what makes this such a good read. His struggles in childhood, life and especially through his career. How he has never quite fitted in is interesting. I enjoyed reading about his struggles against normality and probably now understand why I like him so much as a director and writer. It is his difference as a person that makes his work so unique. As all as this it was wonderful to read quotes from actors he's worked with like Amy Adams, Helena Bonham Carter and Johnny Depp.

The photographic stills from his movies though are what makes this book so beautiful.

[Dillon Harris · Rating 4 out of 5]

While sometimes the authour is stating his opinions on Burton’s films as if they’re facts, for the most part, this biography creates an enchanting, eye opening and personal account of the iconic director’s career thus far.

Fans of his work will uncover so much they did not know, both from behind the scenes, but what intrigued me even more was the tellings of his personal life, using snippets from interviews with Tim himself. It is clear that he is a man who never felt like he truly fit in, but chose to use that as a strength, rather than consider it a weakness.

This book is a must for Burton fanatics, and anyone out there who feels like, as he puts it; ‘an outsider in a world of outsiders’.

[April Socarras | Thebookishpage · Rating 2 out of 5]

The book fell short in providing substantial details, particularly regarding many of the featured films. Upon reaching the end, it was revealed that influential figures like Tim Burton and others quoted in the book had no involvement in its creation. This suggests that the entirety of the book was researched solely through articles. The author's reliance on secondary sources rather than direct interviews with those involved in the movies may have significantly weakened its depth and credibility. The inclusion of firsthand accounts could have strengthened the narrative and provided readers with more insightful perspectives on the filmmaking process.

[Emma Valieu · Rating 3 out of 5]

Plutôt déçue... étant une grande fan depuis des années, on n'apprend pas vraiment plus de choses quant aux précédents ouvrages... Et j'ai trouvé cette VF particulièrement laborieuse à lire, entre les fautes et d'étranges tournures de phrases. Le seul avantage ici, c'est qu'étant récent, il parle des derniers films.

[Harold · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.5 stars. I was given this book a few years ago as a gift and finally got around to checking it out. A fairly surface level retrospective of Burton's films up to 2016, this is really more of a glorified picture book. There's some interesting bits of trivia, but the critical analysis is fairly minimal.

[Kristien · Rating 3 out of 5]

Content wise not very interesting (always harks upon how Burton's main charachters are basically portrayals of himself and how his works are inspired by his childhood and the films he loved as a child), but the three stars go to the beautiful photos in the book.

[Jessica Cartner · Rating 5 out of 5]

As a Burton fan, I absolutely loved this fascinating book.

[Tayla · Rating 3 out of 5]

Very interesting read about one of my favourite directors!

[M A R I A N A · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 ✨

[Israel Sotelo · Rating 4 out of 5]

Excellent review of Burton’s movies, a lot of info that I already didn’t know.