Happy Birthday Tim Burton! Here Are Five Of His Best Movies

Today, acclaimed film director, Mr. Tim Burton blows out 58 candles! As a kid, Burton would make silent stop motion films in his backyard. He became fascinated in filming and little did he know he would go on and work with the biggest names in the industry in decades to come. He started out his career as an animator with Walt Disney Studios in the early 1980s. After some directing stints on a couple of TV shows, Burton ventured out into the silver screen and directed the classic cult hit, Beetlejuice and the rest is history.

The Alice in Wonderland director is well known for his dark, gothic and quirky style in his films. He also has great chemistry with Johnny Depp as we can see after he casted the actor on numerous occasions. To commemorate the birthday of this wonderful and wildly imaginative director, we look back at five of his best works to date.

#1 Batman (1989)

There were a lot of controversies surrounding the making of this movie, especially as Burton had disputes with the movie producers over casting issues. He had a preference for Michael Keaton, an actor less likely to portray Batman given his comedic background and average physique. Burton won at the end and also sought legendary actor, Jack Nicholson’s expertise and casted him as The Joker. When the movie opened, he defied all odds and rebutted those who had doubted him initially , especiallyafter the movie went on and became one of the biggest box office hits of all time. He later reprised his directing role to direct another two Batman franchises – Batman Forever and Batman Returns.

#2 Beetlejuice (1988)

Now, who could ever forget this absolute classic? Betelgeuse, alongside with his iconic pinstripe suit became an instant hit and was made a reference in pop culture. The captivating storyline told of a recently deceased ghost couple who sought the services of a ‘bio-exorcist’ in order to kick the new obnoxious house owners of their house. If you need something to cheer you up, this is the movie for it. You’d be laughing your socks off!

#3 Charlie and The Chocolate Factory (2005)

“Willy Wonka, Willy Wonka, the famous chocolatier.” This line will get stuck in your head the whole day after watching this movie. Tim succesfully showcased his talent and penchant for detail through Charlie and The Chocolate Factory. The set design is an absolute marvel to the eyes, and you’ll definitely be drawn into the movie almost immediately. This colourful movie tells the tale of Charlie, a lucky boy who won a golden ticket that would forever change his life. Johnny Depp’s portrayal of the eccentric chocolatier also gained critical accolades from critics.

#4 Edward Scissorshands (1990)

Yet another iconic cult classic from Tim Burton, who again enlisted the help of Johnny Depp in this movie as well. Who on earth would’ve thought a tale about a man with a pair of scissors as hands would be so successful? This movie was the first collaboration between Depp and Burton. Both of them instantly hit it off very well, so naturally from then on, Depp went on to star in several of Burton’s other movies.

#5 The Nightmare Before Christmas (1993)

This animated film became a box office success and grossed USD50 million (RM200 million). This unique tale became one of Disney’s successful animated films during that period. Jack Skellington has risen to become an iconic character. The story was written and produced by Tim but due to conflicting schedules, he did not direct the movie. He was busy with Batman Returns at that time.

So, what’s your favourite Tim Burton movie? Share your thoughts with us in the comment section below.