After making a series of short films, including the horror-movie homage Frankenweenie (1984), Burton directed his first feature film, Pee-Wee's Big Adventure, in 1985. A box-office success, the family movie centred on a man-child (played by Paul Reubens) looking for his stolen bicycle.
In 1985, following his departure from the Disney studios, he created his first feature film: Pee-Wee's Big Adventure. This was followed by Beetlejuice (1988), Batman (1989), Edward Scissorhands (1990) and The Nightmare Before Christmas (1993).
While at Disney in 1982, Burton made his first short, Vincent, a six-minute black-and-white stop motion film based on a poem written by Burton, which depicts a young boy who fantasizes that he is his hero Vincent Price, with Price himself providing narration.
After graduating from high school, he attended California Institute of the Arts. Like so many others who graduated from that school, Burton's first job was as an animator for Disney.
Best Known For: Director, producer and screenwriter Tim Burton is known for such films as 'Beetlejuice' and 'Edward Scissorhands,' which blend themes of fantasy and horror.
The American suburbia Tim Burton aesthetic is defined by bright and bold colors, as well as 1960s architecture and cars. It stands in stark contrast to Burton's theatrical side, which is defined by Gothic overtones and mechanical machinations and heavily inspired by German Expressionism.
While at Disney in 1982, Burton made his first short, Vincent, a six-minute black-and-white stop motion film based on a poem written by the filmmaker, and depicting a young boy who fantasizes that he is his hero Vincent Price, with Price himself providing narration.
Born in 1958 in Burbank, California, Burton grew up with an inverse relationship to his surroundings. Where Burbank was sunny and benign, Burton was moody, interested in the dark and the macabre. When other kids played ball and rode bicycles, he hung out in cemeteries and wax museums.
Burton worked for the company from 1981 to 1984, when he was fired by Disney after making the short movie Frankenweenie, which the studio claimed would be too scary for children. In a conversation with the Independent, Burton reflects on his time at Disney.
Sleepy Hollow is arguably Tim Burton's spookiest and most immersive work. Based on Washington Irving's haunting short story, the legend of the Headless Horseman falls on the nervous shoulders of Ichabod Crane (Johnny Depp).
“It was something I could feel. He liked the characters, he was interested in acting for the art of it, not the business of it. It was exciting to see somebody play different things, the idea of this transformation from film to film always excited me.”
But actor Paul Reubens (aka Pee-Wee Herman) saw Frankenweenie (1984), and believed that Burton would be the right man to direct him in his first full-length feature film, Pee-wee's Big Adventure (1985). The film was a surprise success, and Burton instantly became popular.
Why is it called Tim Burton's Nightmare Before Christmas?
"Their biggest fear, and why it was kind of a stepchild project, [was] they were afraid of their core audience hating the film and not coming." To convey Burton's involvement and attract a wider audience, Disney marketed the film as Tim Burton's The Nightmare Before Christmas.
How old was Tim Burton when he made his first movie?
He directed his first feature when he was just 26 years old: “Pee-wee's Big Adventure” (1985). Burton followed that success with the macabre comedy “Beetlejuice” (1988) before entering the world of blockbusters with the dark, ominous superhero adventure “Batman” (1989).
Black trim, stripes and contrasting colours are added to achieve the familiar gothic style of much of his work. Paired with the sharp cheekbones, big eyes, chalky complexion and dark undereye circles, these characters are distinct to Burton.
Burton was heavily influenced by popular culture and has used his childhood in Burbank as a resource for the subjects and themes that he has explored in feature films, shorts, and commercials since 1982. From childhood to the present, Burton has expressed himself through drawing.
Despite those similarities, Tim Burton actually had nothing whatsoever to do with Coraline's production. The filmmaker behind Coraline is Wendell & Wild director Henry Selick, but this hasn't stopped the beloved adaptation of the Neil Gaiman comic from being falsely attributed to Burton by far too many people.
Then somewhere in the 2000's the quality of Burton's work seemed to decline. With the exception of Big Fish and Corpse Bride, Planet of the Apes was a disaster as well as Charlie & the Chocolate Factory and this level of mediocrity has carried through into the 2010s.
Much of this style is heavily influenced by German expressionist artists and filmmakers in the early 20th century (LACMA). Distortion, spooking shadows, heavy makeup, dreamlike settings, and some overarching feelings of dismay are characteristics of both Burton's work and German expressionism.
