Word: burtonizing
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...three years before Burton released his next film--Beetlejuice. Yet another twisted tale, centering this time around a pair of "newlydeads," the Maitlands, played by Alec Baldwin and Geena Davis and the "bio-exorcist" (Michael Keaton) they hire to clean out their home of its new yuppie occupants. The film, despite (or perhaps owing to) its weird atmosphere, unusual characters and occasionally cheesy special-effects, was yet another success for Burton, and he was then tapped by Warner Brothers to direct their biggest project at that time--Batman...
...From the start, Burton's Batman promised to be a departure from the cardboard comic characterizations and situations found in the Superman films of the early '80s. First, Burton chose Beetlejuice star Keaton, known more as a comic actor than an action star, to play the title character--a move that sent comic book fans into an uproar. Burton also removed the Robin character, choosing instead to focus on the intense psychological make-up of Batman and his foe, the Joker (Jack Nicholson in one of his best roles). Once again, Burton's strong adherence to his own vision paid...
...before directing Returns, Burton made Edward Scissorhands, which stands to date as his most unusual, as well as his most personal, work. This fairy tale involves a mad scientist (played by Burton's idol, Vincent Price) creating a simulacrum of a young man (Johnny Depp) in his laboratory. He gives the boy scissors for hands until he can finish his work but dies before attaching the new hands. The boy lives a lonely life in the castle until he is discovered by an Avon lady (Dianne West), who takes him home to the pastel-colored suburbia below. The boy, dubbed...
...Edward Scissorhands was the first in a trio of Burton's films to be set at Christmastime. It enjoyed moderate success, and remains the most earnest work in Burton's canon. It also forged a relationship between Burton and Johnny Depp, which would eventually lead to their working together on Ed Wood and, ultimately, Sleepy Hollow. In 1992, Burton returned to the familiar Batworld to direct Batman Returns. The story, focusing on Batman's struggle against both the Penguin and Catwoman, starred Keaton again, as well as Danny Devito and Michelle Pfeiffer in the respective villain roles. Though successful...
...Burton's next project was the production of The Nightmare Before Christmas (1993), a stop-motion animated film based upon a three-page poem written by Burton while working at Disney. Disney gave Burton the go-ahead for the project, and while he didn't direct it, he was deeply involved in the development process. The story, set like Scissorhands and Batman Returns at Christmas, is about Jack Skellington, the ruler of Halloweentown and his suffering what amounts to a mid-life crisis. Upon discovering Christmastown, Jack believes that this is a way to re-invigorate Halloween, and he misguidedly...