Customer Reviews

Tim Burton: An Unauthorized Biography of the Filmmaker

5 star:		(33)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(5)
1 star:		(7)

 

 

To paraphrase Beetlejuice, this is a book that gets better the more you read it. I've read the book three times now and, like the movies it discusses, it improves with familiarity, especially if you read a section on a movie, watch the movie, and then read the section again. Many times, when I didn't quite get the author's take on a single reading, this made me smack my head in an "Of course! Why didn't I see that?" manner. That's because I'm not the author, I suppose, but I'm sure glad he could point it out for me.

This great book got me through a two day bus ride!It's filled with so much information and insight that I ended up wanting to watch ALL the movies again. There are so many fine things in this book that it's hard to know where to begin, but the author's take on the ED WOOD finale--with Burton creating a grand premiere for the cast of PLAN 9--is a special view of a scene that is one of the great moments in cinema history. I think my favorite bit in the book is an anecdote about the BATMAN RETURNS production, where one of the mimes hired for the circus troupe is passing Burton's office door and happens to see him sitting inside at his desk--seemingly overwhelmed by the enormity of the undertaken and the responsibility of an artist in such a business-like position.

The book is well-researched, meticulously detailed (which I love in film biographies like this) and insightful. The author's respect for Burton and his passion for the films is very evident. If I was Burton, I'd be flattered.

This is THE book I've been waiting for ever since I saw EDWARD SCISSORHANDS! But I never thought I would get it. A book that covered Burton's life and all his films with close attention to detail, analysis, and production background would have been enough cause for celebration. But this book gives the reader even more, since author Ken Hanke (whose other works I now intend on seeking out) manages to illustrate how Burton's own life and feelings are reflected by what he has put on the screen. That seems to be something that bothers some people, which I find odd, since these same people accept Burton as among the most personal of filmmakers, but have a problem when someone actually connects the man and his art. If Burton's films are not extremely personal and do not reflect the filmmaker, then what are they? Nothing but flashy, visually striking exercises in empty moviemaking. Whatever the book's detractors' problem is, for me this was a revelation of the real genius of Tim Burton--a master filmmaker, who has managed to make his own concerns, interests, and obsessions accessible to the world at large. Before I read the book, I loved Tim Burton's movies. After reading the book, I not only loved the films, I had a new and huge respect for the filmmaker. I cannot possibly recommend this book highly enough. It is just plain indispensable. I'll be reading it again and again. Thank you, Ken Hanke!

It's very boring and all. I've read and re-read my copy of Burton on Burton, and this book provides me with no new information. Hanke even goes so far as to quote from the interviews Salisbury assembled into Burton on Burton. It's annoying, reading through this book, since Hanke seems to insist that he knows exactly what's going on in Burton's mind. He over-analyses absolutely everything, bringing Burton's films down to a level where nothing is truly worth anything. According to Hanke, Pee Wee's Big Adventure is all about sexual stuff. Honestly, for three pages, every other word is sex. Methinks perhaps Hanke is not so much telling us what Burton thinks, but what he would think if he was Burton.

Also, the writing feels to me like something I might write on a late night to turn in the next morning to my 10th grade english teacher. The style seems to be that of an essay, not a book.

My final complaint is the huge editing mistake I found. At the beginning of the chapters, Hanke gives a quote. At the beginning of one, I was shocked to see the words "I know I am but what are you?" Anyone who's seen the movie can tell you the quote it "I know you are but what am I?", and it amazes me that such a large error slipped through and made it into print.

The author has done a perfectly splendid job here of capturing both the essence of Burton's movies and the man behind the mask that is Tim Burton. Here is the first non-fannish, intelligent, and even intellectual approach to Burton's work. The author's insights are keen and precise and, thankfully, not colored by any sense of hero-worship. The films are examined and not just mindlessly praised, which is much the same approach taken with the director himself, who emerges as a far more interesting man than the version of himself Burton presents to the public. If only the publishers would see fit to allow an updating of this book to include SLEEPY HOLLOW...

Genre writers don't get any better than Ken Hanke and this book is another winner. Hanke's book "Charlie Chan at the Movies" is still the best book about that detective, and his regular articles in Scarlet Street magazine (he is the associate editor of this superior publication) are a treat. I was especially impressed by Hanke's coverage of "Edward Scissorhands" and "Ed Wood" in his new book, and only wish the book will be updated to include "Sleepy Hollow."

This is a wonderful biography. Even though, I would personally liked to have learned more about Burton as a person, Ken Hanke does his best to paint a detailed picture of the film-maker. This is a definite must-read book for those interested in film-making and movie directors. It explains how Burton puts his own unique psychology and personal auto-biographical elements in every single one of his films. Surprisingly, Burton also does a lot of this in "Batman Returns" and "Ed Wood." **** And not only that, but this would be a magnificent read for people who really don't care about film-making because it shows how a person's creative streak can make an intriuging public figure and at the same time how it can separate him from his family and best friends. Ken Hanke's biography "Tim Burton" paints the picture of the man as a true human being, detailing his personal mistakes as well as his public triumphs.

Ken Hanke does an excellent job of covering each Tim Burton film. He dedicates a few chapters to each Burton film-discussing everything from the pre-production stage to the reviews of the films by the country's leading movie critics. What is really interesting about this book is how Hanke takes each film and breaks down the story line-discussing both the genius of Burton's aesthetic and story accomplishments as well as the way Burton reveals more of his personality in each film that is and has been overlooked. It is obvious that Hanke is a Burton fan, but he is very objective in this book-especially when discussing a Burton film-he does not overlook some of the flaws and/or mistakes Burton makes. This book is very entertaining and both fans and critics of Burton will get a lot out of it in my opinion. My only complaint is there is not enough pictures. If the book contained pictures of each film that was discussed in the book, it would be even better. I bought this book about 3 weeks ago, and have read it cover to cover about 5 times. I recommend this book to everyone who has ever enjoyed a Tim Burton film, and recommend it also to people who feel they are "missing something" when watching a Burton film. This book is great. It has made me appreciate and respect Tim Burton even more as an artist and a person.

''Also interesting is how a rave review always pops up now after a review that criticizes the book. Very interesting. And then the rave has to go on to criticize the person who didn't like it.''

Yeah - there's no need to get into an AOL-style flamewar here. Keep that kind of stuff for the immature on AOL who enjoy it, and here, stick with reviewing the book itself. And it's a good book.

By the time I've gotten around to saying something about this book, I see that it's mostly already been said and I'm left to repeat the praise of others. Still, I think it's worth saying and maybe worth noting that it's not at all the sort of book I usually read. (Hey, I just like Tim Burton movies.) Because of this, I can't really say whether it's better than most books of its type, but the fact that it's entertaining and accessible to someone who doesn't know film books says something--you don't have to be an expert or an "insider" in order to get this book. It made me watch all of Burton's movies again and think about them. It gave me new enjoyment in them. What more could I want?