Damn You, Tim Burton
Tim Burton is directing a new (steampunk) version of Alice in Wonderland. Today they released the first picture of Johnny Depp as the Mad Hatter. The news that Johnny Depp is playing the Mad Hatter lies somewhere between “Republican politician accuses competitor of terrorist ties” and “Clay Aiken is gay” on the scale of unforeseeable surprises.
While I am in complete agreement that Alice in Wonderland deserves to be made into a good film, Tim Burton is not the man to do it. Once again, he’s coming in with his cartoon set-design and gothic makeup and sapping all the heart out of something I really, really love. The Mad Hatter is not a fey lounge singer, for christ’s sake!
Alice in Wonderland should have a dark edge, but it should also be hilarious and absurd. I can almost guarantee Tim Burton will totally miss his mark on the tone, just as he removed all the wit from Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, one of my other favorite books. Stop doing this, Burton! What’s next on my list of beloved masterpieces? Are you going to do a version of Babe 2: Pig in the City with Depp as the sadistic farmer?
November 19th, 2008 at 5:23 am
November 19th, 2008 at 5:24 am
http://movies.radiofree.com/reviews/images/alice_1.jpg
November 20th, 2008 at 8:08 am
(9:56:57 AM) Libby: catching up on blogs - dinsmore just dissed johnny depp a little - i may have to unsubscribe…
(9:57:14 AM) Harmon: hehehe
(9:57:29 AM) Harmon: Alice in Wonderland is either Jeff’s favorite book or in his top 5.
(9:57:42 AM) Harmon: So seeing it Burtoned is annoying him
(9:57:46 AM) Libby: johnny depp is either my favorite person or in the top 5
November 20th, 2008 at 9:06 am
Oh, it’s not Depp who’s the problem. It’s Burton for having no interest in the “acting” or “script” part of movies. Johnny Depp is a great actor, but like all actors, he could use a little guidance from time to time. A good director says, “hey, that weird Michael Jackson take on Willy Wonka isn’t really working. And while we’re at it, Elfman? I’m not sure if rapping Oopa-Loompas is what Dahl had in mind.”
I love the idea of Tim Burton, it’s just the reality that seldom works out lately. With tremendous exceptions: Pee-Wee, Beetlejuice, and especially Edward Scissorhands and Ed Wood - all excellent films. But since Tim Burton became a style of filmmaking, almost everything has been a misfire - Mars Attacks!, Planet of the Apes, Sleepy Hollow, Big Fish … four films that looked great but are darn near unwatchable. Sweeney Todd - I have no opinion. I know people who loved it; it didn’t do much for me.
But for the record, Jeffreydinsmore.com would gladly have a million of Johnny Depp’s babies.
November 20th, 2008 at 9:19 am
LOL about the babies. And to be fair - I didn’t like Willy Wonka either. I loved Sleepy Hollow though, surprised you didn’t like that one - it’s been years since I saw it, but I don’t remember anything bad about it?? Hmm. Of course Edward Scissorhands and Ed Wood are two of my all-time faves. I do get what you’re saying about Tim Burton. But I loooooooove me some Johnny Depp!!!!
November 20th, 2008 at 9:26 am
Hmm. I was going along with you, getting all down on the Tim Burton style… but then I realized I *liked* Sleepy Hollow, Big Fish, and even Willy Wonka. Sure, Tim Burton’s Willy Wonka isn’t the same as A Faithful Interpretation of Willy Wonka, but I still liked it. I hated Corpse Bride, though, and have trouble even thinking of Planet of the Apes as a Burton film.
I guess it WOULD be better if people didn’t count the Tim Burton version of a movie when deciding if it had been made recently. Which is to say… he really should stick to his own, original ideas, so he doesn’t pollute the stream.
November 20th, 2008 at 11:31 am
He’s great at building atmosphere and awful at resolving things. I think Sleepy Hollow and Big Fish both have that problem. And Willy Wonka was just too garish to me. It was like watching the actors on MadTV trying to reenact Monty Python skits.
November 20th, 2008 at 12:01 pm
And… Johnny did not look so yummy in Willy Wonka. Which I know is what troubled you most with that film…
November 20th, 2008 at 2:40 pm
That’s definitely a good point, Jeffrey. I think I enjoyed both of those movies more for the atmosphere and eye candy (plus Johnny’s awesome insanity) than for the actual story; the ending of both was definitely, “Oh, hey, look, it’s finally over! Did anyone notice what actually happened?”
November 20th, 2008 at 2:58 pm
Thanks, man. And all that being said, I would take a failed Tim Burton project over a successful Michael Bay project any day. And I’ll definitely go see Alice in Wonderland. I’m just trying not to get my hopes up and have the rug pulled out from under me again.