Burton on Burton [ペーパーバック]

As one can tell, not only am I truly a Tim Burton fan, but I am also a fan of this well put together ensemble of musings from a person I believe is one of the greatest director's and cinematic visionaries of his time. So in one sense, one might say that I could be biased that I am already a Burton fan. However, as an avid book reader, the subject matter is extremely intriguing and the editorial precise and unbiased.

I think the thing I liked most about this book, is that an overwhelming percentage of the text are in Burton's own words. The editor wraps this nicely in a very smooth flowing readable arch without making many presumptions as to what Burton himself might be thinking. Honestly, this is one book I couldn't, and didn't, put down and it was an extremely satisfying read.

Even as a true "Burtonite", I found myself learning all sorts of interesting little details and insights about the man, that I otherwise would not have garnered on my own. The series of these books have been a gold-label of fascinating reads on directors from all sorts of styles and genres, so it is not surprising that their editor selection is impeccable.

The books covers everything from Burton's idolization of greats like Roger Corman, Vincent Price, Ray Harryhausen and the early Hammer Films. It covers his simple beginnings in the often paradoxical suburbs of Burbank, his "imprisonment" in the Disney system, disdain for the major studio system and ultimate serendipitous events which lead up to him being one of the most highly sought after and most successful directors of our time. On a deeply humanistic note, it delves into his need to connect with something on a personal level on each film he does, his close personal relationships with Johnny Depp, Lisa Marie and Helena Bohnam Carter, among others, and his perception on estrangement with his parents. The book goes on to thoroughly review each of Burton's features which included what he was thinking during all stages of production, including many illustrations often by Burton himself. Finally it sums of his preference to reuse many cast and crew including (but by no means limited too) Christopher Lee, Danny Devito, Rick Heinrichs, Collen Atwood, Chris Lebenzon and Danny Elfman, which is detailed further with explanation of his dislike for verbal communication. Furthermore, and perhaps more importantly, there are some very intimate moments in this novel from Burton's perspective including his disheartening with the tabloids over rumors of an affair with Helena Bohnam Carter on the set of "Planet of the Apes", his discouragement with the studio system especially in terms of the "Batman" and "Superman" franchises and dealing with the suicide of his friend and "Batman" corroborator, Production Designer Anton Furst.

The back jacket of the book says it succinctly in a quote from Empire "A must for fans", but I beg to differ. This book is not only a must for fans, but anyone looking for a little contemporary documentation on a fascinating individual who is truly one of a kind, despite what you think of his particular brand of aesthetics.

There are several pages of Tim Burton books that you will find on amazon, but I am extremely happy I chose Burton on Burton. The book is very detailed, and beautifully describes all of Burton's most well known films, including: Nightmare before Christmas, Beetlejuice, Batman, Sleepy Hollow, Corpse Bride, and many more. Plus it is awesome to be able to read a story about Tim Burton, written by the man himself, and you can definitely see it throughout the book. I highly recommend this to any Tim Burton fan like me,or anyone who appreciates any one of his multitude of films. Definitely a must have!!

Burton on Burton is a great read for anyone who loves Tim's movies and who would like a glimpse into how movies are made. I've always connected to Burton's films because they're unusual and full of heart. I loved walking around in Tim's head for a few days.