Nov 12 2009 Tim Burton's MoMA Commercial Looks Tim Burtony All Right

A charming reminder that MoMA's upcoming, extensive Tim Burton exhibit opens November 22. I'll definitely be going, and I'll be taking along 1995 me, a young chap who still idealistically thinks everything Burton touches belongs at the top of his VHS shelf. If you run into us, don't tell him what a let down Planet of the Apes was. He's still really looking forward to it.

Oct 28 2009 Extended 'Alice in Wonderland' Trailer: Now with Moments of New Footage

Just in case you're one of those people so excited about Alice in Wonderland that the very thought of it makes you do those little claps you do at your chest where it looks like you're both praying and applauding, here's a new trailer for Tim Burton's long overdue adaptation that I'm told features a couple new shots.

Prepare to enter a world where your queen appears to have been drawn by a Times Square caricature artist who was told his client liked clowns!

Continue Reading " Extended 'Alice in Wonderland' Trailer: Now with Moments of New Footage "

Sep 22 2009 Nicolas Cage as Superman/Superman Action Figure

Remember over a decade ago when Tim Burton was going to make a Superman movie? Me too! Why do we keep remembering that? Let's stop. Actually, before you stop remembering, breathe deeply with your eyes the above image that's been going around internet today to equal cries of "fake" and "LOL": the only known photo of what is supposedly Nicolas Cage's costume test for Burton's film.

Yes, I know it looks like Nicolas Cage's head blatantly pasted onto a plastic body. But would Japan's premiere Tim Burton fan site stake their name on a fake, putting at risk all the Tim Burton legitimacy the country has been building since the second World War? I have no idea. Either way, it is definitely ridiculous.

Jul 31 2009 It's Like Seeing Tim Burton's Family Refrigerator

Nearly lost among the vast collections of people-you-could-date features, a brief preview of Tim Burton's upcoming MoMa show has turned up on Time Out New York's site. The Nov 22–Apr 26 exhibit is set to feature an amazing collection of Burton's films, early drawings, and production art, and it's not to be missed if you're in the area. It's going to be like a "tim burton art" Google Image Search, but real!

Jul 22 2009 Tim Burton's 'Alice in Wonderland' Trailer: Yup, That's a Tim Burton

Really, no further description is necessary or possible. Tim Burton's Alice in Wonderland could only exist as one thing, and this is it:

Continue Reading " Tim Burton's 'Alice in Wonderland' Trailer: Yup, That's a Tim Burton "

Jul 14 2009 'Alice in Wonderland' People Holding Animals

Start modeling your group Halloween costume early: Empire has some new photos of the characters of Alice in Wonderland holding some living things. If Helena Bonham Carter cradling a pig doesn't get you excited about Tim Burton's seemingly-predestined adaptation, I don't know what to tell you.

Jun 23 2009 Inside the Reflective Surface: New 'Alice in Wonderland' Images!

Elijah Wood in Eccentric Zombie Carrot Top costume says "Hello." USA Today and Yahoo have posted some new shots from Tim Burton's Alice in Wonderland, and I think you'll be surprised how much they look like the results of a "celebrities as Alice in Wonderland characters" Photoshop contest:

Continue Reading " Inside the Reflective Surface: New 'Alice in Wonderland' Images! "

Jun 10 2009 Edward Scissorhands Drawings Coming to MoMA

The only real way to understand the mind of Tim Burton is to be abandoned in a forest of gnarled trees with only the company of Johnny Depp, Danny Elfman music, and a woman physically way out of your league. But since that's not a practical option for everyone, this fall MoMA is doing the next best thing, which still sounds pretty alright:

The visually inventive filmmaker behind "Edward Scissorhands," "Batman" and "Sweeney Todd," among others, will be the subject of "Tim Burton," a major exhibition at Gotham's Museum of Modern Art beginning Nov. 22 and running through April 26.

The show will include more than 700 pieces: paintings, drawings, storyboards, maquettes, puppets and other work created or designed by Burton. MoMA will also screen a complete retrospective of the helmer's 14 films over the course of the show.

The exhibition follows Burton from childhood through his most recent work, which the director finds appropriate: "Everybody draws," Burton observed. "I just never stopped when the teachers told me to."

In addition, MoMA will present a series of films that influenced or inspired the helmer, including James Whale's 1931 "Frankenstein," Robert Wiene's silent 1920 horror film "The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari" and Roger Corman's 1961 "The Pit and the Pendulum."

Cinephiles will also have a chance to view Burton's earliest nonpro films and student art, on display for the first time.

As someone who taped every episode of Family Dog entirely because of Burton's executive producer credit, I'm pretty excited to see this--especially the early student stuff. I'm hoping that, like film students at my college, he had a period where most scenes involved 20-year-olds in Goodwill suits delivering Kevin Smith-influenced dialogue in a "bar" that looked conspicuously like the campus coffee shop.

Tim Burton exhibit at MoMA [Variety]

Apr 23 2009 Stephen Fry Voicing Chesire Cat, Tony Blair Doing White Rabbit

Tim Burton's Alice in Wonderland just got posher. Yesterday, Stephen Fry "did a Twitter," as they say, revealing he's lending his voice to the Chesire Cat in Tim Burton's Alice in Wonderland:

Playing Cheshire Cat. Smug, complacent, cheese-eating grin - moi? Walking off to studio in next ten minutes

And later added:

Michael S [Michael Sheen, aka Tony Blair in every movie that has Tony Blair] is the White Rabbit ...

(here via AICN)

UK readers surely know Fry from his variety of comedy, acting, and hosting duties, and while Wikipedia claims "Fry has become known to American audiences for his recurring guest role as Dr. Gordon Wyatt on the FOX crime series Bones," I'm not sure American audiences actually watch Bones, so below the cut, I've included a short clip of him speaking. Listening, you can imagine how appropriate he'll sound voicing the famous line, "Alice, it's me: the magical, grinning cat named The Chesire Cat. Welcome to Wonderland."

Continue Reading " Stephen Fry Voicing Chesire Cat, Tony Blair Doing White Rabbit "

Mar 13 2009 D23 has a Tim Burton's 'Alice in Wonderland' Treat for You

Yay! Disney has launched a new magazine especially for corporate-themed psychotics! It's hiply called D23, and as Disney (D?) describes it, it's great if "one of your favorite pastimes is wishing upon a star," or for anyone whose "favorite walk is down Main Street, U.S.A." Well, I'm not sure my favorite walk is down Main Street (I have too many "favorite walks" to definitively order my "favorite walks"), but I do consider reenacting a line in a Pinocchio song to be one of my hobbies, so D23 sounds pretty perfect for me.

The inaugural issue features an article entitled "Through Tim Burton's Looking Glass," which looks at the director's newest project, Alice in Wonderland, and his relationship with Disney. The Tim Burton Collective has kindly scanned it for you.

Dec 24 2008 '9' Feature Film Makes '9' Short So Much More Marketable to Key Demos

Shane Acker's dialogue-free 2005 film, 9, was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Animated Short (hey, here it is). Hollywood couldn't help but notice how charming and marketable the post-apocalyptic ragdoll stars were, and was like, "Alright, Shane, how about you make this into a feature film? One thing though: maybe to 'punch it up' a bit, add dialogue, and have that dialogue be read by notable celebrities. And make the lead character a puppy that wears sunglasses."

Here's the trailer:

Continue Reading " '9' Feature Film Makes '9' Short So Much More Marketable to Key Demos "

Nov 18 2008 (Probably Not) Johnny Depp as the Mad Hatter!

IMAGE REMOVED AT REQUEST OF The Walt Disney Company

I feel certain this is not actually Johnny Depp as the Mad Hatter in Tim Burton's Alice in Wonderland. However, most every movie site is posting it, and it's getting sent in, so fine, here it is: possibly Johnny Depp as the Mad Hatter but probably not. I remain confident it's a photo of David Bowie during his Ziggy Flamboyant Hobo phase.

Oct 24 2008 'Alice in Wonderland' Gets Crispined

Crispin Glover has signed on to play the Knave of Hearts in Tim Burton's motion-capture take on Alice in Wonderland. From THR:

Crispin Glover has signed on to play the Knave of Hearts in Tim Burton's adaptation of "Alice in Wonderland" for Disney.

Glover joins Mia Wasikowska as Alice and a cast that includes Johnny Depp, Anne Hathaway and Helena Bonham Carter. Burton is using a combination of live action and performance-capture technology to tell the Lewis Carroll story.

The APA-repped Glover is no stranger to performance-capture technology: He worked in the medium for "Beowulf."

This movie just got 90% more likely to make me recoil from creepiness!

Oct 7 2008 Anne Hathaway and Tim Burton's Girlfriend Join 'Alice'

Well, it was only a matter of time: Helena Bonham Carter has been cast as the Red Queen in Tim Burton's Alice in Wonderland. Just like she was cast in Planet of the Apes, Big Fish, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, Corpse Bride, and Sweeney Todd--every Tim Burton film for the last eight years. Anne Hathaway is in it now too. From THR:

Anne Hathaway, who is generating buzz for her performance in "Rachel Getting Married," has signed for a role in "Alice in Wonderland," which Tim Burton is directing for Disney.

Helena Bonham Carter also has joined the film.

The movie, which stars Mia Wasikowska as Alice and Johnny Depp as the Mad Hatter, will use a combination of live action and performance-capture technology to tell the Lewis Carroll story.

Hathaway is playing the White Queen, a benevolent monarch who is deposed and banished by her sister, the Red Queen (Carter), who has an affinity for crying out, "Off with their heads!" The White Queen needs Alice to slay a creature known as the Bandersnatch.

The news comes as a shock only to Helena Bonham Carter, who has just learned she's probably being dumped for Anne Hathaway.

Sep 30 2008 It's Alice! (in Wonderland, on a Boat)

Even though I think everyone has a pretty firm mental picture of what Tim Burton's version of Alice in Wonderland will look like, INF Daily has some set shots to confirm your visions of semi-gothic formal wear. All I can think is that if this girl were any older, it would look like they were shooting a Stevie Nicks video.

Jul 29 2008 Johnny Depp Probably Playing Mad Hatter

As if it weren't a foregone conclusion, rumor is Johnny Depp will again put on a top hat and uncomfortably childish persona to play the Mad Hatter in Tim Burton's Alice in Wonderland:

Johnny Depp is to play the Mad Hatter in a new version of 'Alice in Wonderland'.

The 'Sleepy Hollow' actor is teaming up with director Tim Burton again for the movie, a re-imagining of the classic children's tale.

A source said: "Tim has had designs on 'Alice in Wonderland' since before he was famous.

Normally I wouldn't put much stock into a gossip columns, but this seems so obvious it probably has to be true, and unnamed "sources" never lie.

IMDB should really just add a permanent addendum to Depp's listing: "Also, he'll probably be in a Tim Burton movie playing an undetermined gothic character." And while you're at it, IMDB, stop treating chimps like actors.

Johnny Depp's Mad Role [CelebEdge]

Jul 24 2008 Tim Burton Finds His Alice (of Wonderland Fame)

I totally forgot Tim Burton was making a new version of Alice in Wonderland, but yeah, he is, and word is he's found his lead in Australian actress Mia Wasikowska--and he didn't even have to look through the looking glass to find her! Haha! Try and top that, Hollywood Reporter!

Tim Burton and Disney have found their new Alice -- not in Wonderland or down the rabbit hole but Down Under.

Australian actress Mia Wasikowska is in final negotiations to walk through the looking glass in Burton's take on Lewis Carroll's classic fantasy novel "Alice in Wonderland."

Damn, they got me again. "Wonderland," "down the rabbit hole," and "through the looking glass," all in two sentences? I don't know how they do it. I'll out-idiotic-cutesy-reference you one day, Hollywood Reporter.

Dec 12 2007 'Sweeney Todd' Bloody Opening Sequence

Wondering what Tim Burton has in store to top his logo-tracing opening to Batman and town model-examining Beatlejuice introduction? Now you can, by watching the opening sequence to Sweeney Todd here.

Warning: not for those uncomfortable with blood behaving like a T-1000 Terminator.

Thanks to Tracy for the tip.

Opening Credits of Burton's Sweeney Todd [Broadway World]

Oct 4 2007 'Sweeney Todd' Trailer Shows It's Tim Burton-iest Ever

I'm not necessarily saying this negatively, but from the looks of this trailer, Sweeney Todd might be the most Tim Burtoniest Tim Burton movie ever made by Tim Burton. Johnny Depp? Check. Helena Bonham Carter? Check. Creepy 19th century production design? Check. A color palette consisting entirely of black, white, and blood red? Check (save for Sacha Baron Cohen's lurid ringmaster Waluigi getup). I'm just worried this is Tim Burton's way of saying, "I'm dying, so let me get this all out of my system."

UPDATE: I just realized Danny Elfman is not present, so we can probably rest assured Burton isn't dying.

Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street Trailer [Yahoo!]

Oct 1 2007 Some Other Crap That Happened...

- Remember the talk of HBO making a couple Deadwood made-for-TV movies? That was just to subside your sorrow until the next season of Curb Your Enthusiasm gave you something else to tell your friends they were missing by not paying $90 a month for premium cable. They aren't happening. [Cinematical]

- The man hired to direct the Wolverine movie spoke out to pretend there were reasons other than money that inspired him to direct a Wolverine movie. Really, though, it's just the money. [IESB]

- Someone is making an animated Noah's Ark picture told from the point-of-view of--get this--the animals! Combining the comedy genius of both Evan Almighty and Madagascar will surely equal something at least as bad as one of them.

- Morgan Freeman and Antonio Banderas are teaming up in The Code, in which the former will play a veteran thief pulling one final job with a younger thief with a thick, sexy accent and his own line of scents. [Variety]

- Jessica Simpson's latest bimbo-defining role in Blonde Ambition was already headed to the world of straight-to-DVD, but now it's creating a new form of public shaming/release deemed "straight-to-QVC" (which is exactly what it sounds like), where it will be purchased as stocking stuffers by as many as hundreds of grandmas. [Faded Youth]