Tim Burton: An Unauthorized Biography of the Filmmaker

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...

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!

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.