-Rant-
What is the deal with directors no longer looking outside of what I call the ‘directing box’? Marie Antoinette, the newest film by Sofia Coppola, stars Kristen Dunst as the “let them eat cake” teenage queen. As some of you know, Coppola hit the spotlight when she wrote, directed, and producedThe Virgin Suicides, which stared Dunst. Then there is also Tim Burton, director of many films including Ed Wood, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, Corpse Bride, Sleepy Hollow, Edward Scissorhands, and so on. For anyone really up to speed here, they have noticed that all of these films star Johnny Depp. Now I have a a very strong love for Mr. Burton (say what you will, I don’t mind) and Mr. Depp, but sometimes enough is enough. I say this mainly because of the pre-production work that is being done on the 2007 release of Sweeney Todd. I think that Burton will do some really amazing things while transforming this musical into a film, but Johnny Depp should not play Sweeney. I am not even that big of a musical fan and I know that he should stay far away from the role of Sweeney. Directors – we understand that it is very advantageous for you to work with what works best. If using the same actors over and over…and over…are what you feel you must do to fully release your vision into the world, then so be it. Just don’t be upset when we wait to rent your movies.
*note* – I will go watch Marie Antoinette just because it looks pretty amazing (I’m a sucker for period pieces). I will also watch Sweeney Todd because I will watch just about anything Tim Burton has a hand in. It doesn’t mean I will ever agree with their casting decisions…or lack there of.
-Rave-
Now that I have slightly placed Tim Burton into a anti-creative light, I must say how excited I am about the release of The Nightmare Before Christmas 3-D. Burton decided to release Nightmare in 3-D form because he wanted people to “just see it the way it was meant to be – completely dimensional.” Burton also said that he thinks seeing the film in this form will make it “weirdly better.” Now, even though I just ranted about how he doesn’t look to far outside of the directing box, I will say that his friendship with composer Danny Elfman has allowed for some really fantastic musical scores. I would say they are one of the best professional combinations in Hollywood today.
-hearts and whatnottery-
Tim Burton should be shot for what he did to Batman.
ouch. I knew you felt strongly about it, but do you actually think Joel Schumacher did much better with ‘Batman Forever’ and ‘Batman & Robin’?
I think we can all agree on one thing…at least Johnny Depp never played Batman!
I think they are equally disrespectful. But atleast Joel can fall back on the campy tv show as an excuse. There is no excuse for the god awful casting and horribly inacurate characterizations that Burton put on the screen.
[...] Speaking of classics, George Romero’s Night of the Living Dead will soon be remade and released in 3D. I really liked what they did with the 2004 version of Dawn of the Dead so I am keeping my hopes up for, “Both an homage to and a re-imagining of the original 1968 film, this update follows a group of survivors trapped in a farmhouse battling a siege of undead zombies….in 3D!” Hopefully those hopes will not be shattered. I couldn’t handle the disappointment. I do not know what has brought on this fascinating rebirth of 3D movies, but I’m really not going to complain. First Nightmare Before Christmas (see The Directing Box…) and now Night of the Living Dead – it’s like they are reading my mind. There are so many films I would like to see done in 3D. I should make a list. A girl could get use to this. [...]
I’d have to say that I didn’t like the new Charlie and the Chocolate Factory movie much at all. The old one was way better.