Tim Burtonis a director and producer most known for his gothic, horror, and fantastical elements in each of his films and creative projects. He is a frequent collaborator with composerDanny Elfman, and the two create some fascinating horrific content likeThe Nightmare Before ChristmasandThe Corpse Bride
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With his involvement as a director and executive producer for the highly-anticipated horror-comedy,Wednesday, generating interest in Burton’s work, it’s the perfect time to look back at some of his most renowned masterpieces. His projects are definitely more popular during the Halloween season, but they are still perfect for a dark and spooky evening.
‘The Nightmare Before Christmas’ (1993)
The Nightmare Before Christmasis one of the most well-known and favored Christmas/Halloween movies of all time, and one of Burton’s top-rated projects.The Nightmare Before Christmasfollows Jack Skellington, the pumpkin king, as he seeks something new. So, he discovers Christmas—or rather, Christmastown.
He decides to kidnap Santa Claus and become Santa Claus himself, taking his own spin on the role. The movie is musical, whimsical, and so cleverly spooky. It’s a Christ-ween classic!
‘Edward Scissorhands’ (1990)
Edward Scissorhandshas become a cult classic for Burton. This gothic and supernatural tale follows an animated human being named Edward who has scissors for hands because of his creator’s premature death. Edward is discovered and adopted by a saleswoman named Peg, and he falls in love with her teenage daughter.
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However, he is an outcast due to his eccentric appearance and clear difference from the people in the town. Burton is somehow able to blend romance and horror into a perfect film.
‘Corpse Bride’ (2005)
Corpse Brideis another one of Burton’s iconic stop-motion animations. The movie follows a nervous man named Victor who is overthinking his arranged marriage. While taking a stroll through the forest to practice his vows, he is dragged to the land of the dead by the Corpse Bride—a murdered woman named Emily.
She is determined to marry the terrified Victor, and Victor must return to the land of the living before his love marries another.Corpse Brideis also musical and features Burton’s iconic style in terms of design, lighting, and characters.
‘Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street’ (2007)
This Burton film is a movie adaptation ofStephen Sondheim’s beloved horror musicalSweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street. The musical is based on an old English tale of a barber and serial killer who murders his customers and then processes their dead bodies into meat pies with his accomplice, a woman named Mrs. Lovett.
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Burton’s gothic and brutal designs work well with the themes presented in the musical, and the film is one of the best (and darkest) musical-to-screen adaptations thus far.
‘Dark Shadows’ (2012)
Dark Shadowsis one of Burton’s more underrated films. This dark, vampire-themed film starsJohnny Deppas a centuries-old vampire named Barnabus Collins who was transformed into a vampire and buried alive by a witch. Now over 100 years later, he escapes and finds his manor and town in a very different state than when he had originally left them.
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He also visits his relatives, now generations later, and uncovers some deep family secrets in the process. This film is one of Burton’s most comedic and has spooky themes that anyone can enjoy.
‘Frankenweenie’ (2012)
Frankenweenieis one of Burton’s more kid-friendly films with less of the gore and creeps, and more of the cute pets and heartwarming stories. The film follows a young Victor Frankenstein who struggles to make friends in school, and considers his dog Sparky to be his best friend.
When Sparky passes away, a heartbroken Victor decides to put his knowledge of science to the test and jolt Sparky back to life.Frankenweenieis a great family watch for anyone looking for a spooky night with the kids!
‘Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children’ (2016)
Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Childrenis based on the novel of the same name and follows a young boy named Jake, who discovers a magical school for children with special powers and abilities. However, a mysterious danger is creeping around the corner, and terrifying foes are hunting for the children.
Over the course of the movie, Jake discovers his own abilities and might just be able to save his new friends. Burton knocked this adaptation out of the park, and while this movie is surely an oddball, it is so worth the watch.
‘Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter’ (2012)
Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunteris one of the films that Burton produced. So, while he was not a director, he had a large creative and financial say in the film.Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunterfollows a young Abraham Lincoln who loses his mother to a vampire’s bite.
Full of rage, he seeks revenge by joining forces with a vampire hunter to continue to fight against the undead—even during his presidency. This fictional and grotesque take on history proves to be a very interesting plot for a film.
‘Sleepy Hollow’ (1999)
Sleepy Hollowis another of Burton’s films where he took his own spin on the classic tale of Ichabod Crane and the infamous Headless Horseman. The film follows a police constable name Ichabod Crane who was sent from New York City to the small village of Sleepy Hollow to investigate a series of murders.
Of course, the raging killer the Headless Horseman is on the loose.Sleepy Hollowmay be one of Burton’s more serious-toned films, and it still proves to be as spooky as it is gruesome.
‘Beetlejuice’ (1988)
The hit horror comedy filmBeetlejuicehas become a cultural phenomenon, with worldwide acclaim and even the creation of a Broadway musical for the film.
Burton’s classic gothic and whimsical elements are still present in this movie, which follows a recently deceased couple who (as ghosts haunting their home) contact Beetlejuice, a “bio-exorcist” from the Netherworld, to scare away the house’s new inhabitants. Burton’s success ranged far and wide, with the film even earning an Academy Award.
