Is Tim Burton Losing His Touch?
You’ve probably heard the news. Tim Burton’s latest movie (the live-action version of Dumbo) is not very good.
Tim Burton’s re-imagining of the classic novel failed to impress the critics, who called it a lackluster, flat and boring piece of film. There are some familiar faces in Dumbo, as the cast is composed of Michael Keaton, Denny DeVitto, Eva Green. Colin Farrel and Alan Arkin are also in the cast and so is the newcomer Nico Parker, Thandie Newton, and Ol Parker’s 14-year old daughter.
Correct me if I’m wrong, but Tim Burton hasn’t had a decent movie in quite some time. His last decent (and by all standards decent) movie was Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street, but if you ask me that title goes a little bit earlier with the 2005 stop-animated classic Corpse Bride.
Long are the days in which you could expect Tim Burton to deliver the visually pleasing, interesting, engaging and original movie. Witch only begs the question. Has he been losing his touch? Look, I know that his usual roster of actors (Johnny Depp, Helena Bonham Carter, Lisa Marie being most famous) is either absent of his creative flow, or he’s not on speaking teams with most of them. But, that’s only part of the problem. The sad fact is that he’s no longer making his usual quirky, aloof movies, that he’s been known for, and the originality is lacking as well.
He’s basically suffering from Kevin Smith style of burnout. He’s repeating himself, he’s sloppy, unmotivated and he’s not too shy about it. Basically, he’s looking out of touch, and the only reason studios are forking out budget money for him is because he’s Tim Burton. He’s using his former glory days to stay relevant, and the time is ticking for that.
I hate the use the term has-been but Burton is quickly transforming into that. He’s not the director that we all loved and respected. The director that I patiently waited for his movies to be released and I knew that he would deliver good quality stuff.
I will go and see Dumbo (mostly because I love the 1941 Disney version), and because I have a film blog. I need something to write about. But, just 2 decades prior, a Tim Burton movie would put shills in my spine and the anticipation for the premiere would be literally too hard to bear. That’s the out of touch effect that his work had on me in the past 20 years.
I’ve felt Tim Burton has either lost his touch or just doesn’t feel it anymore. It has been a long time since I’ve enjoyed a Tim Burton movie. The latest movies have lost that Burton feel to it. I miss that dark like look to them and the odd but awesome characters he comes up with. I wish he would go back to the way he was. I can only hope one day he will make a movie that will wow me again.
Thank you 🙂 and thank goodness…. I’m not alone in this feeling….