Tim Burton Quotes

Powerful Tim Burton for Daily Growth

About Tim Burton

Timothy Walter Burton, born on August 25, 1958, in Burbank, California, is an acclaimed American filmmaker, artist, writer, and producer, renowned for his distinctly dark, gothic, and whimsical storytelling style. Raised by conservative parents who worked for The Burbank Studios, Burton developed a love for films from a young age, often escaping reality by immersing himself in the world of cinema. His fascination with horror and science fiction was further nurtured through his encounters with books like Mary Shelley's "Frankenstein" and Edward Gorey's morbidly humorous illustrations. After dropping out of high school, Burton attended California Institute of the Arts but dropped out again before graduating. His big break came in 1982 when he created animated short films for Disney, including "Vincent" and "Frankenweenie." Despite their success, these shorts led to a falling-out with Disney due to creative differences. Burton made his live-action feature film debut with "Pee-wee's Big Adventure" in 1985, followed by the dark fantasy romantic drama "Beetlejuice" (1988) and the blockbuster "Edward Scissorhands" (1990). His subsequent works include "The Nightmare Before Christmas" (1993), "Sleepy Hollow" (1999), "Big Fish" (2003), and "Corpse Bride" (2005). In the 21st century, Burton directed blockbusters like "Charlie and the Chocolate Factory" (2005) and "Alice in Wonderland" (2010), as well as films based on DC Comics characters such as "Batman Returns" (1992) and "Dark Shadows" (2012). Throughout his career, Burton has been recognized with numerous awards, including three Academy Award nominations for Best Animated Feature Film for "The Nightmare Before Christmas," "Corpse Bride," and "Frankenweenie." His unique vision and storytelling continue to captivate audiences worldwide.

Interpretations of Popular Quotes

"I am irreverent, but I am also very sincere and serious in my own way."

Tim Burton expresses a duality in his nature through this statement. He acknowledges being unconventional (irreverent) in his artistic approach, yet he maintains a deep sincerity and seriousness in his creative pursuits, demonstrating his unique perspective and originality.


"I think a lot about where I don't belong, which is probably why I keep creating worlds of my own."

This quote suggests that Tim Burton, being an individual who feels out of place in conventional settings, finds solace and expression in the creation of unique, fantastical worlds. He constructs these alternate realities as a means to escape feelings of non-belonging, demonstrating how artistic creativity can serve as a powerful coping mechanism for personal discomfort or alienation.


"I make films for people who, like me, are afraid to go out into the real world."

Tim Burton's statement suggests that his films resonate with individuals who feel uncomfortable or anxious about navigating the complexities of reality. By creating fantastical worlds filled with quirky characters and surreal settings, Burton provides an escape for those seeking solace from the ordinary, offering a platform for exploration and self-discovery in a safe and imaginative environment.


"I don't like things that are perfect because perfection suggests something is finished and complete and there's nothing left to do."

This quote by Tim Burton expresses a preference for imperfection, suggesting that it allows for continuous growth and development. Perfection, in his view, implies finality, implying no further room for exploration or improvement. In other words, embracing imperfection encourages an ongoing creative process.


"Often people attempt to focus on individual trees that they lose sight of the forest. That is my problem."

Tim Burton's quote emphasizes a common pitfall in human thought, where an over-focus on details or specific instances can lead one to overlook the broader context or picture (the "forest"). It encourages us to maintain perspective and keep sight of the bigger picture while dealing with individual aspects, thus making more informed decisions.


I've often been accused of, 'Oh the movies looked good but there's no story,' but I disagree with that in theory, and '9' is a perfect example for me because the feel, the texture, and the look of that world, and those characters, is the story. That's a major component of why you feel the way you do when you're watching it.

- Tim Burton

Perfect, Feel, Been, Perfect Example

It was a weird reaction to 'Batman Returns,' because half the people thought it was lighter than the first one, and half the people thought it was darker. I think the studio just thought it was too weird - they wanted to go with something more child- or family-friendly. In other words, they didn't want me to do another one.

- Tim Burton

Other, I Think, Studio, Lighter

Jack Nicholson is a textbook actor who's very intuitive. He is absolutely brilliant at going as far as you can go, always pushing to the edge, but still making it seem real.

- Tim Burton

Always, Very, Textbook, Nicholson

People told me I couldn't kill Nicholson, so I cast him in two roles and killed him off twice.

- Tim Burton

People, Him, Roles, Nicholson

I never saw Frankenstein or King Kong or the Creature from the Black Lagoon as bad guys. They were the good guys.

- Tim Burton

King, Bad, Good Guys, Frankenstein

There's something about seeing this little inanimate object coming to life that's just very exciting. That's why with 'Nightmare' I held out for so long to do it.

- Tim Burton

Very, About, Held, Inanimate

People say I am stuck in childhood, but it's not that. I remember seeing a Matisse retrospective, and you could see he started out one way, and then he tried something different, and then he seemed to spend his whole life trying to get back to the first thing.

- Tim Burton

I Remember, Back, Whole, Retrospective

It's hard to find logic in things sometimes. That's why I can't analyze things too much, because it often doesn't make much sense.

- Tim Burton

Sometimes, Why, Often, Analyze

When I went to Warner Bros., there was a woman named Bonnie Lee who was an executive who helped me to get to 'Pee-wee's Big Adventure.'

- Tim Burton

Woman, Big, Named, Warner Bros

I've always been misrepresented. You know, I could dress in a clown costume and laugh with the happy people but they'd still say I'm a dark personality.

- Tim Burton

Dress, Always, Been, Misrepresented

I get so tired of people saying, 'Oh, you only make fantasy films and this and that', and I'm like, 'Well no, fantasy is reality', that's what Lewis Carroll showed in his work.

- Tim Burton

Fantasy, Like, Films, Lewis

I don't know what it was, maybe the movie theaters in my immediate surrounding neighbourhood in Burbank, but I never saw what would be considered A movies.

- Tim Burton

Movie, Maybe, Surrounding, Neighbourhood

Working on 'Nightmare Before Christmas,' I had endless arguments, like the studio saying, 'You can't have a main character that's got no eyeballs!' 'How is anybody going to feel for somebody with just eyesockets?' You know? So, it's those kind of things that really wear you down.

- Tim Burton

Studio, Before, Anybody, Main Character

Visions are worth fighting for. Why spend your life making someone else's dreams?

- Tim Burton

Someone, Making, Else, Visions

I've found that the people who play villains are the nicest people in the world, and people who play heroes are jerks. It's like people who play villains work out all their problems on screen, and then they're just really wonderful people.

- Tim Burton

Play, Screen, Villains, Jerks

I have a problem when people say something's real or not real, or normal or abnormal. The meaning of those words for me is very personal and subjective. I've always been confused and never had a clearcut understanding of the meaning of those kinds of words.

- Tim Burton

Been, Very, Had, Meaning Of

A lot of things you see as a child remain with you... you spend a lot of your life trying to recapture the experience.

- Tim Burton

See, Lot, Remain, Recapture

I guess I feel so tortured most of the time, when I see someone else feeling tortured, I get a little perverse glee out of it.

- Tim Burton

Feel, I See, Tortured, Glee

Anybody who knows me knows I would never read a comic book. And I certainly would never read anything written by Kevin Smith.

- Tim Burton

Certainly, Read, Smith, Comic Book

Anybody who knows me knows I would never read a comic book.

- Tim Burton

Never, Read, Would, Comic Book

It's people who you've seen that have given you a lot. In some ways, I felt they helped me psychologically because you see these people up on the screen going through torment and being on the outside, and somehow you relate to them, and it helps you get through life. It's a real honour and pleasure to then meet these people.

- Tim Burton

Through, Some, Torment, Psychologically

Danny Elfman, the composer, tells me the only time he thinks I'm happy is when I'm on the scoring stage, and I see the pressure's on him and it's a little off me.

- Tim Burton

Happy, Composer, Scoring, Only Time

I've always been more comfortable making my decisions from the subconscious level, or more emotionally, because I find it is more truthful to me; Intellectually, I don't think like that because I get uncomfortable.

- Tim Burton

Think, Always, Been, Truthful

In Hollywood, they think drawn animation doesn't work anymore, computers are the way. They forget that the reason computers are the way is that Pixar makes good movies. So everybody tries to copy Pixar. They're relying too much on the technology and not enough on the artists.

- Tim Burton

Reason, Everybody, Tries, Animation

I think of Ray Harryhausen's work - I knew his name before I knew any actor or director's names. His films had an impact on me very early on, probably even more than Disney. I think that's what made me interested in animation: His work.

- Tim Burton

I Think, Before, Very, Animation

I started to do stop-motion when I was a kid. You take a Super 8 and make some models, and move, click, move, click. All that. I love all forms of animation, but there is something unique and special to stop-motion: it's more real and the set is lit like a set. But I think it's also a kind of lonely and dark thing to want to do.

- Tim Burton

Love, Some, I Think, Animation

There's something quite exciting when you have a history with somebody and you see them do new and different things.

- Tim Burton

History, New, Them, Different Things

I never really got nightmares from movies. In fact, I recall my father saying when I was three years old that I would be scared, but I never was.

- Tim Burton

Father, Fact, Old, Scared

When people are deprived of a sense, their other senses get heightened. If you're culturally devoid of something - of weather, of artistry, of interesting architecture, all the way down the line to culture itself - you're either forced to give in and get that car dealership, or you manufacture those things for yourself.

- Tim Burton

Other, Senses, Artistry, Deprived

You don't know whether chimps are going to kill you or kiss you. They're very open on some levels and much more evil in a certain way.

- Tim Burton

Some, Certain Way, Very, Levels

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