Talk about your mixed emotions. Love Johnny Depp; disturbed that he looks like the lead in Powder in this poster. Love Tim Burton; afraid of what he'll do to my beloved book.
This looks like it will be a darker version than Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory; and I bet it will have no singing. Whatsoever. Fear.
Darker? The original is pretty dark, and the book is creepier.
Besides, both Tim Burton and Johnny Depp have gone on record as saying they love the original and want to make something just as good. That makes me feel better, knowing those two's records.
No, the joy of the original is that it was subversively dark; in other words, bright imagery (and the movie with overbright colors) that can be enjoyed without actually understanding its subversive nature.
Burton isn't known for being subversive. He's blatantly dark.
> No, the joy of the original is that it was subversively dark; in other words, bright > imagery (and the movie with overbright colors) that can be enjoyed without actually > understanding its subversive nature.
Like a kid watching Mars Attacks, or Edward Scissorhands, or Big Fish?
> Burton isn't known for being subversive. He's blatantly dark.
(...until about five minutes before the end of the movie, when the problems are solved, the unusual fits into its neat little pigeon-hole, and all goth types either go back to their holes or start wearing plaid. Okay, I admit it--I hated Lydia's makeover. Sore point. Sorry.)
On a less bitter note, now that I've got he rant out of my system, I do think he's a great choice; he's very good at depicting the macabre/fantastic, and he manages to portray it with a sort of giddy delight that could really suit C&tCF (or pretty much any Dahl book I can think of except Boy or Danny), which is, as has been observed, fairly dark already.
(Mind you, I grew up reading Roald Dahl's books. It's hard to miss small children being eaten alive or parents getting shot. I am profoundly optimistic about a decent adaptation, here.)
Those, in my opinion, are all excellent movies. I am terribly biased though.
I think Burton's only involvement with James and the Giant Peach was as a producer. Henry Selick directed. It was still heavily Burtonized (guest appearance by Jack Skellington as a pirate), and Selick is one of Burton's regular co-conspirators.
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(no subject)
Date: 2004-11-09 07:10 am (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2004-11-09 07:14 am (UTC)WANT!
(no subject)
Date: 2004-11-09 07:38 am (UTC)This looks like it will be a darker version than Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory; and I bet it will have no singing. Whatsoever. Fear.
(no subject)
Date: 2004-11-09 07:50 am (UTC)Besides, both Tim Burton and Johnny Depp have gone on record as saying they love the original and want to make something just as good. That makes me feel better, knowing those two's records.
(no subject)
Date: 2004-11-09 08:02 am (UTC)Burton isn't known for being subversive. He's blatantly dark.
(no subject)
Date: 2004-11-09 08:10 am (UTC)#2: Two words: "Big Fish". Two more: "Mars Attacks". A few more than that: "James And The Giant Peach"
(no subject)
Date: 2004-11-09 08:45 am (UTC)(I get your point, though. Yes, they were both garish rather than dark.)
Burton
Date: 2004-11-09 08:45 am (UTC)> understanding its subversive nature.
Like a kid watching Mars Attacks, or Edward Scissorhands, or Big Fish?
> Burton isn't known for being subversive. He's blatantly dark.
(...until about five minutes before the end of the movie, when the problems are solved, the unusual fits into its neat little pigeon-hole, and all goth types either go back to their holes or start wearing plaid. Okay, I admit it--I hated Lydia's makeover. Sore point. Sorry.)
On a less bitter note, now that I've got he rant out of my system, I do think he's a great choice; he's very good at depicting the macabre/fantastic, and he manages to portray it with a sort of giddy delight that could really suit C&tCF (or pretty much any Dahl book I can think of except Boy or Danny), which is, as has been observed, fairly dark already.
(Mind you, I grew up reading Roald Dahl's books. It's hard to miss small children being eaten alive or parents getting shot. I am profoundly optimistic about a decent adaptation, here.)
(no subject)
Date: 2004-11-09 08:49 am (UTC)How strange. How sad.
(no subject)
Date: 2004-11-09 08:50 am (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2004-11-09 09:07 am (UTC)I think Burton's only involvement with James and the Giant Peach was as a producer. Henry Selick directed. It was still heavily Burtonized (guest appearance by Jack Skellington as a pirate), and Selick is one of Burton's regular co-conspirators.
Re: Burton
Date: 2004-11-09 09:33 am (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2004-11-09 09:33 am (UTC)*squee*
(no subject)
Date: 2004-11-09 07:36 pm (UTC)Not a better man for the job!!!!
(no subject)
Date: 2004-11-10 03:25 am (UTC)