An Affair to Remember: Tim Burton and Johnny Depp

With the release of Dark Shadows a few weeks away I believe it is time to reflect upon perhaps the greatest actor/director team in the history of film: Tim Burton and Johnny Depp. As a team that has worked together for over twenty years it is easy to see why they make such a good pair. Johnny Depp is arguably one of the best character actors of his generation, and Burton creates the perfect roles for him to constantly develop and push his limits as an actor. In honor of a relationship that I hope will continue on for twenty more years, let’s take a look at some of my favorite Burton/Depp projects:

Edward Scissorhands

Edward Scissorhands marks the first collaboration between Depp and Burton, and it is arguably one of their greatest creations. Only Burton could come up with the idea of a Frankenstein like plot about an artificial man with scissors as hands, and make it a story that speaks to generations. Above all, it is a story about self-discovery, and Burton managed to create a story, that albeit weird, was relatable at the same time. Then of course there’s Johnny Depp, in one of his first roles outside of 21 Jump Street, it was the first time his skill as a character actor was put to the test, and he succeeded brilliantly. Although he barely had any dialogue in the movie he managed to perfectly portray all the emotions of a man ripped from isolation and brought into the strange world of suburban America.

Sleepy Hallow

Sleepy Hallow is probably my favorite collaboration between Depp and Burton, and I might be slightly biased because I love the legend of Sleepy Hallow and make a trip to the town each Halloween. However, despite that fact, Sleepy Hallow is still one of the best adaptations from children’s tale to adult thriller. Depp took the awkwardness of Ichabod Crane to new levels, and Burton managed to extend the legend into a frightening and mysterious piece of work that made me want to find the Headless Horseman even more than before.

Alice in Wonderland

Who else would Burton get to play the Mad Hatter? That role always belonged to Depp as the master of accents and moods. As the Mad Hatter, Depp could go from light and happy to a dark and dangerous character whose moves were impossible to plot. He played the role brilliantly, aside from an odd stint with a dance called the ‘futterwaken’, which left me feeling a bit off. Of course, Burton created an incredible world in this movie, the visuals were brilliant and really brought Wonderland to life.

What is your favorite Depp/Burton collaboration? Will you be seeing Dark Shadows when it hits theaters?

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