Comments on: Open Forum Friday: Do You Like It When Directors Use The Same Cast In Every Movie?

By: Primal

Primal — Tue, 02 Oct 2007 22:29:29 +0000

I have no problem with Wes Anderson working with the same actors. I don’t like when you guys call it lazy when directors work with the same actors. Often times when I do see the same actor working with the same director, they do well and sold me in that role that I can’t imagine anyone else doing any better. I think the positives definitely outweigh any negatives you can find when you see talented directors work with the same talented actors.

All the actor-director team-ups mentioned are ones I really do like. Another team-up that comes to mind is now Mortensen/Cronenberg. Whatever movie they make together, I am going to see it no matter what.

As for Burton, I love his films. His best collaboration with Depp is Ed Wood, no doubt for me. Batman and Beetlejuice are my favorite though. So I actually prefer Burton-Keaton much more.

By: TheSnowLeopard

TheSnowLeopard — Tue, 02 Oct 2007 02:27:24 +0000

Depp is just coasting while he remains Burton’s muse. I haven’t seen all his performances, but I’ve yet to see one that really made me take notice and go ‘Wow!’ I’d say Donnie Brasco was his best characterisation – a decent dramatic performance.

Ed Wood is Burton’s best work.

By: Henrik

Henrik — Tue, 02 Oct 2007 02:23:20 +0000

I assume when you say ham it up, you mean he’s over-the-top? If that’s the case, I definitely feel the same way at times, watching him play Jack Sparrow gives me a headache, but in From Hell he’s alot more underplayed.

And yeah, Tim Burton definitely has earned the ‘position’ he’s in. Problem is he’s at that 2nd-tier of movie knowledge, behind the Steven Spielberg-tier, and a pretty easy target for people looking for one. But like Sean said… Batman, Batman Returns, Mars Attacks, Sleepy Hollow, Edward Scissorhands (and you might even include Nightmare before christmas as well)… Can’t beat that.

By: Henrik

Henrik — Tue, 02 Oct 2007 02:14:21 +0000

From Hell is really good, as long as you can watch without holding it up against the comic book. It’s a straight-up detective story.

I guess Scissorhands is alot of miming, I wouldn’t quite say it’s Mr Bean, but I can see the point. There’s no question that it’s an ‘acting’-part and that there is alot of acting going on, but I definitely think he did a good job, especially in the more humorous aspects of it.

By: Sean

Sean — Tue, 02 Oct 2007 02:09:29 +0000

You guys are crazy. Tim Burton overrated? Planet of the Apes aside, I think he’s got a pretty solid filmography. He’s not as cutting edge as he used to be, but Beetlejuice, Batman and Peewee’s Big Adventure are classics. Heck I even like Mars Attacks.

Johnny Depp I’m neither here nor there about.

By: Goon

Goon — Tue, 02 Oct 2007 01:07:16 +0000

I really didnt mind him so much in Sleepy Hollow. While I didnt consider that a great movie in any regard, I dont think it outright sucked either. Im just ‘meh’ about it in the way that makes me think I’ll end up seeing it again one day.

Edward Scissorhands for the most part is almost a Mr Bean semi-mime role. He’s good at it, he HAS to ham it up to make a generally silent character more emotive.

Havent seen From Hell. just doesnt grab me.

By: Henrik

Henrik — Mon, 01 Oct 2007 23:42:32 +0000

Well I think the strongest performances from Johnny Depp, of the movies I have seen, are:

3. From Hell
2. Edward Scissorhands
1. Sleepy Hollow

I’m curious if you see impressions in any of those? Allthough I guess his Ichabod Crane is really an impression of Jamie Lee Curtis in Halloween.

By: Goon

Goon — Mon, 01 Oct 2007 22:49:27 +0000

Leopard – it feels with so many of Depps movies that he’s doing an impression of someone else. we all know the Keith Richard impression as Jack Sparrow, he was channeling Michael Jackson in Charlie, and being Jon Lovitz in Ed Wood more than acting like Wood himself. Now doing impressions can be good sometimes, but with Depp I find them too obvious and that they take me out of the character. (even though I liked the Ed Wood performance)

By: mike

mike — Mon, 01 Oct 2007 18:49:53 +0000

I just want to add that I also think that Burton is ove . Charlie and chocolate was really bad and I think Big Fish was also not really as good as people say Tim Burton is.

By: TheSnowLeopard

TheSnowLeopard — Mon, 01 Oct 2007 03:32:22 +0000

I agree with Goon: Depp’s performance in Charlie And the Chocolate Factory is embarrasingly bad.

I think Burton is way over-rated.

By: Goon

Goon — Sun, 30 Sep 2007 19:47:25 +0000

…not only that, his films pretty much MADE half a dozen acting careers.

By: Jay C.

Jay C. — Sun, 30 Sep 2007 16:34:51 +0000

Henrik:

Tim Burton has made almost three times the amount of films Anderson has, so let’s not get ahead of ourselves here. Many would argue that he’s gotten some amazing performances out of Bill Murray, Gene Hackman, Luke Wilson, Jason Schwartzman and so on.