Tim Burton, the visionary director known for his dark and quirky style shared a fascinating relationship with Disney, a collaboration that has brought magic and darkness together on the silver screen. At Walt Disney Productions in the early 1980s, Burton worked as an animator and concept artist where he contributed to films like The Fox and the Hound (1981) and The Black Cauldron (1985). But it was his 1984 short film Frankenweenie that led him to lose his job at Disney.
Burton worked for the company from 1981 to 1984, when he was fired by Disney after making the short movie Frankenweenie, which the studio claimed was too scary for children. Recently Burton spoke out about his troubled relationship with the studio.
Filmmaker Tim Burton On His Relationship with Disney
Tim Burton discussed his turbulent relationship with Disney in an interview with the Independent. He did acknowledge that he ought to have recognized the warning flags sooner.
During his interview, Burton said:
“I should have known early on that I had a troubled relationship with Disney. That should have been the first sign. I guess it’s like Burbank, only worse… it’s like a family. I can look back and recognize the many, many positives of working there, and all the opportunities I’ve had. I can acknowledge each and every one of those very deeply, and very positively. Equally, on the other side, I can identify the negative, soul-destroying side. As in life, it’s a mixed bag.”
Also, Burton went on to say that he would probably not return to the studio as a director.
Some of Tim Burton’s Projects with Disney
Disney and Tim Burton have worked together on multiple occasions. The collaboration has produced some incredible works throughout the years, including the $1 billion-grossing Alice in Wonderland movie from 2010, which starred Johnny Depp.
In 2012, Burton’s dog-based Frankenstein adaptation finally found a home at Disney with the same name. The 1993 movie The Nightmare Before Christmas was one of its most acclaimed movies by Burton.
However, last year, Burton told Deadline that he was done with making films for Disney. “I realized that I was Dumbo,” he told Deadline. “I was working in this horrible big circus and I needed to escape. That movie is quite autobiographical at a certain level.”
Anyway, they had differences. But the union between the two has resulted in some of the most captivating and memorable movies of the last few decades.
Source: Independent
