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Summary: Behold the fruit of pensive nights and laborious days...
Review: Richard D. Altick wrote, in The Scholar Adventurers: ''If it is permissable sometimes to reconstruct biography on the basis of the known proclivities of one's hero...'' This comment was used as a forward to Sherlock Holmes of Baker Street,a book in which William S. Baring-Gould writes a biography of Sherlock Holmes based on all the facts revealed about him in the Canon, and because Baring-Gould is an excellent writer, the book is a fun and amusing read.The same holds true for this biography of the almost-as enigmatic director, Tim Burton. He rarely gives interviews (in which he says anything of substance, anyway) and guards his private life. To write a biography of such a subject requires a love of that subject (a love of that subject's works, at least), ingenuity, and dedication, and such has been provided here by Ken Hanke. His writing flows smoothly, and more importantly than anything else, his book causes one to think - to compare their reactions to a particular film to Hanke's own. If you are a fan of Burton, this book is highly recommened.
Rating: 
Summary: Terrific Book!
Review: The author has done a perfectly splendid job here of capturing both the essence of Burton's movies and the man behind the mask that is Tim Burton. Here is the first non-fannish, intelligent, and even intellectual approach to Burton's work. The author's insights are keen and precise and, thankfully, not colored by any sense of hero-worship. The films are examined and not just mindlessly praised, which is much the same approach taken with the director himself, who emerges as a far more interesting man than the version of himself Burton presents to the public. If only the publishers would see fit to allow an updating of this book to include SLEEPY HOLLOW...
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Summary: Ultimate Tim Burton Thesis Paper
Review: Think in-depth thesis paper plus Tim Burton; and what you get is a pretty entertaining read. Although it's a disappointment that the writing is unauthorized, and the facts uncertain (if not theoretical), this books still does justice on Tim Burton the man. (Hey, with an introvert like Mr. Burton, it's pretty hard to uncover the genuine article.) I especially liked the insights on "Ed Wood" and "Edward Scissorhands." This a must for all budding and die-hard Burtonians.
Rating: 
Summary: Mostly Needless Info
Review: This biography does contains some cool information, but not enough to carry this 245 page book. Any Burton fan should know this much about him. Hanke gives too many decriptions of the films, and goes one step at a time rounding the movies together. The true book to own is Burton on Burton.
Rating:
Summary: Mostly Needless Info
Review: This biography does contains some cool information, but not enough to carry this 245 page book. Any Burton fan should know this much about him. Hanke gives too many decriptions of the films, and goes one step at a time rounding the movies together. The true book to own is Burton on Burton.
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Summary: Respectful, Passionate, Insightful!
Review: This great book got me through a two day bus ride!It's filled with so much information and insight that I ended up wanting to watch ALL the movies again. There are so many fine things in this book that it's hard to know where to begin, but the author's take on the ED WOOD finale--with Burton creating a grand premiere for the cast of PLAN 9--is a special view of a scene that is one of the great moments in cinema history. I think my favorite bit in the book is an anecdote about the BATMAN RETURNS production, where one of the mimes hired for the circus troupe is passing Burton's office door and happens to see him sitting inside at his desk--seemingly overwhelmed by the enormity of the undertaken and the responsibility of an artist in such a business-like position. The book is well-researched, meticulously detailed (which I love in film biographies like this) and insightful. The author's respect for Burton and his passion for the films is very evident. If I was Burton, I'd be flattered.
Rating:
Summary: a great read
Review: This is a wonderful biography. Even though, I would personally liked to have learned more about Burton as a person, Ken Hanke does his best to paint a detailed picture of the film-maker. This is a definite must-read book for those interested in film-making and movie directors. It explains how Burton puts his own unique psychology and personal auto-biographical elements in every single one of his films. Surprisingly, Burton also does a lot of this in "Batman Returns" and "Ed Wood." **** And not only that, but this would be a magnificent read for people who really don't care about film-making because it shows how a person's creative streak can make an intriuging public figure and at the same time how it can separate him from his family and best friends. Ken Hanke's biography "Tim Burton" paints the picture of the man as a true human being, detailing his personal mistakes as well as his public triumphs.
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Summary: A Tim Burton Fan Loves It!
Review: This is THE book I've been waiting for ever since I saw EDWARD SCISSORHANDS! But I never thought I would get it. A book that covered Burton's life and all his films with close attention to detail, analysis, and production background would have been enough cause for celebration. But this book gives the reader even more, since author Ken Hanke (whose other works I now intend on seeking out) manages to illustrate how Burton's own life and feelings are reflected by what he has put on the screen. That seems to be something that bothers some people, which I find odd, since these same people accept Burton as among the most personal of filmmakers, but have a problem when someone actually connects the man and his art. If Burton's films are not extremely personal and do not reflect the filmmaker, then what are they? Nothing but flashy, visually striking exercises in empty moviemaking. Whatever the book's detractors' problem is, for me this was a revelation of the real genius of Tim Burton--a master filmmaker, who has managed to make his own concerns, interests, and obsessions accessible to the world at large. Before I read the book, I loved Tim Burton's movies. After reading the book, I not only loved the films, I had a new and huge respect for the filmmaker. I cannot possibly recommend this book highly enough. It is just plain indispensable. I'll be reading it again and again. Thank you, Ken Hanke!
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Summary: An Inspiration for Artists of All Types
Review: This wonderful book actually made me stop worrying about what other people said about my own efforts, since the story of Tim Burton and his films and the author's analysis of those films made me really understand that as soon as you try to create anything, a great deal of the world is going to attack you for daring to try--almost like you've insulted them in the process by thinking you're "superior" to them. (Judging by some of the reviews posted here, it looks like some of the book's readers are similarly threatened by the author's accomplishment!!) What is especially striking about the book, to me, beyond this is the way it manages to intermingle aspects of Burton's life with his movies in a manner that makes the films--and some of Burton's wilder ideas--suddenly make more sense and seem far more human than heretofore. This is a rare book--it gives the reader the essence of the artist and not just a series of meaningless facts, while providing the most insightful readings of his work I have ever encountered, and a large amount of background on how those works came into being. I was especially impressed with the readings the author gave to the much misunderstood BATMAN RETURNS and the less than blockbuster ED WOOD. The book almost made me like MARS ATTACKS!--almost.
Rating: 
Summary: No Magic Here
Review: Tim Burton is one of the most imaginative and creative of all film makers. Each of his productions have a specail magic. But this book by Kent Hanke captures none of this magic. It is a profound disappointment for any fan of these films, just a dry recounting and repetition of stories that have been better reported elsewhere.
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