When you think of artists Tim Burton or Ray Harryhausen, you’re instantly reminded of some of the most classic and eccentric horror/fantasy films that were ever created. Although both Burton and Harryhausen cater to different audiences and generations with their films, one thing is for certain. The films of these visionaries will continue to be admired for years to come because of their daringness and innovation.
Take a trip down memory lane with this roundup of some of the most classic Burton and Harryhausen films.
Beetlejuice
This Burton-directed fantasy comedy horror 1988 film revolves around a recently deceased young couple played by Alec Baldwin and Geena Davis who become ghosts who haunt their former idyllic Connecticut country home. The two ghouls are joined by an often obnoxious and devious poltergeist named Betelgeuse (pronounced Beetlejuice), who was portrayed by Michael Keaton from the Netherworld, who tries to scare away the new inhabitants permanently. The film spawned an animated television series, video games and a musical as well.
Jason and the Argonauts
Jason and the Argonauts was a 1963 Anglo-American independently made fantasy film that was based on Greek mythology that is most notably known for its iconic fight scene that featured seven skeleton warriors. The film starred Todd Armstrong as the eponymous hero Jason, along with Nancy Kovack, Honor Blackman and Gary Raymond. Shot in Eastman Color, the film was made in collaboration with stop-motion animation master Harryhausen, who claimed that Jason and the Argonauts was one of the best films he ever created.
Edward Scissorhands
This 1990 American romantic dark fantasy film was directed and produced by Burton. In Edward Scissorhands, Johnny Depp plays an artificial man named Edward, an unfinished creation who has scissor blades instead of hands. Edward is taken in by a suburban family where he falls in love with their teenage daughter Kim, who was played by Winona Ryder. The idea of Edward Scissorhands came from a drawing that Burton did when he was a teenager reflecting his feelings of isolation and being unable to communicate with people around him.
20 Million Miles to Earth
20 Million Miles to Earth was a 1957 American black and white science fiction monster film that was directed by Nathan H. Juran and was developed to showcase the stop-motion animation of Harryhausen. The film tells the story of a manned space flight from Venus, which crash lands in the Mediterranean, losing its most precious cargo, reptilian eggs, from the planet’s surface. They come into the possession of an Italian zoologist who watches as one hatches to reveal a rapidly-growing monster. His American granddaughter, Marisa, and returned astronaut, Calder, must battle with the American and Italian military to corral the creature before it destroys everything in its path.
The Nightmare Before Christmas
The Nightmare Before Christmas is a 1993 American stop-motion animated musical dark fantasy Halloween-Christmas film that was produced and conceived by Burton. It tells the story of Jack Skellington, the King of Halloween Town, who stumbles through a portal to Christmas Town and decides to celebrate the holiday. The film originated in a poem written by Burton in 1982 while he was working as an animator at Walt Disney Feature Animation. The film was met with both critical and financial success, grossing over $76 million during its initial run.
