How are we feeling about Tim Burton after FRANKENWEENIE and DARK SHADOWS? Personally, I grew up with the guy. His films sort of shaped my life, and therefore have a special place in my heart. While I may not love everything he’s done, I do look forward to potential projects that might be on his plate.
Burton has signed on to direct the long gestating project, BIG EYES which is scripted by Scott Alexander and Larry Karaszewski (ED WOOD, THE PEOPLE VS. LARRY FLYNT). Now let’s top that off by casting Amy Adams and Christoph Waltz in the leading roles. Yes, yes, this does indeed sound quite promising.
The story here is actually a true one, which will focus on Adams and Waltz as, “Margaret and Walter Keane, whose paintings of large eyed children became one of the first mass marketed art sensations in the 50s and 60s. Those prints sold in gas stations and every five and dime store across the country. While Walter was the marketing genius, he also took the bows for doing the brush work. He was a full fledged celebrity, a regular on the TV talk show circuit. His shy wife was the actual artist in the family. When they split and she tried to get her due, he painted her as being eccentric, and they ended up in court. There, a judge finally provided them with two easels and ordered them to prove it. Walter’s art reputation went down on the canvas when he begged off because of what he said was pain in his arm. She whipped up one of her trademark big-eyed works. I’ve included one of Margaret’s paintings below.
It seems that the stars have aligned with this one. Let’s hope it all works out.