My own view is that the filmmakers should respect the fans, but not in any sense simply obey or kowtow to them. The whole point of any artistic enterprise is for artists to bring their own personal meaning and decisions out. I recall that in the 1950s there was a shot-by-shot remake of the 1930s classic The Prisoner of Zenda. It, like the slavishly remade script of Psycho a few years ago, tanked. Quite rightly, too.
Look at LOTR. Far more popular than DS (c'mon, you know this is true) and when finally made into a lavish trilogy of motion pictures, some fans simply could not be satisfied while others adored the films. And everything in between!
While it might be nice--and possibly quite useful--for Depp's colleagues to visit places like this, my own hope is they don't place too much weight on our words. The movie is theirs, to make as they see fit. I will judge it as itself first and foremost. Based on past experience with Tim Burton adaptations, I suspect I'll enjoy the result but it'll be a slightly mixed bag.
To my reviews...
Batman - I thought this in general an excellent superhero film, but to be honest it also felt a little rushed. The "pacing" in Burton films often feels a bit "off" to me (which goes to show the guy has a different drummer in his head I guess).
Mars Attacks! - I loved it! Mind you, methinks some of the humor was a bit esoteric, even odd. So what else is new?
Sleepy Hollow - Effing brilliant! And btw, one reason for all the British accents was Burton's clear intention to make it as a tribute/homage to all those wonderful Hammer Horror films of the 1950s, 60s and 70s. Frankly, I believe this film gives us the best indication (in some ways) of what a Burton-directed DS might be like.
Planet of the Apes - Okay. Lots of cool individual bits (especially design and characterization) but something about the plot didn't hold together for some reason. And I can't decide whether an ending you need a panel discussion to figure out is a good thing or not.
Charlie and the Chocolate Factory - Unlike many, I thought this a very good film. It was a genuine re-imagining that borrowed extensively from the source material (rather than the first movie) as well as giving a unique spin on its own, by giving the character of Willie Wonka a genuine arc. The ending, with Willie meeing his father again, to me resonated fully as much as that glorious moment when Gene Wilder said "So shines a good deed in a weary world."
