- Tim Burton really should do more gory, eccentric, Gothic, R-rated movies like this and Sweeney Todd. The leap in quality between the two is monumental. I'd love to see how good a third "dark film" would be.
- it's nice to see Johnny Depp play (more or less) the "straight" man for once.
- costumes, sets, and cinematography are all simple, but great.
- Christina Ricci and the actor who played Young Johnny Masbeth were both pretty stilted, but not enough to ruin the movie.
- unlike Sweeney Todd (and most of Burton's recent efforts), this one occasionally lags (in the editing), and doesn't quite feel up to speed with the better cut Sweeney, Big Fish, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, and Corpse Bride.
- like The Others (2001), this is a film the heavily relies on ambiance, and would probably have been more effective in a dark theater with surround sound.
Grade: B+
Nominations (for 1999): Best Picture(#3), Best Director - Tim Burton(#3), Best Art Direction (#1 WINNER), Best Costume Design (#1 WINNER), Best Cinematography (#2; loses to Fight Club), Best Original Score - Danny Elfman (#3), Best Sound Editing/Sound Mixing
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