10 Best Quotes From Tim Burton Movies

With his whimsically dark aesthetic and signature tropes, gothic director Tim Burton has a huge number of beloved movies under his belt. These movies are undeniably recognizable because of the iconic characters he has created and reimagined, and some of these iconic characters have equally iconic lines.

Some of these quotations are reflections of the movie’s central themes (and furthermore, signature Tim Burton themes). Others encompass a character’s personality, whilst some are just simply cool and memorable catchphrases. Regardless, some of these best Tim Burton movie quotes have become as iconic as the movie in which they came from.

Beetlejuice: “I Will Go Insane And I Will Take You With Me!”

Beetlejuice remains one of Burton’s most beloved movies, even becoming a Broadway musical. It has a number of memorable lines, particularly from the ghost with the most himself, but one line in particular that stands out is from the eccentric Delia Deetz.

Unlike her husband and stepdaughter Lydia, Delia does not like the new house and makes it very clear she hates the decor: “If you don’t let me gut this house and make it my own, I will go insane and I will take you with me!” The delivery and the cold stare make this moment unforgettable and hilarious, all without any need for ghosts.

Batman Returns: “We’re The Same… Split Right Down The Center.”

Batman Returns was Burton’s second cinematic adventure with the Caped Crusader, only this one bore the Burton stamp more than its predecessor Batman in terms of style, themes, and story. Batman Returns has a number of excellent quotes but the line “We’re the same… split right down the center.” is perhaps its best.

Burton frequently uses the theme of duality in his work but Batman Returns utilizes it the most, with the three main characters battling their alter egos as well as each other. As a result, this line perfectly encompasses the movie as a whole and is one of Burton’s best movie quotes. It is one of the few times on screen that Batman and Bruce Wayne are seen as one person instead of two individuals.

Corpse Bride: “I Love You, Victor. But You’re Not Mine.”

The stop motion movie Corpse Bride is an enchanting yet spooky tale of love from beyond the grave. The Corpse Bride herself, Emily, is not only one of Burton’s most iconic characters but a lovable and sympathetic heroine.

One of the most touching moments is when Emily is about to wed Victor but she spots Victoria in the chapel. Instead of letting Victor die for her, Emily stops him and says: “My dreams were taken from me… now I’ve stolen them from someone else. I love you, Victor… but you’re not mine.” The moment she reunites Victor and Victoria is both heartwarming and heartbreaking. Emily has given up her dreams but she is not bitter. In fact, she is happy for them both. This shows immense character growth and makes her an even more lovable character.

The Nightmare Before Christmas: “Jack, Please, I’m Only An Elected Offical, I Can’t Make Decisions By Myself.”

Although directed by Henry Selick, The Nightmare Before Christmas remains one of Burton’s best known films. Being set primarily in Halloween Town, there’s a number of memorable and lovable characters in this stop motion classic.

One example is the Halloween Town Mayor. Literally two-faced, the Mayor is completely helpless without Jack and the moment where he discovers Jack is missing highlights this. His whining “I’m only an elected official” is not only funny due to his needy helplessness but a sly jab at political candidates in general.

Alice In Wonderland: “You’re Entirely Bonkers. But I’ll Tell You A Secret. All The Best People Are.”

Disney’s Alice in Wonderland received the live-action treatment in 2010 but as a sequel rather than a remake. And with Burton at the helm directing, there was no question that this film was to be a whimsically dark trip to Wonderland.

Whilst it’s not the best of Burton’s works, it’s certainly one of the most visually beautiful versions of Wonderland to date and has some memorable lines, including the quote above. It was originally Alice’s father speaking to Alice as a child, who tells the Mad Hatter the same thing years later. It’s the perfect line for all fans of Tim Burton and Wonderland.

Mars Attacks!: “Ack! Ack! Ack!”

Mars Attacks! featured a stellar ensemble cast including Jack Nicholson, Glenn Close, Pierce Brosnan, Danny DeVito, and even singer Tom Jones. While they all were entertaining in their own way, what everyone instantly remembers about the movie is the bulbous-headed Martians and one aspect is their cackling language, which is mostly heard as “Ack! Ack!”

The Martian speech is simple yet instantly memorable, and with such strong personalities, they don’t even need to speak any Earth language to entertain. One particularly funny moment is when their speech is translated to “Don’t run! We are your friends.” while causing explosions and shooting every human in their sight.

Charlie And The Chocolate Factory: “Even I’m Eatable. But That Is Called Cannibalism, My Dear Children.”

Burton reimagined the classic Roald Dahl story Charlie and the Chocolate Factory for the big screen in 2005. While more loyal to the original story than the 1971 movie, the movie still bears the signature Burton stamp in whimsical aesthetics, tongue-in-cheek humor, and of course, Johnny Depp.

Depp’s portrayal of Wonka is certainly iconic and perhaps the most recognizable element of the movie. He is considerably more socially awkward and sarcastic than Wilder’s portrayal towards his guests, resulting in some scenes of humor.  His best, most memorable line is when they are in the edible meadow: “Everything in this room is eatable, even I’m eatable. But that is called cannibalism, my dear children, and is in fact frowned upon in most societies.” Not only is it funny but it’s a line lifted from the book and given a bit of a Burton twist.

The Nightmare Before Christmas: “What’s This? What’s This?”

As it is a musical, most of The Nightmare Before Christmas‘s iconic lines are song lyrics. There are many notable examples but one that particularly stands out is when Jack Skellington discovers Christmas for the first time.

The lyrics to “What’s This?” are some of the most recognized lines of the movie. It encompasses Jack’s childlike wonder and curiosity and combines it with Burton’s typical spooky vibes, such as “There’s children throwing snowballs instead of throwing heads.” It’s not only one of Burton’s most well-known moments but also one of the best moments in Christmas movies.

Batman: “Have You Ever Danced With The Devil In The Pale Moonlight?”

Tim Burton’s first Batman movie was not only the first time the Dark Knight was bought to the silver screen since the 1960s version but it was the movie that helped truly launch Burton’s career as a mainstream movie director. One reason why the movie was such as hit was Jack Nicholson’s iconic portrayal of the Joker, who is easily one of Tim Burton’s best villains.

And with an iconic portrayal comes an iconic catchphrase. Joker utters the line “Have you ever danced with the devil in the pale moonlight?” to his victims simply because he “likes the sound of it.” Whilst it’s ultimately a pointless line, it is no doubt a really memorable catchphrase and is perhaps the most quoted line in the movie.

Beetlejuice: “Live People Ignore The Strange And Unusual. I, Myself, Am Strange And Unusual.”

Alongside Beetlejuice, the most popular character in Beetlejuice is goth Lydia.  From the notorious red wedding dress to the spiky black fringe, almost everything about Lydia is stylized and perfect, and this includes her most famous phrase.

When the ghostly Maitlands question why she can see them, Lydia calmly responds with the above line, recalling the knowledge she got from the Handbook for the Recently Deceased. The quote is excellent as it not only sums up Lydia’s character perfectly but perhaps also Tim Burton himself.

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