Burton on Vampires, "Twilight," 2010 Movies

Jada Yuan of NYMag.com's Vulture spoke with Tim Burton. In this interview, the director talks about the 1970's singer and actress Cherry Vanilla (a friend for whom he hosted a dinner at Royalton), movies he saw this year, his upcoming vampire movies, and the recent surge of popularity in vampires, most notably in the Twilight franchise:

When did you meet Cherry?
Shit, I can’t remember. It was like fifteen years ago. She worked for me. I knew her through some other friends. She’s obviously quite memorable. You never forget her once you meet her. She’s quite honest and open and refreshing to be around.

Did anything in the book shock you?
Nah. I mean, I know her. [Laughs.]

You knew the stories?
No, but you see things. We never got into the gruesome details. But whenever you hear Cherry talk, it’s quite funny. You get the full flavor of it whether you know exactly what’s going on or not.

Yeah, that one with David Bowie was quite ... detailed.
[Rolls eyes and buries head in hands.]

Did Cherry’s book make you think about what you’d write in your own tell-all book?
No, it makes me realize I wouldn’t do it. It takes a certain kind of fearlessness that I don’t have, at least for that. I prefer things to be private. So I’m amazed at her. It’s great. It’s not something I would do.

Okay, so your next two movies are Dark Shadows and Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter. They’re both about vampires?
Sort of. I wouldn’t say they’re about vampires. In Dark Shadows, there’s a character that happens to be a vampire.

How are you going to turn a soap opera into a movie?
We’ll see. I don’t really know until I start it. I’m trying to find a certain tone, and we don’t know if we get it until we start it.

Johnny Depp will be in both of them?
No, just one. Dark Shadows.

How do you feel about Twilight and True Blood?
I haven’t seen them. I saw part of one of the Twilights.

What did you think?
I think some things are just a phenomenon and that’s okay.

Did you like any movies this year?
I really wanted to like Piranha 3D, but I didn’t. I had an affinity for The Wolfman. [Long, agonizing pause as he thinks ... ] You’re pointing out a sad fact of my life. I don’t watch movies very much.

How much of an Oscar campaign will there be for Alice in Wonderland?
Not for me. I’m not a politician. You make the movie and that’s it. You don’t go running for president after.