Ever been disappointed by a special interest?

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I agree with this. My recent experience has been that I haven't had any special interests in a long time, about two years. I've been trying new things but nothing seems to feel the same as they used to. However, it just feels like a special interest isn't just going to drop out of the blue, so I keep trying things.

I'm kind of embarrassed that this topic got bumped back up to the front page, because I wrote it during a time when I was both a) not feeling well physically and b) overly-emotional/sensitive. In the days since creating this topic, my attitude about Dark Shadows has changed somewhat. Although I still consider it to be one of Burton and co.'s less amazing movies due to its weak plot, I have decided to see the good in it and I like it because of the characters of Barnabas and Julia, as well as the whole retro atmosphere. I actually look forward to seeing it again on DVD, because maybe seeing it with fresh eyes and a better attitude will give me more enjoyment this go-around.



I understand how you feel. Recently I went on a shopping spree and bought a ton of books about Tim Burton and Johnny Depp, the men responsible for creating the movies I'm so obsessed with. I'm beginning to regret that I'd done that. Their personalities are nothing like I'd imagined them to be.

From what I've read about Johnny Depp and sensed in a couple of his interviews, I get the impression that Hollywood has made him a bitter man. He acts like (no pun intended) his good-looks and worldwide fame are some kind of curse. Sometimes he seems so angry that it's not too far of a stretch of the imagination to see him as the man who once trashed a hotel room and attacked the paparazzi. Before I knew much about him, I viewed him as this angelic figure who could do no wrong. I almost wish that I'd never taken a glimpse into what he's actually like, so that mental image of him would not have been tainted.

I used to view Tim Burton as a kindred spirit - someone who must have had all the same emotions I did and similar life experiences. Almost as though he completely understood me without ever having met me. After all, how else could he have created movies that have spoken to me on such a deep emotional level? But reading through his interviews and insights into his childhood, I have come to realize that he and I are almost nothing alike. We were shaped, both as individuals and as artists, by completely different influences and circumstances. And as with Johnny Depp, his personality was substantially different than how I had pictured him in my mind.

As a warning to anyone else who is a fan of a particular celebrity's work - It's probably in your best interest not to delve too deeply into their personal lives, because chances are, you probably won't like what you find there.

I understand how you feel. As a warning to anyone else who is a fan of a particular celebrity's work - It's probably in your best interest not to delve too deeply into their personal lives, because chances are, you probably won't like what you find there.

I find it interesting how many of us have had similar experiences. But it often seems that special interests tend to be more about a CHARACTER from a movie or TV show rather than the actor/actress. With me at least, I just have learned that I am drawn to characters, not celebrities, and I can now distance my love for a character from the real person who portrays that character. The good thing about this approach is that the character is (hopefully) never going to betray your perception of them. They are isolated within the realm of the special interest, and if you can learn to close off that world, it is a lot easier. That's what I did with Lucille Ball vs. Lucy Ricardo. Once I learned this strategy, I was able to learn about less-than-perfect things about Lucille Ball and find them interesting without any impact on my love for I Love Lucy. Similarly, my love for Nash in A Beautiful Mind is a love solely for the character. I couldn't care less about the REAL John Nash. So, maybe, with you, try looking at what you love about specific Burton/Depp movie characters and go from there.