Timothy Walter Burton is an American film director, producer, artist, a writer and an animator who was born Burbank, California, 1958. He has been known for his dark, gothic, unsettling and spooky fantasy films such as Edward Scissorhands (ES), Charlie and the Chocolate factory (CATCF), Corpse Bride, Big Fish,...among others. As a child , Burton was influenced by Dr. Seuss's grisly fairy tales and Roald Dahl’s dark children’s stories so his films are characterized by a somewhat subtly frightening method of childhood storytelling to remind his audience of the age-old morals lessons by an unhidden encouragement of the delightful escapism into worlds of imagination and fantasy that are so dear to every young heart. Tim Burton has made many achievements, …show more content…
and among them are ES and CATCF. The films are consisted of a lot of stylistic techniques as Tim Burton purposely intended to incorporate to add onto an already unsettling and disturbing and unique look to his movies. In ES viewers can get an in depth understanding of Burton’s childhood and the art of filmmaking whereas Charlie and the Chocolate factory is faithful adaptation of Roald Dahl’s work, the work that influenced Tim Burton when he was young. Today , I’ll be analysing those techniques directly from Tim Burton’s big hits, Charlie and the Chocolate factory and Edward Scissorhands. Tim Burton was able to use imagery and symbols to give the audiences hints about what will happen next.
For example, in the opening credits of ES, snow was falling everywhere, distributed so that it was covering the whole screen. The titles were also modified, written in two lines and opened up like a pair of scissor, hence the name Edward Scissorhands. Noticeably, the name Edward Scissorhands was an aptronym for scissors. This suggested that Edward Scissorhands literally had scissors for his hands. This way, Tim Burton was able to deliver to the audiences something man-made, spooky, mysterious yet funny and weird to look at. A trace that was noticeably illustrated in CATCF when Charlie found the last piece of toothpaste cap and decided to place it onto Willy Wonka’s head, foreshadowing to a weird-looking and crazy yet funny figure as Willy Wonka we will see later on in the …show more content…
movie. Tim Burton was able to effectively implied a lot of colors into his work in order to create certain moods for the viewers.
For example, in ES he used dark colors for Edward’s mansion when appeared in Peg’s mirror, which juxtaposed with the light, colorful and well-organized neighborhood in front of her eyes, this symbolizes an unsettling and disturbing look to Edward’s mansion. But on the other hand, the viewers might find themselves easy and delightful around the neighborhood with houses and yards, where everyone was all happy and well-dressed while Edward was wearing a weird black armor-suit with black messy hair, and a pale face with scars covering,..this distincted Edward and the neighborhood, creating a juxtaposition that add onto an already disturbing and scary look to Edward. This made the viewers feel somewhat worried for Edward’s future interactions, because his appearance wasn’t quite appealing. Also in CATCF, the town where Charlie lived including the whole factory was rather plain and sad looking with only black and white vibes. Even though, from the inside of the factory, it was gorgeous with variety of colorful and bright imagery and visuals. Tim Burton’s choice of contradicting the colors helped the viewers understand how badly Charlie must have wanted the Golden Ticket and symbolizes Willy Wonka’s personality. Tim Burton delicately played with colors in both of these situations to demonstrate and also to contradict two elements deliberated through writings,
thus juxtaposition. Though both movies were able to demonstrate a lot of literacy devices throughout but the majority and most recognizable for me would be Juxtaposition. Tim Burton uses Juxtaposition to contrast two elements as deliberated through his work. For example, when Peg walked into the haunted mansion uo on the hills, she was expected to be scared but rather she amazed and found herself fascinated with a beautiful, colorful garden full of Edward’s hand-work inside the mansion. Importantly, Tim Burton was able to contrast between what is outside and what is inside of the mansion. As shown, juxtaposition was used by Tim Burton in ES in order to highlight Edward’s personality and that he is not the way he looks outside. Noticeably, the garden was an interpretation of Edward’s personality rather not the mansion. In contrast, this shows that Edward is a nice and friendly person, unlike what the audiences would have expected. Something small as a childhood fascination could grow well into a successful occupation to reach perfection in every work, as in the case of Tim Burton and his movies. From what he was interested in as a child, he continued to work on it, to bring it onto a larger scale with bigger audiences, using his unique styles of storytelling, especially colors and juxtaposition to achieve his intended goals.
Indisputably, Tim Burton has one of the world’s most distinct styles when regarding film directing. His tone, mood, diction, imagery, organization, syntax, and point of view within his films sets him apart from other renowned directors. Burton’s style can be easily depicted in two of his most highly esteemed and critically acclaimed films, Edward Scissorhands and Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. Burton ingeniously incorporates effective cinematic techniques to convey a poignant underlying message to the audience. Such cinematic techniques are in the lighting and editing technique categories. High key and low key relationships plus editing variations evinces the director’s elaborate style. He utilizes these cinematic techniques to establish tone mood, and imagery in the films.
People are constantly being judged and pressured to change to fit society’s standards. In Tim Burton films, there is always one character that does not fit the mold. These outcast characters in the movies Charlie and The Chocolate Factory and Edward Scissorhands are strange and isolated from the world. Despite the outcast’s difficulties, misfit characters like Edward and Wonka go on to be the hero of the story. Therefore, Burton uses many different cinematic techniques to illustrate that one does not need to conform to society in order to have a happy and successful life.
When auteurs craft their work, they provide themes to the audience. These may be about love, death, or the importance for family, among other things. They use these themes to provoke an emotional response within an audience, or send home a message to the viewer. Edward Scissorhands is certainly a prime example of showing how themes influence a film. The themes that Tim Burton addresses in Edward Scissorhands are those of the connections that we have with other people, and the relationships and the bonds that we form with them. Non-conformity is used in the film as a highly prioritised theme, as well as the importance of friendship and the portrayed innocence that Johnny Depp's character reveals to us. Through this film, the themes of relationships
Using the production elements of symbolism; especially hands themselves, and the use of allusion to elements from other genres; particularly those from fairytale and gothic romance/horror films, Tim Burton has directed the film in such a manner to illustrate, emphasise and ridicule the materialism and lack of imagination of society. The film however, is prominently a satire which has certain elements from fairytale, comedy and horror genres. Through the choices made by the director, the audience is invited to become aware of the inhumanity present in the way society functions, especially in its prejudiced treatment towards people who do not conform. The use of allusion in Edward Scissorhands is one of the most important choices in production that has been made by director Tim Burton. In order to fully appreciate and understand the plot, the movie is dependant on the audience being able to recognise certain references and elements emulated from other films.
Individuality is rejection, whether it be a rejection of society or a rejection by society. Burton explores the consequences that can derive from rejection and how appearances may differ from reality. The work of Tim Burton consists of a unique style unlike any other. Not only do his films convey his ideas of individuality to the audience, it is done in a distinctive Burton way. Burton’s style of the formal elements of German Expressionism, gothic horror, and unique characters allow him to convey his ideas. His views of individuality are evident through the work of his film 'Edward Scissorhands' and short film 'Vincent'.
The use of colors and camera shots are not only used to support the dominant discourse, but also to make a clear view of Edward’s difference to the society. The director uses camera shots and angles from the castle window where Edward lives to show how all of houses look the same and insignificant. Uses of color such as the repetition of all houses being in all a pastel color encourage the viewers of the conformity of the town. Also, the bright pastel colors of suburbia and dark and gloomy image of the gothic castle show how awkward an individual like Edward can be seen in such town.
Lighting is one of the most essential techniques to indicate the mood of a movie. In Edward Scissor Hands, Burton blends up the lighting with high and low key lighting to add more emotions to his characters and brighten their personalities. Burton uses the high key lighting technique in the town that Peg lives in. Revealing it as bright and cheerful presenting I to be flawless, but that is only an illusion. In reality the town is hateful and does not accept others, the women create packs t...
Edward Scissorhands, written by Tim Burton, tells the tale of a young man who is lovable, childlike and sensitive, bewildered by the humanity around him, yet is terrifying- someone who has scissors, the deadly weaponry, for hands. Many viewers may read this film as a “Tim Burton” type of fairytale which includes both an alternative aspect and romance. However, through the presentation of mise-en-scene in this film, Burton drives in a much more serious subject of social criticism by establishing two different understandings of life in the movie.
On August 25, 1958, Timothy Walter Burton was born (“Biography”). Burton had a painful childhood in which the relationship with his parents and brother was nonexistent (Morgenstern). Through his intense feeling of isolation, his visual talent began to develop. The comfort found in hobbies such as writing and drawing led him to attend the California Institute of the Arts which led him to his first job in any artistic field at the Disney Animation Studios (“Biography”). Burton has since been referred to as one of the most visually gifted writers, artists, and filmmakers that America has seen (Hanke). His short stories, poems, and film scripts are centered on an inner darkness which he has been slowly acquiring since his childhood. He throws himself into everything he writes and makes even the simplest characters have a deep, complex meaning. His famous darkness and symbolism is shown in his book The Melancholy Death of Oyster Boy and Other Stories. The book contains a collection of his short stories, poems, and illustrations about a variety of fictional characters that can be compared to Burton and his life. Tim Burton’s home life and previous hardships have made a significant impact on his work. In my paper, I will draw parallels to his life and work as well as prove that there is reasoning and beauty in the way he is.
The film Edward Scissorhands shows how society rejects people who are different. This film directed by Tim Burton is about a boy named Edward who lives in an empty mansion. The film shows a community that is quick to judge but slow to distinguish the qualities of Edward. The people in the community are selfish and expect to receive from Edward without giving but regardless of this there are still some who love and care for him. By viewing this film the audience recognises how important it is to give someone a chance to prove themselves before judging them.
Have you ever wondered why a person in a negative situation such as a villain or less fortunate is seen in dim lighting or dark colors? Or have you ever wondered why a character in a positive situation such as a person accepted by society or a wealthy person is seen in high lighting wearing in bright colors? Director Tim Burton uses contrasting colors and lighting to foreshadow people in his movies. I will show examples of these in “Edward Scissorhand” and “Charlie and Chocolate Factory”.
in several of Tim Burton’s films such as: Edward Scissorhands, Big Fish, and Alice in
Tim Burton is a well known, American film producer and director. His films are famous worldwide for their eccentric and uneasy plots with a hint of childlike innocence. Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, Edward Scissorhands, and Corpse Bride are just a few of his many films that have been appealing to the world for years. Each one of his films never fails to show off his strange and eerie style, along with his love of fantasy and wonder. Tim Burton's unique and creative style is effectively shown through his use of lighting, framing, and sound.
“Vincent Price, Edgar Allan Poe, those monster movies, those spoke to me”, Tim Burton said Disney really influence Tim Burton's career. Burton’s taste on Vincent Price films is no secret. As a child growing up In Burbank California, there was something undeniably fascinating about this playfully creepy actor that Burton latched onto. His early film career was fueled by almost unbelievable good luck, but it's his talent and originality that have kept him at the top of the Hollywood tree. He worked on such films as The Fox and the Hound (1981) and The Black Cauldron (1985). Tim burton creates a dark and sinister mood and tone by using music, camera angle, and movement.
Often times, people judge those who diverge from the typical ideals that societies have created in place for them. Although, director Tim Burton challenges societies’ norms through his work in the film industry and exemplifies his argument through outcast protagonists that alter the perception of normal. The differences, not only in the characters, but the setting as well, are seen as a “peculiar” set of characteristics that make them unique and special. Tim Burton expresses the idea that individuality is preferable to conformity through his use of contrasting settings and misfit protagonists in films such as, Miss Peregrine’s home for Peculiar Children and Edward Scissorhands.