Tim Burton Style Analysis Essay

In the world, society teaches people to fear the unknown. Tim Burton uses many techniques to show a misfit character and would agree that there are many misfits in the world. In Burton’s films he shows that those misfits are looked down on and shamed upon. In Burton’s films he uses the style elements of misfit protagonists and snobby antagonists to convey to the viewers that society wrongly teaches people to fear the unknown.

The same cinematic technique is utilized in Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. In the inception of the film, darker and paler shades of colors are emphasized in the scenery. Especially inside Charlie’s home. However, once inside the chocolate factory, conspicuous colors are introduced. Even though the factory seemed like an exuberant center, there was still a profound void inside the hearts of Wonka, the obnoxious children, and non-proficient parents, not including Charlie and his grandfather. They were lacking the warmth of family unity and self content amid impecuniosity, that Charlie and his grandfather possessed. One can discern that Burton’s style is highly influenced by his lighting effects which in turn affects the tone, mood, and imagery of the film. The sharp contrast of coloration, establishes symbolism, tone, mood, and imagery. Another apparent effect of lighting is the mood it synthesizes. During the scenes in which the figures are pale or low key, the viewer feels uncomfortable. The reverse occurs during the high key scenes. Without the implementation of high key and low key, Burton’s message would have never been fully apprehended in both of the films.

Tim Burton is one of the most unusual and unique directors of our time. He brings characters to life by putting them in a habitat they don’t belong. His movies “Alice in Wonderland”, “The Corpse Bride”, “Charlie and the chocolate factory”, and “Edward Scissorhands” all demonstrate how one of a kind his movies are. Using cinematic techniques, Tim Burton points out the misfit character and shows how different they are then everyone else. His use of camera angles, lighting, and sound give the viewers a different perspective on the movies, and help pick out the individual character.

Lighting is important to tell the mood of a film. Burton depicts sinister and scary images with low-key lighting. Tim Burton’s lighting techniques are completely unique. In “Edward Scissorhands“he contrasts lighting. Peg lives in a town that is bright and cheerful looking. Edward’s castle is depressing and gloomy. Tim Burton again shows off his

Tim Burton is a popular director, his films are known to be dark and strange, they usually are a fairytale like story with a dark twist. He has done a lot of very popular films, for example, he has directed Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, Edward Scissorhands, and The Corpse Bride. He was inspired by the Grimm Brothers, Edgar Allan Poe, Roald Dahl, and Vincent Price.Tim Burton uses close up, low key lighting, zoom, and long shot to show the characters emotions, create a scary scene, show what is important and to make characters look vulnerable.

When society places a path under the feet of young people, they may not discover who they truly are or what they want. Imaginative director Tim Burton believes that people will find their true selves through creating their own experiences and listening to their own minds. With the use of contrasting settings and dark yet innocent characters, Burton entices young people to leave all preconceived notions at the door and venture into other walks of life. Through these involvements, the youths of society will be able to choose for themselves the path they want to pursue.

Tim Burton’s fictional worlds are ones of clear compartmentalization, quite often between literal shades of black and white. Through visual contrasts the audience is not only drawn into the plot, but also given explicit messages about how to interpret the actions and motives of the characters. His macabre art style and purposeful storytelling both hint at his rejection of the status quo; throughout his stories he reinforces the idea that normality is not synonymous with morality through the use of stark lighting contrast, yin and yang style settings, and costumes that are polarly different.

Strange, grim, and unlikely is what most people would describe Tim Burton’s style of writing and his movies. Tim Burton grew up fascinated with fairy tales and the supernatural. He presents a darker version of children stories. He has written books such as “James and the Giant Peach” that were a hit but he also makes movies which use a variety of cinematic techniques in every movie. Tim Burton effectively uses variety of cinematic techniques to evoke emotion in Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, Corpse Bride, and Edward Scissorhands.

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.

Since society judges people based on how they are on the outside, people often feel that to be happy, they have to conform to society’s standards. There are people who are affected by the rules of society, and there are those who are not. Tim Burton is one of these people, because he went against the grain, and decided that he didn’t need to go along with society to be happy. Burton uses imagery, long shot, and juxtaposition in Charlie and the Chocolate Factory and Edward Scissorhands to show that people don’t have to conform to society’s standards to be content.

Imagine a world where anything can happen. Where creativity flows in the air and everything is colorful. Everything is edible and bursts with joy. This is the kind of place Director Tim Burton lives. Tim Burton is a film director responsible for some of the most iconic movies such as Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, Edward Scissorhands, and Alice in Wonderland.

“One person's crazyness is another person's reality” (Burton). These are the famous words of Tim Burton, and wow has he lived up to his words. Tim Burton has been a director for over 30 years. He is influenced by the infamous Dr. Suess that is known for the innocence of his books, but also influenced by Edgar A. Poe who is known for his intense dark style. This can draw conclusions as to what Tim Burton's style is like, but what does he use to control the mood? Tim Burton uses cinematic techniques such as editing, lighting and sound to set the mood and control how the audience feels.

In my essay I am going to reference two films, Edward Scissorhands (1990) and Vincent (1982), directed by Tim Burton. Edward Scissorhands, is Tim Burton’s take on the Frankenstein story. We can clearly see the influences that have appealed to Tim Burton in the classic Frankenstein (1931) was not the character’s monstrousness appeal but the sense of sad sorrow that audiences sympathized to in Boris Karloff’s performance. Whereas in Tim Burton’s vision, we see a “Special” character as the Frankenstein Monster, in the similar way that we call people with disabilities Special. And then we have Vincent, a short stop-motion animation. The short film itself is an entertaining aspect of a suburban boy named Vincent who recites Edgar Ellen Poe and categorizes with Horror film star, Vincent Price. With similarities to Edward Scissorhands, the main character is a chance for Tim Burton to represent himself on the screen as a tortured boy, outsider and artist. I am going to discuss how cultural and psychological concerns are represented through characterization, art direction, cinematography, and sound. I will support my discussion by analyzing a reflection on both the similarities and differences between the two films, and whether a distinctive “Burton” signature (aesthetics, cultural and psychological concerns) is evident.

In the words of Tim Burton, “One person’s craziness is another person’s reality.” This is the truth for the magical movies he has put together. Burton grew up different from others; he was an outcast from the people around him. Enjoying B movies, he would watch them a great deal. Out of all the characters, Burton preferred the monsters or strange creatures. Some inspirations to him are Edgar Allen Poe, Roald Dahl, and Vincent Price. He frowns upon conformity, for he prefers individuality. What is normal to Burton could be completely wild to another. In Tim Burton’s distinctive films, he uses symbolism and the comparison of individuality and conformity to emphasize the purity of an outsider.

Tim Burton once said, “My parents suffered from that ideal of a perfect nuclear family. They found that a difficult pressure, I think”. Tim Burton is a famous filmmaker who sometimes incorporates his life into his films. Tim was an odd child in that he liked being alone and spending his time in a graveyard. In his childhood, he was the outsider in a “perfect” world. People can judge him on his odd and different childhood. That is what he tries to teach in his films. In both Charlie and the Chocolate Factory and Edward Scissorhands, Burton reveals that society wrongly judges those who do not fit in.