Tim Burton Research

Presentation

Jaye Best

Style

Can Tim Burton be considered an auteur?Subtopics...

Themes

Collaborations

“I think Tim Burton uses authorship throughout all of his films. I will use the films Charlie and the Chocolate Factory  (2005), Alice in Wonderland (2010) and Dark Shadows (2012) to explore Burton’s auteur-ship features.”• I chose to study Burton’s auteurship features because, I’ve always enjoyed

watching his work. I have always wanted to understand Burton’s messages and values that he portrays throughout his quirky-style work that makes his films so successful.• I wanted to establish his relationship with Johnny Depp and Helena Bonham-

Carter and why the three always choose to work with one another. • In order to gain a clear conception of Burton’s auteurship, I believe that by

studying specific features (subtopics) such as his styles, themes and collaborations, this will allow me to stretch into further detail of his auteurship features. • I chose Charlie and the Chocolate Factory (2005) because I felt it provided a

solid background for the theme of my own film. I want to create a distorted film that portrays a twisted perception of reality and there is a strong theme of twisted reality in all of Burton’s work.• The second film I chose to study is Alice in Wonderland (2010). This film is a

great example of Burton’s distortional perceptions of reality. This film differs from Charlie and the Chocolate Factory (2005) and Dark Shadows (2012) as it features a female protagonist.• Finally, I chose the comedy horror film Dark Shadows (2012), this film

explores key stylistic features of Burton’s auteurship, ultimately making him and his work stand out amongst other directors.

Hypothesis...

About Tim Burton...• Timothy Walter Burton born August 25, 1958• American film director, producer, artist, writer, and animator.• Known for his dark, gothic, macabre, quirky horror and

fantasy films such as the horror comedy fantasy Beetlejuice (1988), the romantic dark fantasy Edward Scissorhands (1990), the musical fantasy-thriller The Nightmare Before Christmas (1993), the comedy-drama biopic Ed Wood (1994), the fantasy adventure Sleepy Hollow (1999), the animated fantasy Corpse Bride (2005), the musical horror film Sweeney Todd (2007), the horror comedy Dark Shadows (2012) and the animated horror comedy Frankenweenie (2012).• Five blockbusters such as the adventure comedy Pee-wee's

Big Adventure (1985), the superhero films Batman (1989) and its first sequel Batman Returns (1992), the sci-fi film Planet of the Apes (2001), the musical adventure film Charlie and the Chocolate Factory (2005) and the fantasy film Alice in Wonderland (2010)• Alice in Wonderland generated a worldwide gross of over $1

billion, being his most successful film to date.

About Tim Burton...• Apprenticeship with Disney when he left California Institute

of Arts where he studied animation.• Disney saw Burton’s potential and therefore gave him the

chance to work for them with the freedom to personalise the creation of these films, this led to the production of the black and white Gothic film Vincent (1982).

• Frankenweenie (1984), another gothic horror was judged unsuitable for children and was never released. However, Paul Reubens (Pee-Wee Herman) saw it and decided that Burton, still only in his mid-twenties, would be the ideal person to direct his feature debut, Pee-wee's Big Adventure (1985).

• After the enormous box-office hit of Frankenweenie, this led to the production of the supernatural comedy Beetlejuice (1988), and the finally the hugely expensive production of Batman (1989). Although his least personal film, it was one of the most successful films of all time, and gave him unprecedented power in Hollywood.

• Edward Scissorhands (1990), another hit, saw him at the peak of his creative powers and established a fruitful working relationship with actor Johnny Depp.

• Batman Returns(1992) was a far darker and quirkier film than the original, a reflection of how much creative freedom Burton had won (though Warner Bros were reputedly unhappy with the final result).

• And although Ed Wood (1994), his loving tribute to the life and work of the legendary Worst Director of All Time, Edward D. Wood Jr., was a box-office disaster, it garnered some of the best reviews of Burton's career, and suggests that he'll continue dazzling audiences for many years to come.

Films by Burton...

Future films by Burton...

As you can see, even before Burton has

started to direct these films,

there is already an element of madness. This conveys Burton as an auteur as

his films are recognised

globally without requiring his

personal director stamp on

advertisements.

Focal Films...

Charlie and the Chocolate Factory (2005)A young boy wins a tour through the most magnificent chocolate factory in the world, led by the world’s most unusual candy maker.Directors: Tim Burton Writers: Roald Dahl (book), John August Stars: Johnny Depp, Freddie Highmore, Helena Bonham-Carter, Deep RoyCountry: UK/USA/Austrailia Budget: $150,000,000 (estimated)Opening Weekend: $56,178,450 (USA) (15 July 2005)Gross: $206,456,431 (USA) (2 December 2005)I feel this movie will benefit me during my research process as it is quirky and unique which is my desired style and theme. As a protagonist, Willy Wonka, is a disorientated man who was brought up having tried no candy therefore he opened his own magical world that allows people all over the world to try a ‘different’ style of candy. I want to focus on a disorientated character that has a reason (history) behind why he is so disorientated, elements of his history is shown through the use of mise-en-scene and cinematography, by for example, choosing the black and white colour effect or the contrasting vibrant colour.

Alice in Wonderland (2010)Nineteen-year-old Alice returns to the magical world from her childhood adventure, where she reunites with her old friends and learns of her true destiny: to end the Red Queen’s reign of terror.Directors: Tim Burton Writers: Linda Wooliverton, Lewis Carroll (book) Stars: Johnny Depp, Helena Bonham-Carter, Country: USABudget: $200,000,000 (estimated)Opening Weekend: £10,555,220 (UK) (5 March 2010)Gross: $334,185,206 (USA) (2 July 2010)This film will benefit me during my research process because I will highlight Burton’s unique ideas used. For example, I like the idea of the Mad Hatter and the way he is represented throughout the whole film; a crazy Scottish man with a dark side that is explored further into the movie. However, I dislike the idea of having a female protagonist that is portrayed as vulnerable and innocent therefore I will avoid using this stereotype throughout the planning and filming process.

Dark Shadows (2012)An imprisoned vampire, Barnabas Collins, is set free and returns to his ancestral home, where his dysfunctional descendants are in need of his protection.Directors: Tim Burton Writers: Seth Grahame-Smith, John August Stars: Johnny Depp, Helena Bonham-Carter, Eva Green, Michelle PfeifferCountry: USA/Austrailia Budget: $100,000,000 (estimated)Opening Weekend: $29,685,274 (USA) (11 May 2012)Gross: $79,711,678 (USA) (10 August 2012)I feel this movie will benefit my research because I want to be able to study the after effects used to create the dark effects on screen in order to portray the quirkiness the director desired. These dark effects where maintained throughout the use of after effects and I feel they will help connote suspicious feelings for the audience as well as create tension between the characters.

Adaptations...Burton generally works on adaptations. This is seen

through the majority of his films such as:• Alice in Wonderland (2010) – Lewis Carroll• Charlie and the Chocolate Factory (2005) – Roald Dahl• Mrs Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children (2016) – Ransom Riggs• Dark Shadows (2012) – Dan Curtis• Edward Scissorhands (1990) – Caroline Thompson• Batman (1989) – Bob Kane• James and the Giant Peach (1996) - Roald Dahl• Hansel and Gretel (1982 ) – Brothers GrimmBy working from books or previously written novels, this shows that Burton does not write his own material and much prefers the actual practical work of the pre and post production stages.

Throughout Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, there is the constant use of vibrant, over exaggerated colour effects. By including exaggerated colour effects, this contributes to the overall narrative and genre (adventure, comedy, fantasy) as this fictional diegesis is not a true representation of reality but it is more of a positive representation of a child’s utopia and as this film is aimed at children, this is a crucial stylistic choice that entices the infant audience to watch this film.

Style – Charlie and the Chocolate Factory (2005)

Similarly to Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, Alice in Wonderland also maintains a strong over exaggerated stylistic feature of vibrant colour and again as this adventure, fantasy and family film is mainly focussed at children, the exaggeration of colour helps entices the younger audience into watching this film.Throughout all of Burton’s work, he maintains a strong narrative belonging to the fantasy genre, in which he manages to achieve successfully in marginally every film he has created, produced and directed. Although Alice in Wonderland and Charlie and the Chocolate Factory were originally books, Burton manages to create a realistic representation that Roald Dahl and Lewis Carroll could never create through the imagery created by words.

Style – Alice in Wonderland (2010)

Throughout Dark Shadows (2012), there is the use of colour effects added during the editing process. This is a key stylistic feature of Burton’s auteurship as it is evident is Alice in Wonderland (2010), Charlie and the Chocolate Factory (2005) and many more of Burton’s work such as Corpse Bride (2005) and finally Frankenweenie (2012)

Style – Dark Shadows (2012)

Frankenweenie (2012)

Dark Shadows (2012) Alice in

Wonderland (2010)

Charlie and the Chocolate Factory (2005)

Corpse Bride (2005)

As you can see there is always a colour effect added during the editing process of Burton’s films. By adding an editing process this reinforces the ideology and beliefs behind the director’s choices as well as reinforcing the narrative. For example, as Dark Shadows is a comedy horror, so there is the use of dark lighting in order to contribute to the overall genre of the film and as Charlie and the Chocolate Factory is set in a unique utopian diegesis, by exaggerating the colour effects, this helps reinforce the exotic and crazy diegesis of the fictional world.

Themes – Charlie and the Chocolate Factory (2005)[1] “It is in the flashbacks that Burton

forcefully imposes his personality, not only because these scenes didn’t originate with Dahl, but also because they revisit the parental tensions present in Batman (1989), Edward Scissorhands (1990) and Big Fish (2003)”Family is a key theme throughout Charlie and the Chocolate Factory (2005) as the protagonist Willy Wonka was controlled by his father. This ultimately caused rebellion on Wonka’s behalf as he proceeded to open the Chocolate Factory that contrasted his father’s beliefs about sugary sweets. Family is always seen as a strong theme throughout this film and is concluded in the medium shot of Charlie Bucket, Mr Bucket, Mrs Bucket, and Grandpa Joe towards the end of the film where they are all standing facing Wonka who is positioned in his own isolated medium shot portraying isolation.

Themes – Alice in Wonderland (2010)Throughout Alice in Wonderland, there is the theme of

identity as Alice is constantly questioning herself. When she first steps foot in Wonderland, she has to forever prove that she is The Alice. Other characters in the film have problems with identity such as the White Queen separating herself from her sister therefore refusing to believe her own background. Alice is constantly ordered to identify herself by the variety of creatures she meets, but she herself has doubts about her true identity. This is supported by the fact that Alice is forever changing size, height and appearance which she finds “very confusing” thus supporting the idea that she is questioning her own identity throughout the duration of the film.Another theme is courage because Alice was able to find the courage within herself to be brave and defeat the Jabberwocky. This ties in with identity as once Alice found her courage, she was brave enough to believe in herself, and she could do what she was destined to do – defeat the Jabberwocky and the Queen of Hearts.

[2]“All Burton’

s charact

ers have a duality

to them” – Mark

Salisbury

Themes – Dark Shadows (2012)Throughout Dark Shadows, there’s also the theme

of family as well as love. Love is a constant theme throughout Dark Shadows as the narrative begins with Angelique possessing Josette (Barnabus’ love) and forcing her to jump off a cliff as she is deeply in love with Barnabus and wants him all to herself. Love is also seen when Barnabus first meets Maggie Evans/Victoria Winters. This is evident through the use of two shots showing a connection between Maggie/Victoria and Barnabus Collins. Mise-en-scene also reinforces the theme of love when Barnabus and Maggie/Victoria are reading at the beach – the book they are reading is called ‘Love Story’ therefore connoting their love to the audience. The theme of family is also evident throughout this comedic-horror film as the whole plot revolves around one family – Collins. Featuring Michelle Pfeiffer as Elizabeth Stoddard Collins, Barnabus’ cousin, Helena Bonham-Carter as Dr. Julia Hoffman, the family psychiatrist, Eva Green as Angelique Bouchard, Barnabus’ ex-lover, Jonny Lee Miller as Roger Collins, Elizabeth’s brother, Chloe Grace Mortez as Carolyn Stoddard, Elizabeth’s teenage daughter and finally Gulliver McGrath as David Collins, Roger’s deluded son.

Some people argue that as Burton always collaborates with Depp, Bonham-Carter and sound designer Danny Elfman, his work is consistent and ‘samey’ therefore not exploring his full potential with other famous actors/actresses or sound crew.Bonham-Carter, Depp and Elfman all worked with Burton on Charlie and the Chocolate Factory[3] “I was quite lucky to have Helena and know her ‘cause when you see them and you see Freddie and you seen the grandparents they do look like a family unit and that was really important to me” – Tim Burton[4] “I worked with Johnny Depp before on ‘Finding Neverland’ and I was quite sad when I left the set ‘cause I didn’t get to see him again but then I’m doing Charlie and the Chocolate Factory again with him now and that’s really amazing” – Freddie Highmore

Collaborations – Charlie and the Chocolate Factory (2005)

Collaborations – Alice in Wonderland (2010)[5] “They’re like kids with a dressing-up box” –

Matt Lucas[6] “I think Johnny and Tim are like big kids really and they are also really good friends and er, there’s a great sense of fun when they’re together” – Matt Lucas

Helena Bonham-Carter again features in this Burton production as she plays the antagonist - The Queen of HeartsJohnny Depp also features in Alice in Wonderland as he plays the crazy advisor (Mad Hatter) who helps Alice throughout her experience in Wonderland.Matt Lucas plays Tweedle-Dum and Tweedle-Dee. This is the first time Burton and Lucas have collaborated together and their collaboration was a success, therefore potentially, simulating more collaborations in the future, such as Burton’s upcoming film Mrs Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children (2016)

Danny Elfman did not score Alice in Wonderland as he as Burton had a fall out prior to the production of Ed Wood in 1994.

Johnny Depp plays the protagonist Barnabus Collins; a vampire who rose from the dead.Helena Bonham-Carter plays Dr. Julia Hoffman, a deluded doctor who wants to become a vampire.Burton has always chosen to stick within his comfort zone by casting Helena Bonham-Carter (his ex-wife) and Johnny Depp (his best friend) in many of his more recent works. [7] “I always love working with Johnny because

he’s an actor that likes to try different things all the time and that excites me and each time I work with him it gets better” – Tim Burton

Collaborations – Dark Shadows (2012)

Summary of Burton’s Auteurship...Burton supports the argument

of auteurship:Yes No Which films?

Collaborations

Alice in Wonderland, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, Dark Shadows

Specific/persistent themes throughout majority of films

Alice in Wonderland: identityCharlie and the Chocolate Factory: familyDark Shadows: family and love

Specific filming techniques throughout majority of films

Alice in Wonderland: Close upsCharlie and the Chocolate Factory: Close upsDark Shadows: Close ups

Final Say

Although Burton is classed as an auteur, he has never actually had the final say throughout any of his films. He feels by listening to others inputs, such as Johnny Depp’s, this will further the production and conceptions of the film as a whole.

Conclusions so far...• So far, I have established that Tim Burton carries different themes

throughout many of his films. Family and love tend to be the most common themes in Burtons work, however, identity is becoming recognised in many more of Burton’s more modern pieces.

• I have found that Burton creates exaggerated fantasy films adaptations of original books in order to bring the fictional stories to an extreme version of reality.

• Burton always manages to include a deluded and mad character that is not always the protagonist, but towards the end of the film, turns out to be the wise leader who the protagonist takes influence.

• Finally I have also discovered that Burton, Depp and Bonham-Carter all share a relationship that cannot be defined as they prefer to keep quiet about the inside information. I know that they help each other expand and grow within the film industry, during production and filming as Depp pushes Burton and Burton helps Depp, vice versa including Bonham-Carter. Despite their split, they have remained friends and still colleagues when Burton needs her assistant during filming.

[8] "We

would ask

that you

respect their

privacy and

that of their

children

during this

time."

References...[1]Charlie and the Chocolate Factory (2005)Sight and Sound: The International Film MagazineSeptember 2005Ryan Gibley

[2]Mark Salisbury1995Burton on BurtonRevised EditionLondonFaber and Faber LimitedPage 135

[3], [4] & [7]Willy Wonka (2015) Making of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory 2/5Available online: https://www.youtube.co

m/watch?v=eHOwUUo9RKQ

[5] & [6]The StonesDeppfan (2010) Johnny Depp and Tim Burton - Interviews Face to Face: Alice in WonderlandAvailable online: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AVSiY2PbTtc

[8] Yahoo Celebrity Staff (2014) Tim Burton and Helena Bonham Carter Split http://www.usmagazine.com/celebrity-news/news/tim-burton-and-helena-bonham-carter-split-20143012# (04/11/2015)