Johnny Depp and Tim Burton have made eight very successful films together. The many faces of Johnny Depp in the films of Tim Burton. Gothic suburbia is revisited again, in animated form, in “Frankenweenie.” In “Dark Shadows,” the Gothic mansion owned by the Collins family is hidden back in the trees above the fishing port of Collinsport. The ruined castle perched above suburbia in “Edward Scissorhands” is a classic Burton touch. The contrast is there in nearly all his films. And yet in merging these unlikely worlds, Burton struck creative gold. It shouldn’t work at all-a world of darkness, wild moors and haunted castles crossed with pastel-coloured bungalows, picket fences and verdant green lawns as American as apple pie. The director’s visual imagination often sees Gothic architecture and atmosphere brought together with his own upbringing in sunny Los Angeles. Tim Burton successfully brought together Gothic atmosphere and art to the American suburbs. Just think of the Inventor’s castle in “Edward Scissorhands” or the whole of Gotham City in “Batman Returns.” Burton’s cinematic universe is indebted to German Expressionism.
The director described the famous German art movement in the book “ Burton on Burton” (Mark Salisbury, 1995) as like “ the inside of somebody’s head, like an internalized state externalized.” It’s not just chiaroscuro lighting effects, but also in the production design and the wildly exaggerated sets and décor. Caligari” and Fritz Lang’s “Metropolis” are key influences, among others. The influence of German Expressionist art can be seen in every Tim Burton film. Burton is a man steeped in the history of art and his synthesising of different periods and eras is humorous and striking. Elsewhere, leading ladies and heroines often sport flowing blonde locks, pale white faces and exquisite gowns akin to Pre-Raphaelite paintings. This can be seen time and time again with characters wearing an array of clothing designed in black-and-white stripes. But he is equally inspired by the famed stories and cartoon drawings of Dr. CostumesĪnybody that has seen a Tim Burton film will recognise that the director has a fondness for costumes with a 19th century Victorian flavour, even if the story is set in more modern times. Johnny Depp and Helena Bonham-Carter in “Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street.”īlack and white stripes, Victorian costumes and heroines with blonde hair and pale faces are some of the re-occurring costume designs and makeup in the films of Tim Burton. Burton’s brand of quirkiness connects with millions and his films have universal appeal. Stories very often focused on freaks and loners that should, in theory, make studio executives run a mile. His visual style is unique, bringing together 19th and 20th century European art aesthetics and American kitsch. He made his big screen debut in 1985 with “Pee-Wee’s Big Adventure.” From that, Burton has built a remarkable career. He started out as an animator at Disney and directed well-received short films such as “Vincent” (1982) and “Frankenweenie” (1984), before making the leap into feature-length movies. Tim Burton is one of Hollywood’s most successful filmmakers.