Over the course of our The World of
Tim Burton class, I learned many things about Tim Burton and film creation, the world we live in and the various ways in which it can be viewed,
and most importantly, I learned more about myself. I really appreciated watching how Burton used
a very dark and lonely upbringing filled with abandonment, isolation, and
family issues to create masterpieces.
Being an artist myself with a somewhat tragic background, I have always
used art to channel my feelings whether it be writing a song, telling jokes, or
writing a screenplay. It is very healing
and cleansing to be able to express yourself in some way. Tim Burton never felt a true connection and
understanding with his father, which he had to reconcile after his father
passed away. This is evident in many of
his movies, but especially “Big Fish”.
Where Burton crafts a movie that tells a story or hardship and
disconnect between father and son.
Although I was lucky enough to have a nice relationship with my father while
he was alive, I was only seven years old when he passed away. I have similar feelings when it comes to the
separation and missed opportunities from a father figure that Burton has and
instills in his films. More than that,
Burton and the characters he creates long to be loved and accepted by a family. Most of my life has been spent with just me
and my mom and because of this I have also tried to grow my family beyond the
bloodline with very close friends that I now consider a part of my family.
Burton has a gift for making a very
obscure and difficult subject matter into a finished product that will
entertain, educate, and captivate an audience.
Besides dealing with difficult subject matter, he will create very
estranged, misunderstood, and liminal characters but crafts his movies in such
a way where most of the time you actually care about what happens to these
outcast characters. Edward Scissorhands,
Karl the Giant, and Willy Wonka all have similar ways in which they are viewed
by society, most of which is out of their control. It is because of various circumstances that
these characters are forced to be outcasts.
Edward Scissorhands was a creation that had Scissors for hands and was
left to live all alone in the house on top of the hill after his
“father”/creator died. The house on the
hill is also a recurring appearance in Tim Burton films. Karl the Giant was feared and unable to make
a connection with another person because of his appearance and sheer
gigantism. It isn’t until Edward Bloom
gives the Giant a chance and talks to him like a real person that Karl can
explain his actions and finally be understood by someone. He was just hungry! Willy Wonka was a very successful chocolatier
and was admired by the masses but he was all alone and more isolated and abandoned
than anyone else in the film. His
father, a dentist, neglected his son and this eventually led to the creation of
a huge business and chocolate factory.
All three of these characters are just longing to connect with someone
and be understood. Burton uses genius plots and very distorted but kindhearted
and genuine characters to make you feel the emotions that he has felt
throughout his life and I think that is one of the most impressive parts of
Burton’s creative repertoire and ultimately, his legacy.
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