Tagliero, Big Fish is my favorite movie

   

Out of all the movies I have watched my favorite movie would have to be Big Fish. Big fish does not have any of the recurring themes that the usual Tim Burton film has. Such as, the main characters on a hill looking down on the town or city resembling . This film doesn't have the same idea of having the main characters being misunderstood and isolated from the rest of society. Instead of the misunderstood character being isolated from society and angry at society. The main character found different people a place in society and try to make everyone part of society. How Big Fish took death as a celebration of life, how mistakes that you have made can try to be changed with trying to loving everyone.

    The film itself is very powerful because how it relates with people, we all have seen someone dying and if you haven't then you are very fortunate. Once that person is dying everyone starts to think about the different memories they have with that person. The reflection on life of what you have done, who you have touched, hurt, and what was your impact on the world. We have one life and to use it to the best of our best ability. Which is what Ed Wood Senior did threw out his life, he didn't have to go save the town but, he did restore it. He helped the circus and worked their just to get information on a girl. He traveled out of his town because he knew he was able to do something better with his life. That their was something bigger out there for him to do.

    That is how I felt,not that I will go work on for a circus or go fix a town, just I felt I must have to leave Florida because their are bigger and greater things out in the world than what everyone at home thinks is important. I am one of those people that loves to go different places because they didn't really travel as a kid. Its not finding yourself as other people say but, finding what you want to do with your life and going after it. That is what Ed Wood did. Yes, much of his stories were exaggerated but, in the end the stories were true.    

   Ed Wood lived a life in full color. The original story might of been a boring everyday thing when he told it thought it just filled with such creativity and fantasy you wanted to believe it. Just wanted to believe everything he said because it played with the what is real and what isn't. Tim Burton I would have to say did a very good job with portraying the emotional turmoil between a father and son who just don't see eye to eye anymore. His portraying of child and parents fights was very accurate as the idea of dreaming of a life that Ed Wood lived.

tagliero-big fish

  

    In the film of Big Fish, there is a continues genre of the happy film with an undertone of complete sadness. Yes, we see the happy family when Edward Bloom was younger and in his prime but, after we see that all he his stories that he told his son made him believe that his father wasn't real. When Will Bloom comes to understand in the end of the movie that all his father stories were somewhat version of the truth. He didn't realize that the life that his father lived had more meaning to it than making up what Will believed as fiction stories. The stories that he filled Will's head with was the in the people Edward meet in his life. Will said that everyone like my father.

   The reason why everyone like Edward Bloom is because he seems to like to help people and take care of them, he always repays the favor to them. As seen in the scene where he goes to the circus ring leader and the poet for help with money to help save the town of specter. He seems to capture peoples good side except for that one bully from his hometown that is just jealous of Edward. Edward seems to bring people happiness. In his youth is what him being great at all sports and helping people. As he plays the "hero" when saving the dog from the burning house and when he makes the game winning point. When he branches out to all these "misfits", they like him because he talks to him just like any other person. Treats them with respect and also as his friend as soon as he meets them. That's why people like him because the way he treats them.

  Relating big fish to Tim burton, is that TIm burton didn't realize how much his father found him as real as he did. Tim burton could relate because his father would tease people with fake ideas of his life just like Edward Bloom would portray with his stories that he told. Edward Bloom took the truth and just added some flare to his ordinary life. Tim burton did the same thing with his life by playing pranks on people, little did Tim knew but he is just like his father in a way. His father played a prank on the neighbors by making them believe he is a werewolf and Tim burton would make up stories saying that aliens were real and others crazy stories like that. So Tim burton, Edward Bloom, and Burton’s father are all connecting.

tagliero- Planet of the Apes

Planet of the Apes brings up the question what right does one species have the right to dominant the other? How does a person enslave another human? Civil rights and human rights for that matter are brought up in watching the Planet of the Apes. The film gives us a twist by having the apes rule and the humans enslaved. As an audience we sympathize with the humans and how they are treated to as slaves. As we watch this film, the director does it on purpose so we can see the point of view even though this point in time humans know that enslaving any other culture, race, or person is out of the question! Though our society understands this, can we still as a society oppress people that we think are less than ourselves.

    As many films tip toe around uncomfortable issues, Tim Burton gets straight to the point and clearly shows you explicitly the civil rights and prejudices we have towards each other. In the scene of the dinner table the battle to what the rights of the humans should have and the apes shouldn’t. When the military ape says that we should just get rid of all the humans they have no soul. Once you say that they have no soul that de-humanism them. Makes them easier to kill because they don’t have soul therefore they are just walking meat sacks. As the daughter of the important government official, refuses to believe this and says that threw science she can vouch for the humans having a greater intelligence that they know of. She was right as we look at the scene with the military goes to his father's death bed and his father tells him, the humans one advantage over us as is there power of technology. As than shown in the 1968 movie, technology and fast progress is what killed us as human beings.

    In the second scene, which is about how the wild human attacks the house slave human and saying how the household humans thinks he is better than us. Not even talking to him first just by judging him because he was a house slave. That is another thing we humans due, jut because someone might be more well off than another does not mean and gives them no right to think that they are better than that other human. It goes both ways, just because someone isn’t as well off as another human or just got lucky like that human did doesn’t mean that another human is better than an “unlucky” human. (I use that term “unlucky” very loosely).

    In conclusion, the Planet of the Apes brings up topics that we all see as profiling judging, and human rights to the audiences attention.

Tagliero Ashley, Sleepy Hollow

After reading the story and than watching the movie Sleepy Hollow. You see that the characters are taken on a different direction. In the book Ichabod Crane is not a policeman but, a teacher and Katrina Van Hessel is not physcially attracted to Ichabod. Plus, she makes fun of him with her friends. She doesn't have an infatuation with him and his looks as protrayed in the movie. These are big changes to the story as a whole. The question i asked myself was why did Tim Burton change those main and important chracters.
   Well, I think he changed those chracters to put his own personal story into it. Just like in Edward Sciscorhands where the mother took Edward from his own world that he made for himself in his house and brought him to the rest of conform society. It feels that sleepy hollow is conformed, how everyone goes to the same 5 important men of the city. In this small town they all seem interested in other peoples buisness constantly and everyone is connected to someone else in that small town some way. How it is shown in Edward scissorhands where the whole town was interested in everyone else business and all the kids of that neighborhood hung out together.
    In the film of sleepy hollow, Tim Burton put somewhat along the lines to the same idea of the women and the outcast. No Ichabod at first was not an outcast but, he was different than the rest of the Sleepy Hallow.  As katrina became interested in Ichabod just like the daughter of the mother did in Edward Scissorhands. Tim Burton has the reoccuring theme of the outcast being accepted by one understanding person which always is a woman it seems and the outcast is mostly a man. Tim Burton does switch it up in Batman returns but, that was a rare occassion with catwoman and batman. As you can see in his films the outcast is always loved but, one other who is very well known in the society but, has a longing to be out of it.
   Tim Burton in conclusion, manipulated the characters from Sleepy Hallow to put his own personal touch and reoccurring themes that he is known for in his film.

tagliero - mars attacks

  In Tim Burton film, Mars Attacks, he makes fun of America patriotism and government highly in this movie throughout his movie. The first scene I would like to discuss would be when Jack Black rushes to kill the alien without thinking. Pulls out his gun, than realizes its not going to work  than gets shot by the aliens ray gun and dies. This is a metaphor for America head strong and rushing into wars. As we rush into wars as we rush soliders out there to die. The reason behind Jack Black erge to go run there and kill the alien is his desire to be the hero. America seems to enter other countries when they are not wanted and try to fix things that has nothing to do with them, partly to look like the hero not just help the people. As Jack Black finally gets close enough to shoot, he is surprised, bashfull, and embarrassed when his gun doesn't work. Like when America has an initial plan of the war they enter it and are surprised of the reaction behind It all. Take into factor that this is placed in the 60s so his reaction to wars so this one insignificant scene could have more to what meets the eye.
  As you can see I feel that this very trival scene in the movie Mars attacks, actually might have substance to the world today. The second scene that's I choose would be the scene of when we first meet the president of America. The stero typical general, president, professor, public relation, and passive general. As the president turns directly to others for advice and doesn't have thoughts of his own, pokes fun at the Presidents now, as the president refered to the people loving it. Than as the professor seems to be a know it all and tells his side of the story and basically having everyone believe that he is right. Except the head strong General who just wants to destroy the aliens at first sighting. Than we have the passive general who just doesn't want to say his opinion because he isn't head strong enough to say anything.

Tagliero, Ashley - Melancholy Death of Oyster Boy

In Melancholy Death of Oyster Boy, Tim Burton reoccurring theme in all his movies are all portrayed in this book. The poems are about unwanted, isolation, different vs normal, and judgmental society

            From the moment Oyster Boy was born he is rejected. He was not what the parent had in their minds about a child, they had their own idea of what they wanted and it wasn’t oyster boy. His personality wasn’t different but, his physical appearance was. Hid parents never gave him a chance to even get to know him because they didn’t think him of his own. “they just called him Sam or sometimes, that think that looks like a claim.” The parents don’t even give Sam a chance to love him. The concept of the parents not wanting their child from birth is just like in Batman returns. When the penguin was unwanted because he was a mutant. Time burton reflect on his past where he himself didn’t even relate to his own parents at all so he moved in with his grandparents. So this is the reflection of parents not wanting their children at all.

            Tim Burton also plays with the idea of image, of what we see and responsed with a response with the mutant faces in all his movies; the joker, beetleguesse, Edward scissorhands, and the penguin. The image of how you look is something in

our society as a whole. You must always have the “image” for what ever you do. When you see someone wearing Prada shoes, Prada jacket with a Chanel dress. You just them on who they are as a person as you first impression. You might not try to but you do unconsicously. Until you get to know them and you say (or think) “They were not what I thought they would be ilke.” How the mom and dad of oyster boy take one look at him and don’t even give him a chance as his some because he isn’t what they want him to look like. Being misunderstood and rejected is mainly what he is trying to say.

            The ending of oyster boy really puzzled me. Why would the father devour his son. He devouring his son reminded me of the painting Saturn devouring his son by Francisco Goya. Even thought the story is different because of the greek myth of Titan Cronus fearing his son would overthrow him so he is eaten at birth. The story doesn’t  match but, the pure image of someone killing their won son is just so dark and heart breaking it captures your attention. Time Burton was doing the same thing with this poem and trying to get our attention and to really grab of attention to focus on this particular poem of the book. Not just because its title of the book. 

           Through imagery and story line Time burton shows his re-occuring themes of unwanted characters, isolation, different vs. normal, and judgmental society we live in. 

Tagliero, Ashley Blog 3 Batman Returns

Tagliero, Ashley

Blog 3

            

Before Catwoman becomes Catwoman she goes threw so much that goes wrong with her life, until Tim burton does what he does best and shows death in the beginning of the movie. He tends to understand the internal turmoil she is in when she becomes Catwoman. She does not know if she is bad or good. When she becomes fiercer and in control of the surroundings around her, she is less passive than before. She tends to be the center of attention always instead of the background.

Bruce Wayne is attracted to Catwoman like that because even though he is Mr. Big shot he stills puts him in the shadows when he is among people. When Catwoman tends to be the center of attention. A scene would be when Catwoman comes back to work and her boss is surprised. When she walks in and meets Bruce Wayne for the first time, she walks in head strong as she starts talking to sits on the table while crossing her legs. She very comfortable being the center of attention and speaking her mind while manipulating the situation as much as can. As she sits there Bruce Wayne seems to be intrigued with her, by the expression on his face. One trait that Bruce is attracted would be her presence in the room and the way she carries herself.  Her worries with if she is a bad person or good and scared of the outcome that she does when she is Catwoman.

While being the center of attention is something she portrays when she is Catwoman and Bruce is Batman, she seems to have another trait that is stronger. Her ability for destructions and her strong want for justice against people who play dirty. She wants a justice very badly that she will do anything to get her point across even go against the law itself. Batman is attracted to her because he himself goes against the law to get the job done but, not go to the extent of working with the villain to finally get her justice, even though it is some part of personal justice.

In the first movie Batman shows that his personal traits that he isn’t a super hero but a human. The scene where he realizes that the Joker killed his parents, batman goes after the joker not just because of his destruction to the city or Vicky vale being captured but, also with the want for pure revenge. In the second movie it is switched over to Catwoman. Where she goes after her boss and his new energy plant. Catwoman goes after him not just because he is taking energy out of the city, while slurring toxic waste everywhere. As well Catwoman goes after with the revenge of him trying to threaten her and killing her.

His attraction for her is not just because they are similar but, also she tends to go one step further than what batman did. She is the outlaw that seems to be being reckless but, she has a secret agenda behind it all.

Tagliero-Batman

Tagliero-Batman

  In the film Batman, Joker is protrayed and is the trickster. His chararistics of a trickster are shown in the movie. His dark nature is conterdicted by his flamboyant clothes and makeup. In the movie he tends to want to unmask the citizens of Gotham for who they are and what they have dont. He looks to bring out the untamed side of people, as he unmasks there true identity or trys to. His sexual impulsive nature is almost animal-like as he tries to go after the leading lady. He claims to want to show that his behavior has no consequences while doing this he tries to break free of the prison that he has been trying to get out of.

      As Gotham City is already a dark,isoslated, crowded, dirty, unsafe place to live in. The joker is always protrayed as if he was in a prison. Always behind a TV screen, or in one, or protrayed in one dark crapped room. His way of wanting to cause destruction in the city is a result of his oppression that the city brought upon him. He felt trapped by the city and all he wanted to do was get out of it. He wanted to break free of it all but, at the same time be loved by others and wanting the attention that he thinks he deserves. The joker does not just nmake his own way through the movie. He tries to break the daily life of the gotham people. Such as when the new is on he gets peoples attention by what he is about to do to all of them. He wants to unmask the people who hingd behind the daily products they use and a plus will be killing them. Ash the city of Gotham is in shock by the terror that he is trying to protray on people.
   
     In the scene of the parade many things are being protrayed. As the joker wants so calls comes in peace. by throwing a parade he lurs out the people who think that they money will be sipursed. As it is dispursed. The joker protrays how every man for himself. He brings out the parade to distract the poeple of what he is actually planning to do and it is to kill him. The joker tries to bring the animal out of everyone and the first impulse of everyone while he tries to break away from uniform.

Tagliero-Beetlejuice

         In American Culture death is usually a scary aspect of life. Most Americans shy away from it because of the unknown. Most people don't know what happens after death so usually don't like the fact of death. In one scene of Beetlejuice. While the mother who was the interior decorator didn’t see anything but, the interior decorator said “what’s that?” That scene shows was a how we as Americans ignore the signs of death. I think as Americans we ignore the sign of the death because it is unknown to us. We don’t know what happens to you after you die? That’s what Tim Burton portrayed in the movie. He sort of made fun of death in a cruel sort of way to make it easier to watch a movie about people who are dead. He makes fun of it by the having a case worker as you die and a manual for the recently dead.

            As shown in Beetlejuice the idea of death is more of a joke, yes maybe he was trying to make it funny so that people won’t be turned off about the idea of death. The idea of joking about death is shunned by Americans because if you even joke about it or say it in a positive way, eloped usually say “why would you say something like that?” Or we whisper to each other when saying someone has died (saying died in a whisper tone of voice). It is so embedded in our nature as Americans to not even talk about someone when they are dead. They died that’s it, move on with your daily life’s.

An example of that was when the daughter went to go talk to the realtor about who lived in the house. She said “oh it was very tragic, they were very close to me. By the way can you give my card to your father, I did the whole interior decorating of that house. if he needs any help.” She just brushed over the topic, didn’t want to go into detail and dint want to say much about it.

The anathema for death in American culture is cause by the fact that we have been a costumed to using death as a form of punishment. We are seen as it being a sort of punishment than a way of life because as Americans we use the death row as one of our methods of punishment. Death is portrayed as punishment not the way of life in most Americans minds.