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Literary criticism alice in wonderland
Literary criticism alice in wonderland
Critical analysis of Alice in Wonderland
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“A lot of things you see as a child remain with you...You spend a lot of your life trying to recapture the experience.” These are the words of Tim Burton, a successful movie director--however, him saying this causes people to wonder what Tim Burton had gone through during his childhood, in order for him to come up with his sarcastically dark stylistic movies. For over 30 years, director Tim Burton has been creating movies that are significantly different from others in terms of its stylistic choices, portraying his style effectively to the audience. They range from comic science fiction film like Mars Attacks! to a gothic horror film such as Sleepy Hollow, including a wide range of genre. However, in all his movies, we can see that Tim Burton’s …show more content…
To illustrate, in Alice in Wonderland, through the scene when Alice has found herself trapped in the small room trying to fit through the small door that leads to wonderland, low key lighting is used. Here, Alice seems nervous, and is struggling to get through the small door by eating cakes and drinking liquids that make her bigger or smaller. The low key lighting, or the flooded shadows and darkness used in this scene creates an overall gloomy atmosphere. (Alice) Use of lighting here plays an extremely important role in creating the grim mood Burton endeavored to portray. Therefore, this distinctive mood conveyed through low key lighting is efficiently juxtaposed to the scenes that follow, which are more wondrous and dazzling. Subsequently, succeeding the scenes where Alice was on the dark room, when Alice finally is able to open the door to Wonderland, the scene shifts into high key lighting--creating a stunning and sensational aura, differing from the grim and gloomy atmosphere created before. Here, Alice finally enters Wonderland after struggling to open the tiny door, and is amazed and dazed by the magnificence of the place she found herself in. The bright and open looking scene flooded with light helps add to the wondrous environment. (Alice) Aside from shots or the use of sounds, the high key lighting strengthens the overall focal mood for this particular scene; as a result, the two different back to back scenes are able to be juxtaposed because of its two contradistinctive moods--gloomy to wondrous. All in all, Burton’s effective use of different lightings play another major role in juxtaposing two scenes together by creating two contrasting moods; in the meantime enhancing the plot and appealing to the audience's emotions and knowledge of the
Individuality is rejection, whether it be a rejection of society or a rejection by society. Burton explores the consequences that can derive from rejection and how appearances may differ from reality. The work of Tim Burton consists of a unique style unlike any other. Not only do his films convey his ideas of individuality to the audience, they are done in a distinctive Burton way. Burton’s style of the formal elements of German Expressionism, gothic horror, and unique characters allow him to convey his ideas.
In the movie Edward Scissorhands, a lot of different cinematic techniques are used. This movie mostly focuses on lighting, usually using darker low-key lighting throughout most of the film to create a darker, creepy tone. Low-key lighting is used mostly in scenes with Edward scissorhands in them, not as much with the girl. A good example of these low-key lighting scenes are the beginning ones, when the girl first enters Edward’s castle. The atmosphere inside is dark and creepy, adding to the already mysterious and dark tone of the movie. Another example of a scene with low-key lighting is the very beginning of the credits screen. The words are displayed in white with the rest of the background as a dark and evil setting. This already gives
The director Tim Burton uses colors to create a happy mood during the scenes in the movie Edward Scissorhands. He portrays the neighborhood and all the people that live there in bright pastel colors which gives off a happy feeling. These bright colors give off the impression that everything is picture-perfect and everyone is content. The whole neighborhood is unchanging and routine. Throughout the movie Burton shows the men have left for work at the same time every day and everything is a lively color. When Edward arrives, he is dressed in all black and is
Tim Burton is a creative director when he directs gothic movies. This essay talks about the cinematic techniques that Burton uses in the movies, Edward Scissorhands, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, and Alice in Wonderland. Tim Burton uses shots and framing, sound, and lighting, to make a dark and gothic movies. He tries to make you feel a special way, in a certain scene, in his movies, by his different techniques.
In conclusion, by using the production elements of both allusion and symbolism; director Tim Burton has created the film in such a manner by making deliberate choices in order to invite a certain response. The film is constructed and given greater depth through the allusion to elements from other genres and ridicules the suburbia’s materialism and lack of imagination, which in turn enhances the invited response.
Tim Burton, in Edward Scissorhands, uses high key and low key lighting. For example, Peg’s town is flooded with high key lighting in order to make the outside seem joyful and peaceful. The outside may look cheery and bring, but most of the people living there were not the most pleasant people. The women gossip and create rumors; the men are rude and conceited. He used low key lighting in order to make the audience feel anxious about the upcoming events. An example would be when Peg walked up to the top floor of the mansion and noticed that someone was sitting in the corner. Edward’s shadow may have given him a frightening appearance, as he is a ‘man’ with scissors for hands. But Edward was a kind and caring gentleman. In conclusion, he used reverse lighting to add an irreplaceable, distinctive quality to his movies.
Burton’s film Sleepy Hollow is one of the most recognizable examples of modern expressionism that takes inspiration from German films of the twenties. Many of the characteristics associated with German Expressionism are utilized in this movie. It shares the same thematics as many German Expressionist films. In the film the use of abstract sets and lighting is crucial to the tone of the film.
Lighting is one of the most important cinematic technique Burton use to create different types of mood. He uses couple types of lighting such as high key lighting, low key lighting and also the side lighting in order to create positive emotion, negative emotion and contrast between brightness and darkness. For example in “Edward Scissorhands” he uses high key lighting in town where everyone lives to emphasize happiness or positive atmosphere. In contrast, Edward’s house where he used to
For example, in Charlie and the Chocolate Factory (2005) Burton implements dim lighting during meaningful moments and bright lighting during more vibrant moments. This effectively conveys the tone set for the scene and maintains a clear balance in the scene. This helps the audience clearly understand the scene’s characteristics and its meaning to the film. Similarly, in Edward Scissorhands (1990) Burton utilizes lighting to set contrast between the characters. The superficial town is set in a bright, sunny setting, however, the lives the characters lead are quite the opposite of bright. These individuals spend their free time judging others and have no individuality whatsoever. Furthermore, Edward, one of the only characters who is kindhearted, is portrayed in dull, dark lighting. The lighting contrasts with his sweet personality to emphasize who is accepted and who is not. This contrast helps the audience understand the contradicting worlds of Edward and the frivolous town. In addition, in Big Eyes (2014) Burton implements lighting to show the slow transition of Margaret Keane’s life. The lighting depicts the dulling of her life as she faces troubles in her life. The use of lighting here helps the audience see the clear transition in Margaret Keane's life and clearly understand the conflict in her life. Similarly, Burton utilizes lighting in his films
A person does not usually pay attention to cinematic techniques used in a film because one does not think of the details in the movie. These details are a key part in creating the mood and tone. Tim Burton uses similar techniques in his movies to create a suspenseful mood. Many instances of low key lighting were used to create a suspenseful mood. Along with low key lighting, low and high camera angles were used to show authority and importance. Lastly, non-diegetic sound was used to create a dramatic effect while still making the mood suspenseful.
In Alice in Wonderland, high key lighting is used at the White Queens castle. This is supposed to show that the White Queen is pure and good. In contrast, the Red Queen’s castle has a lot of shadows and darkness, causing the audience to think that she is evil and dangerous. This dramatic change helps us know which one is good and which one is evil. The scene when Alice goes to the White Queen’s castle for help, the audience can infer that Alice and the White Queen want to get rid of the Red Queen. This scene shows that Alice can’t kill the jabberwocky and destroy the Red Queen without the support and comfort from her new friends. In comparison, in Charlie in the Chocolate Factory Burton uses high key lighting when Wonka tells Charlie that he is the new owner of the world-famous Wonka Factory. Though there is a catch, his family cannot come with him to live in the factory. As much as Charlie would love to live in a chocolate wonderland, his family is more important than chocolate. This shows that Charlie is loves and respects
Indisputably, Tim Burton has one of the world’s most distinct styles when regarding film directing. His tone, mood, diction, imagery, organization, syntax, and point of view within his films sets him apart from other renowned directors. Burton’s style can be easily depicted in two of his most highly esteemed and critically acclaimed films, Edward Scissorhands and Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. Burton ingeniously incorporates effective cinematic techniques to convey a poignant underlying message to the audience. Such cinematic techniques are in the lighting and editing technique categories. High key and low key relationships plus editing variations evinces the director’s elaborate style. He utilizes these cinematic techniques to establish tone mood, and imagery in the films.
Tim Burton reflects on his childhood while making the majority of his popular films, filled with both loneliness and despair. The widely known director might seem a bit unique in the least; however his works are extremely relatable to the majority of society. Everyone has felt the sting of extreme abandonment that is illustrated in these wondrous films and that is what makes them so compelling and thought provoking. Burton makes these topics accessible by illustrating the universal truth that the loneliest people are often the most kindhearted through the use of techniques such as flashback, long shot, and low key lighting.
Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, Big Fish, and Edward Scissorhands are all flooded with the magical elements of camera angles, lighting, and non-diegetic sound to create various moods, allowing the audience to enter life in the eyes of Tim Burton. The films would not be able to achieve the desired effect on the audience without Burton’s delivery of these powerful techniques. Burton’s mastery in the art of storytelling through film definitely rewards him the the title, “Burton the Wonder Wizard of
An advocate of individuality, director Tim Burton says, “One person’s craziness is another person’s reality.” Growing up rather socially inept, the director has always found joy in movies and animation. After graduating from the California Institute of the Arts, he worked for Disney for a year, then left and created his own film production company. Although critics tend to label him as grotesque, his creations often comfort today’s recluses. In his films Edward Scissorhands, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, and Alice in Wonderland, Director Tim Burton portrays the idea that one’s mind-set, not the circumstances, determine their happiness. This notion develops through style characteristics such as protagonists who use their disabilities to