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Edward scissorhands essay introduction
Social issues in edward scissorhands
Edward scissorhands essay introduction
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Over the course of the twenty-first century, certain artists influenced the genres of filmmaking. Tim Burton, a producer, director, screenwriter, and author, known for his distinctive style of horror and fantasy blended with reality, created two of the most critically acclaimed films in our generation. His creative style even led to the invention of a new word, "Burtonesque" (Renee). Known for illustrating stories with an eccentric or gothic twist, such as his reinterpretation of Roald Dahl's Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, and Edward Scissorhands, he manipulates various literary and cinematic techniques to display his perspective of fantasy, typically emphasizing the negative elements (Sudhakaran). The films he produces visualize stories …show more content…
For example, red possibly represents anger, passion, and love, and blue represents sadness, serenity, and despair (“Color Meanings, Color Symbolism, Meaning of Colors"). Over the course of his career, Burton masters the art of manipulating cool and warm color tones to construct a color palette, and when combined with the appearances of objects or characters, plays a large role in conveying the mood of a particular scene (“Color and the Look of a Film – Visual Analysis"). The opening credits of the movie Edward Scissorhands use a navy blue and black color scheme to form the gothic/dark mood of the film (Burton). The characterization of the title character consists of tight, black leather clothes with straps, a pale face with scars and cuts, tangled, messy black hair, a taciturn personality, and signature scissors for hands (Burton, Edward Scissorhands). This appearance gives an impression of a gothic oddity. When seen by the other characters who characterize as quite the opposite of Edward: cheerful personalities and bright, pastel-colored clothes, they group together and debate reporting him to the authorities as their initial reaction. Burton juxtaposes the community in his movie with modern society; in modern society, the bright and happy citizens usually stereotype as the kind and harmless people and the outcasts stereotype as dangerous and threats to the …show more content…
Tim Burton utilized these cinematic and theatrical techniques to bring atypical characters into the spotlight of his movies. These characters move us, enthrall the moviegoers, and inspires the audience to root for the underdogs, which Burton typically casts as the main characters. Extraordinary visual effects and shot angles bring the characters to life and show their strengths and weaknesses. Burton uses lighting to highlight fantasy and reality, music to kindle the audience's emotions, and flashbacks to provide missing information. He applies these cinematic techniques so well that the fictional stories actually resemble modern society and the audience relates to the characters. The unique visuals in Edward Scissorhands demonstrate how society perceives the "normal" residents as amiable and accepting and regards those outside the established social norms as "strange" or "dangerous," yet the movie shows the exact opposite. Different lighting techniques elucidate Charlie and the Chocolate Factory's theme of people braving challenges in society eventually earning their paradise and those living in comfort facing their version of hell. Manipulating the timeline in Edward Scissorhands and Charlie and the Chocolate Factory allows Burton to convey how the characters' (specifically Edward and Willy Wonka) tragic upbringings created the
Edward Scissorhands is a film written and directed by Tim Burton and Caroline Thompson. It tells the story of an outsider with scissors for hands trying to fit in to an unknown society that judges based on appearance. The film explains how in most societies if you do not act the norm as everyone else you will be rejected and frond upon. I believe that like in the film people nowadays people are less likely to express individuality and would rather conform to a group than feel like an outcast. Through the films elements that the director uses I will focus on the colors, costumes and sound of the film that show the differences of an outsider.
People are constantly being judged and pressured to change to fit society’s standards. In Tim Burton films, there is always one character that does not fit the mold. These outcast characters in the movies Charlie and The Chocolate Factory and Edward Scissorhands are strange and isolated from the world. Despite the outcast’s difficulties, misfit characters like Edward and Wonka go on to be the hero of the story. Therefore, Burton uses many different cinematic techniques to illustrate that one does not need to conform to society in order to have a happy and successful life.
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.
Using the production elements of symbolism; especially hands themselves, and the use of allusion to elements from other genres; particularly those from fairytale and gothic romance/horror films, Tim Burton has directed the film in such a manner to illustrate, emphasise and ridicule the materialism and lack of imagination of society. The film however, is prominently a satire which has certain elements from fairytale, comedy and horror genres. Through the choices made by the director, the audience is invited to become aware of the inhumanity present in the way society functions, especially in its prejudiced treatment towards people who do not conform. The use of allusion in Edward Scissorhands is one of the most important choices in production that has been made by director Tim Burton. In order to fully appreciate and understand the plot, the movie is dependant on the audience being able to recognise certain references and elements emulated from other films.
An example of juxtaposition in Edward Scissorhands was the dark, evil mansion and the colorful neighborhood. Another is Kim’s white dress and Ed’s Black outfit. Jim was the opposite of Ed because he was evil and cunning and Ed is nice and innocent. All these examples show how Tim Burton used Juxtaposition to show the differences of people and
Charlie and The Chocolate Factory (2005), Edward Scissorhands (1990), Big Eyes (2014), and Frankenweenie (2012) are just a few titles out of the many films Tim Burton has directed. Tim Burton is an American director, producer, illustrator, writer and animator. Tim Burton was born on August 25, 1958 in Burbank, California. Growing up, Burton felt quite alone and felt as if he was a misfit. Many of Burton’s childhood thoughts and circumstances pose as the inspiration for certain themes and events portrayed in his films. Within these films, Burton effectively communicates his sinister and uncanny style through many cinematic and stylistic techniques. By utilizing lighting, sound, camera movements and shots, Burton creates compelling and meaningful
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, a director of numerous successful films, takes you through many stories of unique characters. Although, despite their differences, one still could point out similarities throughout each movie. This is caused by Tim Burton’s cinematic style. This specific style is influenced by his favorite childhood author, Dr. Seuss. Tim Burton uses lighting, camera movements, and editing to build a suspenseful but also calming mood all at once. Burton attempts to convey the contrasting message of darkness mixed within innocence throughout each of his films.
“One person's craziness is another person's reality.” –Tim Burton. A well respected director Tim Burton has always been known for the ability to send a strong universal message. In one of his most widespread movie, Edward Scissor Hands he reveals his true potential as a filmmaker to show how society can treat an outsider. Edward Scissor Hands Charlie and the Chocolate Factory and many more of his creations, Tim Burton uses lighting, and camera movements to depict a unique gothic cinematic experience. The appearance of a person is only an illusion, the inside is the truth of someone.
On August 25, 1958, Timothy Walter Burton was born (“Biography”). Burton had a painful childhood in which the relationship with his parents and brother was nonexistent (Morgenstern). Through his intense feeling of isolation, his visual talent began to develop. The comfort found in hobbies such as writing and drawing led him to attend the California Institute of the Arts which led him to his first job in any artistic field at the Disney Animation Studios (“Biography”). Burton has since been referred to as one of the most visually gifted writers, artists, and filmmakers that America has seen (Hanke). His short stories, poems, and film scripts are centered on an inner darkness which he has been slowly acquiring since his childhood. He throws himself into everything he writes and makes even the simplest characters have a deep, complex meaning. His famous darkness and symbolism is shown in his book The Melancholy Death of Oyster Boy and Other Stories. The book contains a collection of his short stories, poems, and illustrations about a variety of fictional characters that can be compared to Burton and his life. Tim Burton’s home life and previous hardships have made a significant impact on his work. In my paper, I will draw parallels to his life and work as well as prove that there is reasoning and beauty in the way he is.
Tim Burton said in an interview that when he was a kid he would watch all kind of monster movies. “My parents said I started watching those movies before I could even walk.”As a kid he loved horror movies and he liked drawing pictures. He said he did not care what people thought of his drawings and just drew them his own way. His drawings also show his love for horror because they are all unique and creepy looking. Some of his pictures are based on the movies he directed. He started directing at twenty years old. He was very interested in animation. One of his first films was Batman. Most of the films he directed have a gothic horror aspect. I believe since his childhood was all about horror movies, he gained an appreciation for those films and applied his passion in the films he directed. "Vincent Price, Edgar Allan Poe, those monster movies, those spoke to me. You see somebody going through that anguish and that torture –things you identify with –and it acts as a kind of therapy, a release. (Tim Burton 17).”Besides the fact that he watched horror movies, the place where he lived influenced him as well. The dark and light aspects of life have always fascinated Tim Burton, consistently arguing that one cannot exist without the other: ‘life is an incredible jumble of being funny and sad and dramatic and melodramatic and goofy and everything’. During his childhood in suburban Burbank, Burton found the
Lighting and color are used to prove the distinction between individuals. In Edward Scissorhands, low key lighting was used to show the illusion of Edward being in isolation. Through this isolation, Edward did not know his place in society. Isolation created Edward to be displayed as a misfit compared to the rest of society. Burton conveys the fact Edward is a misfit by creating a sense of eeriness which shows he is darker coloring while the rest of society seems brighter. To try to fit into society, Edward tried to satisfy everyone’s desires. However through this trial, he could not help but being himself even if that caused society to frown upon him. Even though society frowned
Director Tim Burton has directed many films. He started out working at Disney, but shortly after he decided to make his own films. He split away from Disney because they wouldn’t let him add the scariness and darkness he has in his films. After he left he created many great films and also developed his own style. He uses many cinematic techniques in his films for example he uses close-up camera angles on symbolic items, he uses music to show foreshadowing, and he uses lighting and color to show mood
Edward Scissorhands, written by Tim Burton, tells the tale of a young man who is lovable, childlike and sensitive, bewildered by the humanity around him, yet is terrifying- someone who has scissors, the deadly weaponry, for hands. Many viewers may read this film as a “Tim Burton” type of fairytale which includes both an alternative aspect and romance. However, through the presentation of mise-en-scene in this film, Burton drives in a much more serious subject of social criticism by establishing two different understandings of life in the movie.
” … an auteur is able to maintain a consistency of style and theme by working against the constraints of the Hollywood mode of production.” – Warren Buckland (2008)