Top 3: Burton’s eclectic approach creates imaginative films

Maddy Behr, Entertainment Editor

January 23, 2025

Tim Burton is a well-known director and screenwriter. Photo via Wikimedia Commons.

Tim Burton is a well-known director and screenwriter whose mind has helped to craft some of the most popular movies of the last few decades.

Known for his macabre, eclectic approach to fantastical and imaginative plots in over 20 feature films, he has compiled an impressive filmography. From the eccentric and unconventional Beetlejuice to the iconic 1989 superhero hit Batman, Burton’s influence is evident in pop culture.

While most of his movies are enjoyable to watch, some are more noteworthy than others.

Top 3: Burton’s eclectic approach creates imaginative films

This movie portrays a fantastic, larger-than-life scenario that is entertaining for viewers. Photo via Walt Disney Productions.

Alice in Wonderland (2010)

While Alice in Wonderland is not an original story, Burton delivers a fantastic adaptation of a classic Disney tale.

The movie follows the curious 19-year-old Alice Kingsleigh, whose life is famously turned upside down when she follows a white rabbit and accidentally falls down its hole. She finds herself in “Wonderland,” where she encounters popular characters such as The Hatter, Cheshire Cat, and The Red Queen.

This movie portrays a fantastic, larger-than-life scenario that is entertaining for viewers. The acting is top-notch, with noteworthy names such as Anne Hathaway, Helena Bonham Carter, and Johnny Depp.

But the movie’s visuals are what make it particularly memorable. All of the different creatures and settings are interesting to look at. The movie shifts between dark and light, depending on what tone the situation is trying to invoke.

Burton’s Alice in Wonderland is a whimsical and strange film that plays on the viewer’s curiosity and imagination, while introducing great characters in a way they hadn’t been seen before.
The movie is dark, but it has a soft center and a good theme. Photo via 20th Century Fox.

Edward Scissorhands (1990)

Almost like a modern fairytale, Edward Scissorhands is a gothic romance fantasy film that takes an unimaginable situation and makes it very real.

As the title suggests, the movie follows Edward, who is an unfinished artificial human with scissors instead of hands. Even with his unusual appearance, he is extremely kind and timid.

Edward is taken in by a suburban family and falls in love with their daughter. Though he is accepted by the town at first, they eventually turn on him despite his harmless nature.

The cinematography of the movie is good, with some great shots of Edward carving ice sculptures or bushes. In the suburban setting, where everything looks the same, Edward can stand out despite his hands.

The movie is dark, as usual for Burton, but it has a soft center and a good theme. It could be a great allegory for not judging a book by its cover or the difficulty of feeling like an outcast.
The film’s animation blends gothic eeriness with enchanting beauty. Photo via Warner Bros. Pictures.

Corpse Bride (2005)

With great animation, developed characters, and a bittersweet tone, Corpse Bride is a typical Burton product. This is the first stop-motion film directed by Burton, but the quality would never reveal his relative inexperience in the genre.

The movie is set in a fictional Victorian town, where Victor and Victoria are set up to be married. But before he can get married, Victor finds himself entangled with Emily, a corpse in a bridal gown, claiming to be Victor’s new wife.

She takes them away to the Land of the Dead, a world where deceased spirits live. Here, Victor figures out his emotions while discovering Emily’s tragic past.

The film’s animation blends gothic eeriness with enchanting beauty. The score, by Danny Elfman, complements the tones brought from the plot and animation.

This movie is especially impressive considering that it is stop-motion animation, as this process involves intricate puppets and a lot of production work.

This is another product by Burton that is familiar in tone and execution, while still being fresh and original.

About the Contributor

Maddy Behr, Entertainment Editor

Maddy Behr is an entertainment editor in her second year for the Purbalite. She can be found listening to music or watching TV with family.

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Top 3: Burton’s eclectic approach creates imaginative films

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