Why I will always admire Tim Burton and his work

Pretty soon, people will be greeted to Tim Burton’s next project entitled Wednesday, which is set to premiere on Netflix November 23rd. With his latest project nearing the horizon, it seems only fitting to look back onto the director’s body–nay– his mountain of work that captured millions of fans and made being goth look cool. 

Tim Burton began his career with Disney, drawing concept art for the company. Although most of his art went unused and he was getting paid to just conceptualize drawings that never materialized, that didn’t stop him from creating such classics in the 1980s like Pee-Wee’s Big Adventure, Beetlejuice, and the Michael Keaton-led superhero film Batman. 

He has made some of the darkest and bloody films while adding his own touch of whimsy to them. His passion for German expressionism and macabre has never wavered and it has honestly only gotten stronger with time. 

I remember when I first saw Beetlejuice on VHS. When I first experienced this cult classic, I thought it was something of a fever dream to have witnessed a live-action movie mix in gothic elements and stop-motion. Of course, everything is différent and distorted when you are young. With that being said, I thought the film was a lot darker and less comedic when I first saw it than now. 

That wasn’t my only experience with Tim Burton’s work. I remember there was a time in summer of 2013, in fact, it was June 28th, 2013 on a Friday, that I saw  clips of Burton’s film Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street. This was the film that made me a Tim Burton and Johnny Depp fanatic. I remember how dark and beautiful the performances and landscape were. I was enthralled by each character and the storyline of vengeance and justice. 

I remember watching a documentary on Tim Burton and he claimed that he grew up as a weirdo and a loner, where people did not like him. Much like his characters, he was an outcast among other people. I can definitely relate with his plight and struggle. 

I remember having my heartstrings tugged when I watched Big Fish, Corpse Bride, and the live-action Disney remake Dumbo. I have never seen a director be so committed to the craft of macabre that he made it part of his entire life. I never felt more comfortable being in my own skin after seeing his work and knowing where he got his inspiration from. 

Tim Burton truly is one of the reasons that I always wanted to be a filmmaker and that feeling has not wavered since.