Top 5 movie moments from Tim Burton films
Tim Burton is a director with a knack for imagination and a penchant for German expressionism. He has made such films as Sweeney Todd, Sleepy Hollow, Edward Scissorhands, and Batman.
Burton was born and grew up in Burbank, California, and began to make stop-motion short films in his neighborhood. He was later accepted into the California Institute of the Arts, where he made the short film Stalk of the Celery Monster.
His craftsmanship at directing has been a gift for viewers young and old, and in preparation for his new series, Wednesday, premiering on Netflix this year, it’s time to take a look at the five best moments from Tim Burton’s movies.
Note: This article reflects the author’s opinions.
Five great moments that are quintessential Tim Burton
5) Switching heads
Burton has always pulled various stunts and gags, but this may seem like his craziest ever. In the film, Nathalie Lake (Sarah Jessica Parker) and her dog Poppy are abducted by a group of Martians and experimented upon.
The alien life forms decide to swap Lake and her dog’s heads. To her shock, Lake witnessed her dog’s head atop her body and vice versa. Creepy and campy, this sequence is classic Burton.
4) ‘Sweeney Todd’ has an epiphany
Johnny Depp is known for playing a series of fascinating characters with a wide range. However, in Sweeney Todd, he portrays a murderous, vengeful barber on a killing spree.
Todd was inches away from finally killing the judge that had him shipped off and deported on a false charge but was interrupted by the sailor Anthony. As a result, Todd quickly snaps and believes that all people are deserving of a quick death.
The scene quickly cuts to Todd in the streets of London making threats at men, though none of the people pay him any mind. The sequence causes him to become distraught as he only finds peace and solace in his razors.
3) Batman kills Joker
Burton brings his dark nature into the superhero genre and makes the brilliant decision of casting Jack Nicholson as Joker. In the scene, it seems that the villain has gotten the upper hand on the Caped Crusader as he boards his helicopter and attempts to fly away. However, Batman grapples Joker’s leg, shackling him to a nearby gargoyle.
It ends with the clown prince of crime plummeting to his demise. What’s super creepy about the scene is that Joker lands on the concrete with a smile on his face as the sound of laughter can be heard emerging from his suit.
2) Edward Scissorhands
Burton has given us superhero films and comedic horror, but this is the first time he has made something of a fairy tale with a modern twist. The audience is first introduced to Johnny Depp’s Scissorhands when an Avon saleswoman, Peg Boggs (Dianne Wiest), decides to try and sell her product at what looks like an abandoned castle in the middle of what looks like Burbank, California.
She goes into the glorious castle where she finds Edward Scissorhands alone, and the woman offers to take him home. Scissorhands is sweet and harmless and proves himself to be a loyal person seeking companionship.
1) Meeting Beetlejuice
Michael Keaton has been a long-time collaborator of Tim Burton. A couple, who recently died in a terrible car accident, see their ghosts float around in their house when another group of people moves in. Afterward, they hire Beetlejuice, a zany, carefree exorcist, to scare the new arrivals away.
Keaton’s introduction as the character is something both noteworthy and pretentious in his portrayal of the crude exorcist.
Note: This article reflects the author’s views.
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Ravi Iyer