Tim Burton: Postmodern Fantasy Meets Modern Ingenuity

When we look back at the past few decades of filmmaking there is one voice that stands out among the rest, the voice of Postmodernism. From Taxi Driver to Terminator and beyond we are enveloped in a constant barrage of postmodern films characterized by the revisiting of old genres in different contexts. It is no surprise that the idea of the "failure of the new" is so prominent among our society today. We are a media consuming people whom after years of Television, Radio, Film, the Web, and all our many media resources have become accustomed to and expectant of certain characteristics that define each of these mediums. Beyond this, however, we have developed specific tastes for and understandings of what defines the narrative film as a whole and the genres that have inundated the silver screen throughout the past century. We have been to the depths of the narrative's soul and resurfaced into a world where there is essentially nothing new, nothing innovative, nothing defining, only the revision and redefinition of the classical ideals. In a similar manner there are no hidden tools with which a Director can forge new ground in filmmaking. D.W. Griffith defined the classical narrative styles of long-shot, medium-shot, close-up as well as parallel editing, Orson Welles defined camera movement and deep focus cinematography, and George Lucas opened the door for complex special effects. These are only a few of the defining moments in the history of the Narrative Film, yet combined with other leaps and bounds in film production have left no room for uniqueness. Filmmakers can only draw upon classical techniques when they step up to the celluloid canvas. For the most part the Modernism of the past has drifted away and left us with a hollow core. There are, however, still directors that manage to breach the postmodern cycle and ingeniously touch upon classical Modernism. Tim Burton is one of the exceptional Directors whom define Postmodernism with a hint of Modernism. He accomplishes this through the use of Modern ideals, values, and characteristics in contrast to the dark Post modernistic style and tone of his films. In order to understand this brilliant contrast we must first touch upon the themes and style of Tim Burton.

Tim Burton is that he has a strange obsession with the macabre and the supernatural. Many of his films portray a dark and dreary world overtaken, uprooted, or infiltrated by death or supernatural phenomena such as ghosts, witches, extra terrestrials, or anything strange and unusual. This abstract worldview is often enhanced by his cartoonish (yet brilliant) use of color, the use of unusual structures such as castles, mansions, and windmills, as well as the utilization of oblique high and low angle shots that enhance the mise-en-scene. After setting the stage of the cruel, dark world Tim Burton takes characters that are generally naïve outsiders (in one way or another) and throws them to the wolves, so to speak, in which they endure an embrace/shun cycle in the community. This fish-out-of-water approach is usually carried out in a small town community, while at the same time challenging the conventions and ideals of big city infestation in which the evils of suburban living are far more terrifying and almost insuperable. This is where Modernism meets Postmodernism, because the main character or characters are not merely one of the average population, they retain uniqueness and mysteriousness, while the culture and atmosphere within which they interact remains very much Postmodern. Another of Burton's endearing Modernistic traits lies in his partialness to the subjectivity of narrative in his films. He draws upon all facets of his life to create a pastiche and offer a window into his soul, which give his films an unprecedented personal touch. In this manner his films often include animation, being that he started out as an animator and other elements from his life such as a childhood love of cemeteries, horror films, the circus and clowns, and classic macabre actors such as Vincent Price. Tim Burton also adds a postmodern yet unique touch of nostalgia to his films, however his idea of nostalgia is not merely a glimpse into the past but more a reminiscence upon his biographical past and his views, interests, and obsessions. Along with this postmodern nostalgia Burton includes a curiosity toward technology and the inner workings of mechanical components and other gadgets. These are only a few examples of the style and themes that permeate the cinema of Tim Burton, however, in order to grasp these concepts we must analyze the use of these characteristics in his films; specifically Beetlejuice, Batman, and Edward Scissorhands.

In 1988 Tim Burton's film Beetlejuice hit theaters and was almost an instant blockbuster and although it was only Burton's second film it was characterized by his eminent visualistic and narrative style, in essence laying the foundation for what he would become famous for. This postmodern black comedy set in small town America tells the story of a "recently deceased" couple disturbed in the haunting of their house by a snobbish big city family intent on redecorating and unintentionally redefining their living reality. In the film Adam and Barbara, the recently deceased, are subjected to the postmodernistic cruel world when a car accident sends them plummeting to their death at a young age. To make matters worse they then become outsiders in the underworld whom are faced with the task of living out 125 years as roaming spirits confined to the area of their home. Their peace is then disrupted by the Deets family who has purchased the home and is making it theirs. This dilemma represents the postmodern characteristic of unfreedom; being stuck in a situation which they have no control over. Adam and Barbara seek help and ultimately unleash a ghostly menace, Beetleguese, who causes mayhem and mass hysteria in the home for all parties involved. After much trouble they manage to rid themselves of the self proclaimed "ghost with the most" and work out a way to live in harmony in the home. Although this brief synopsis doesn't give the jest of the film it begins to help illustrate the postmodernism involved, but it goes beyond this simple story of a supernatural haunting. The abstract world that is created by Burton is characterized by a sort of comic book feel in which an exuberant mix of slapstick horror and social satire lay the foundation of the narrative. It becomes in essence a circus of sorts portrayed in both the real world and the world of the dead that repeats itself in a cyclical manner. For example in one scene movers and decorators frolic about as Delia Deets plots her renovation of the newly purchased home; while at the same time Adam and Barbara carryout a number of grotesque gags aimed at scaring the family away, such as holding a bloody severed head and hanging on a noose attached to a clothes hanger, they are however unsuccessful. Burton adds his modernistic touch through the use of the unique and subjective characters and claymation that add depth to the film, while giving us a look into his reality. In Adam and Barbara there is a dualism of narrative form in that when alive they were just another number in the universe, yet in death they are unique and a topic of interest to the oblivious world of the living. There is however another exceptional character, Lydia Deets, the young daughter whom is an outsider in the world of the living and able to communicate with the world of the dead because she is "strange and unusual." In contrast to these unusual protagonists there lies an equally unique antagonist in Beetlegeuse; a corrupt and perverted underworld outcast who makes a living through bullying the living. It is the uniqueness of these characters combined with the postmodern ideals that make the film so ingenious, unconventional in structure, and ultimately successful. However it would be his next film Batman that skyrocketed him to stardom.

It was 1989 when Burton stepped up to the plate to immortalize the classic comic book hero. Discarding the conventions of the 1960's TV series Burton's Batman became a hip, postmodern, noir that tackles the contemporary psyche. In the film Batman represents the outsider in the story-a man who, after watching his parent's murder, has separated himself from society and is dedicated to single handedly stopping the criminals of the city. Even in his normal guise as Bruce Wayne, he is presented as a person detached from the rest of society. Batman is a mixed-up human, who has no super power and is forced to use an assortment of gadgets such as grappling hooks and wires to get around the rooftops. Yet Batman is dedicated to his cause of ensuring that what happened to him will never happen to anyone else. Batman's vice, Jack Napier or the Joker, is the representation of pure evil whom takes pleasure in killing and all manner of criminal activities. In contrasting these two main characters an interesting premise is reached, they are in essence the same; they are both products of a filthy Gotham City environment and eccentricities of that society with only one distinction, one is good and one is evil. This dark world, or society that plagues the streets of Gotham City, represents something that the average viewer can relate to and Burton uses the tall, dark gothic architecture to draw the viewer into the world of crime and vengeance in which Batman resides. In this bleak postmodern fantasy world it is only the whole-hearted and passionate humanistic optimism and belief in change that gives Batman a unique modernistic persona (which is unfortunately drowned out by his postmodern fixation upon technology and use of violence as a means of bringing about this change). Among this intricate and complicated plot Burton was able to interject a certain amount of style in essence recreating a feature length live-action comic book, if you will, which once again draws upon slapstick gags, with a dark and morbid twist, as well as an animated feel that stretches his roots as an artist. Although Batman is considered to be his least personal film he managed to leave behind his distinct signature and set the standard for all comic book films in the future.

It was 1990 when Tim Burton released his definitive film Edward Scissorhands, an abstract tale of a lonely freakish being pieced together by an inventor who is uprooted and submerged in a local small town community. When local housewife and Avon representative Peg stumbles upon an old mansion in the neighborhood she decides to investigate. What she finds inside is Edward, a deformed adolescent with scissorhands and a scarred face, hiding in the shadows Peg recoils in shock. But upon hearing Edward's childlike voice pleading with her not to go, Peg decides to help Edward and brings him home to live with her. This initial awkward encounter is a precursor to the entire fish-out-of-water narrative of the film. Significantly, Peg's failure to cure Edward's scars with the help of Avon products can be seen as a bittersweet foreshadowing of her inability to cure Edward of his status as outsider by taking him into town. The town initially embraces Edward until a series of mishaps lead them to shun him and see him as a threat; where Peg sees a harmless little boy with no hands and facial scars, the rest of the town see a freak with scissorhands. Edward Scissorhands is a fairy tale of the outsider; with his strange hair, pale complexion, imploring eyes and pruning-shear hands, Edward is the king of freaks-a walking sight gag (and a triumph of visual design) carved out of the junk culture.
Edward represents, among other things, a childlike sense of wonder, an adolescent's clumsiness and someone who longs to touch others without hurting them. In this manner Edward Scissorhands is a demented love story characterized by a cruel world which has taken away Edward's "Father" the inventor as well as his chances at a normal life in society and even his ability to love someone or be loved by someone. Tim Burton so eloquently portrays the loneliness and sorrow of poor Edward through recurrent flashback scenes brought on by deja-vu type situations and at critical emotional moments. This film is in essence a modernistic emotional rollercoaster ride which provides optimism and hope throughout which comes crashing down when the enchantment of the postmodern society toward the outsider, Edward, is uncontrollably destroyed; and just when we think that Edward will accomplish his goal of loving and being loved there is a smug realization of the impossibility which leads to the climactic ending plagued by Edward's angry and violent lashing out against the world he was previously oblivious to. The film's final images-of Edward, alone in his fortress of solitude, sculpting ice figures for companionship while scissor-fingered snowflakes miraculously float down onto the sleeping suburb beneath suggests that the evils of suburban living are far more terrifying and influential than anything a simple mad scientist could create. This film is truly a poetic narrative about the cruelty of the postmodern world.

Beetlejuice, Batman, and Edward Scissorhands illustrate the distinctive style of Tim Burton and its characteristic and unconventional modernism meets postmodernism theme that continues to draw people to his films. These are the very traits that have made him the superstar Director and popular culture icon that he is today and will continue to inspire future generations. There is no one that can match his ingenious style and visualistic capacity. All future filmmakers can hope to do is capture a little bit of that essence that is Tim Burton and apply it to their own postmodern pastiche that will come to define them. But one thing is for sure, there is no confusion nor ever will be as to what defines Tim Burton's style nor any question as to the origin of a Tim Burton Film; his legacy will live on forever much like the past legacies that inspired him to greatness.

Bibliography

Belton, John. American Cinema / American Culture. New York: McGraw-Hill, 1994.

Jack Kroll, "The Joker Is Wild, But Batman Carries The Night" Newsweek, 06.26.1989

Kenneth Turan, "Mars Attacks!': Tim Burton's 'Plan 9" The Los Angeles Times, 12.13.1996

Mark Salisbury, "The American Nightmare" http://www.chico.mweb.co.za/mg/art/film/0005/000504-sleepyhollow.html

Asim Ratan Ghosh, "Post-Modernism And Cinema" http://www.geocities.com/postmodernismandcinema/pmincin.html

Ben Andac, "Tim Burton" http://www.sensesofcinema.com/contents/directors/03/burton.html