Assignment 26.1 - Marina

26.1 The Theory of Films

The director I have chosen to write about is Tim Burton, and I will write about how he links to the auteur theory. Tim Burton is well known for using the same actors in many of his films, his main actor being Johnny Depp. Johnny Depp is well known for playing Willy Wonka in Tim Burton’s remake of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, as well as starring in Edward Scissorhands. He has also starred in A Nightmare Before Christmas, The Corpse Bride, Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street, Alice in Wonderland, Alice Through the Looking Glass, Sleepy Hollow and Dark Shadows. All of these films were directed by Tim Burton. Johnny Depp has always played a main role in Tim Burton’s films.
Tim Burton also used Alan Rickman in a lot of his films, and also uses Winona Ryder and Michael Keaton. These three actors would also usually play a main role in films directed by Tim Burton. For example, Michael Keaton played the role of Batman in the 1989 film. Alan Rickman has starred in both Alice in wonderland and Alice through the looking glass, voicing the character of Absolem. Winona Ryder played the role of Lydia Deetz in Tim Burton’s Beetlejuice. Tim Burton uses colours very well to show situations and environments. One example of this can be seen in Tim’s remake of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. In the very first scene we see a very dark, grim, cold town in the UK. Apart from the snow, we can tell it’s a grim area through the use of all the dark colours, especially on the buildings. However later on in the film we see inside the chocolate factory, Tim Burton uses a range of vibrant colours, to trigger the audiences’ imagination. You can also use the same film for evidence of special effects. The Oompa Loompas' in the film are all played by one actor, and the actor has been superimposed into the film.

In most of his films, Tim Burton uses a birds-eye camera shot, typically one of the first shots to open the film, and introduce the audience to the setting.

 

       Oompa Loompas superimposed into the film

Outside the Factory, grim colours to show what                                  
it is like to be living there.

Inside the factory, a happy place, portrayed by
the use of various bright, vivid colours.


Tim Burton was often influenced by the dreams he had as a child, and how they changed as they grew up. He also used drawings that he made to influence his films, as his drawings often represented the feelings he had as a child. Tim Burton said his drawings represent his feelings of loneliness and feeling like a monster. His drawing have been illustrated and included into some of his films. For example his film Frankenweenie. This film features voiceovers from actors including Winona Ryder, Catherine O'Hara and Martin Short.

Tim Burtons' original drawing of Frankenweenie                                                                                                                                                                                                       Frankenweenie animation in the                                                                                                                                                     film itself

The second director I am writing about is Sarah Gavron. She is well known for Suffragette and Brick Lane. Sarah Gavron uses feminism in her films, and one example is in the film Suffragette. This film is about a group of working women who fight for the right to vote. There is lots of evidence of feminism throughout the film, for example, suffragettes holding signs that say "votes for women" on them. Also, in the very first scene you see a group of women smashing windows shouting 'votes for women'. Throughout the film you see evidence of how women are treated. For example, at 14 minutes and 50 seconds into the film, you see a man (workshop foreman) engaging in sexual activities with a 12 year old girl, and 40 seconds after the foreman then goes and threatens another lady. Another piece of evidence is when you hear about the difference in hours and wages between male and female workers. In the scene you learn that females get paid less than males, but they work more hours.

Throughout the film, only dull colours are used, so it is much easier to roughly tell when the film is set (1912). The colours also help to show how dirty London was in those times. Towards the end of the film, you see brighter colours used in happier, bigger scenes. For example when the main character (Maud Watts) sees her son for the first time since he was adopted in the film, and again when she goes to the horse race.

One of the first scenes showing
how dirty London was in 1912                                    The train journey to Epsom Derby