‘I’m for anything that subverts what the studio thinks you have to do’ – Tim Burton

After being immersed in the work of Tim Burton for a while things can get a little strange. You see movement in the shadows and when you turn to look there’s nothing there. Life feels slightly unreal. There’s a sense of the mysterious hanging in the air like the fog in Sleepy Hollow. You see things in a different light.

When watching the stylised movies which have made Tim Burton a household name it is easy to see why they can have such an effect. They are often like fairytales, communicating to us on a symbolic level, speaking of things far deeper within our conscious and subconscious minds than most films would dare to delve. Issues of alienation, insanity, and a wish for acceptance are among those raised in often expressionist and gothic surroundings.

Edwin Page takes us on a journey through the films of Tim Burton, through which we gain insights into the mysterious, and somewhat reclusive film director responsible for them. Films discussed include Beetlejuice, Sleepy Hollow, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, Batman and The Corpse Bride.