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  • The Influence of German Expressionism

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    Paulo Filipe Catroga
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    Burton began his film career as an animator for Disney Studios where he made the animated short film, Vincent in 1982. The wintry miseenscene in Batman Returns is like the inside of a giant snowstorm, a fairytale landscape where it is snowing softly. The urban design of Gotham City closely resembles a dream (or nightmare) landscape.

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    Burton began his film career as an animator for Disney Studios where he made the animated short film, Vincent in 1982. The wintry miseenscene in Batman Returns is like the inside of a giant snowstorm, a fairytale landscape where it is snowing softly. The urban design of Gotham City closely resembles a dream (or nightmare) landscape.

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    189 views2 pages

    The Influence of German Expressionism

    Uploaded by

    Paulo Filipe Catroga
    Burton began his film career as an animator for Disney Studios where he made the animated short film, Vincent in 1982. The wintry miseenscene in Batman Returns is like the inside of a giant snowstorm, a fairytale landscape where it is snowing softly. The urban design of Gotham City closely resembles a dream (or nightmare) landscape.

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    TheInfluenceofGermanExpressionism:TimBurton

    TimBurtonisthevisionarydirectorofBeetlejuice,EdwardScissorhands,Ed Wood,SleepyHollowandthefirsttwoBatmanmovies.Burtonbeganhisfilm careerasananimatorforDisneyStudioswherehemadetheanimatedshort film,Vincentin1982.Thehorrorcharactersandtasteforthemacabrethatare thehallmarkofBurtonslaterfeaturefilmswerealreadypresentinhisearly animatedshortfilms,VincentandFrankenweenie(1985).


    Clipsmentionedin thissectionarenotavailabletoviewonthewebsitebutarereadily availabletobuyorrentfromtheusualoutlets AsaHollywooddirector,Burtonisaflamboyantvisualstylistwhocreatesfantasylandscapesand charactersfromawealthofartisticstylesandinfluences,includingGermanExpressionism.Drawing onawiderangeofreferencesspanningdecadesofthehistoryoffilmandarchitecture,TimBurton operatesattheforefrontofcontemporaryculture. Beetlejuice(1988) Theworldofspirits: (00:32:06to00:32:52) ThisroomwithintheworldofspiritsfeaturesthedistortedperspectivesofExpressionism,with bizarrepaintedbackdropsclearlyreminiscentofTheCabinetofDoctorCaligari. BatmanReturns(1992) GothamCity: (00:06:50to00:07:50) ThewintrymiseensceneinBatmanReturnsisliketheinsideofagiantsnowstorm,afairytale landscapewhereitissnowingsoftly.TheurbandesignofGothamCitycloselyresemblesadream (ornightmare)landscape.ThecityscapeofBatmanReturnscanbe readasareflectionofthe schizophreniaofthecharacterswithinit.BoWelch,BatmanReturnsproductiondesigner,wasable toborrowfromagreatvarietyofarchitecturalstyles,fromExpressionismandCubismtoFascist Modernity.Fragmentsofthesestyles,reflectingintheirvarietythecharactersthemselves,aretobe encounteredeverywhere. BatmanReturns(1992) TheBirthofCatwoman: (00:22:13to00:32:25) WhiletherichandpowerfullikeMaxShreck(ChristopherWalken),areseeninimpressive surroundings monumentalbuildingswithornamentsinfrontofthemreminiscentofNazi sculpture theordinarypeople,representedbySelinaKyle(MichellePffifer),liveinanuntidy environment,overloadedwithscenery.ThebrilliantlyrealisedbarbielikepopdesignofSelinas homereflectsherdreamsoffairytaleromance.Asshedestroysherchildhoodinnocenceinafitof hysteriaandtransformsherselfintoCatwoman,TimBurtononceagainbringsthecolourfulandthe gothicintodramaticconfrontation asinEdwardSciccorhands.

    BatmanReturns(1992) InthePenguinslair: (00:16:47to00:17:50) ThePenguinandhiscarnivalofgrotesqueshavesteppedstraightfromtheCabinetofDoctor Caligari.ThePenguinshomeinacathedrallikecaveunderadesertedparkcalledArcticWorld,is furnishedwithelegantlycurvedGothicarchesanddarkvaults.ThereisatouchofArtDecoinMax ShrecksheadofficeandsomehitechdesigninSelinaKylespinkroom. TheNightmareBeforeChristmas(1993) OpeningMontageSequence: (00:01:00to00:02:40) TheentiredesignofthisanimatedfilmisinkeepingwithBurtonspredilectionforthedistorted perspectivesofExpressionistsilentfilms,asindispensableinthisinstanceasthestylisticrecourseto theUniversalhorrorfilmsofthe30sand40s.AlmostalltheinhabitantsofHalloweenTownare derivedfromBurtonssingularcabinetofcuriosities,fromhisunmistakableiconography,whichis addedtoandraidedagaininhislaterwork. ThespecialeditionDVDof thefilmcontainsafeatureontheconceptualart,storyboardsand characterdesignswhichdemonstratethestronginfluenceofGermanExpressionism.

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