Tim Burtonis one of the most prolific filmmakers of all time with one of the most identified styles, but he certainly doesn’t like the use of the word “Burtonesque.” Tim Burton’s latest film,Beetlejuice Beetlejuice, is a sequel to his second feature film, 1988’sBeetlejuice. Over a four-decade-long career, Burton’s work on films likeBatman,Edward Scissorhands, andSweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street, to name a few, have made Burton’s signature style one of the most famous in the world, one where even if an average person doesn’t know the name of most filmmaker they caneasily identify the work of Tim Burton.
Beetlejuice Beetlejuice
Beetlejuice Beetlejuice is the sequel to the original Tim Burton classic that starred Michael Keaton and Wynona Rider in a horror-comedy that involved ghosts trying to scare off new homebuyers from taking their house. The sequel brings back Michael Keaton as the hilarious and sleazy ghost with selfish intentions, now joined by Jenna Ortega in a new role.
Burton himself, though, has a negative feeling about his name being used as an adjective to describe a piece of art. Speaking withVariety, Burton was asked how he felt that his “Burtonesque” style being one that people actively seek out. Burton quickly responded by saying"When you said that, I get this chill. There’s really like an ‘Invasion of the Body Snatchers’ vibe to it.“Burton himself also questions how much people really do want that style as he looks back over his own career. While he knows some people see the term as a compliment, he knows others use it as an insult. Burton said:
“I never really think of myself in that way. That’s why I’m like a vampire: I have no mirrors in the house. No, that’s not true.(Laughs)I don’t see myself in those terms, but I think to some people it’s a compliment and to others it’s a diminishment. So it depends on the person who’s saying it and why…as I get older, when they say we want that, I go, ‘oh, really?’ Because I’ve been through a history where they say they want it, but then maybe they don’t really want it. And that’s a funny thing to experience through life. But whatever — now I’m just focusing on the things that I want to do and feel passionate about, and it’s a good place to be.”
Tim Burton’s Style Is Iconic
Tim Burton’s career has been fascinating to watch unfold. When he broke out with films likePee Wee’s Big Adventure,Beetlejuice,Batman, andEdward Scissorhands, his style was different from other directors at the time, and while he had been told his early years his style was outside the mainstream, his movies connected with audiences in a big way. Burton watched his style become mainstream, as his legacy has endured over generations, and has been imitated by many. While he was not the director ofThe Nightmare Before Christmas, his name was in the marketing, and director Henry Sellick stuck with that “Burtonesque” style so closely thatSellick’s contributions are often downplayedbecause audiences generally see a Tim Burton movie.
In 1989,Batmankicked off a new era of blockbuster filmmakingin the 1990s and also made Burton one of the biggest directors in Hollywood. Despite 2010’sAlice in Wonderlandnot being a direct remake of Disney’s animated version, its $1 billion box office would lead to Disney reimagining many more of their animated movies in a live-action format, includingthe Burton-directed Dumbo.
Tim Burton Explains How Beetlejuice Sequel Helped Him Regain His Lost Love of the Movie Industry
Tim Burton fell out of love with Hollywood, but Beetlejuice Beetlejuice helped give him reason to love moviemaking again.
Burtoneque is a buzzword that can be used to sell products. Before he directed a movie adaptation ofMiss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children,the novel was often sold as “Tim Burton’s X-Men.” However, there came a point when it appeared audiences had tired of the “Burtonesque” look, leading to several box office flops such asDark ShadowsandDumbo.However, Netflix’sWednesday, seems to have stirred something in the director and his fans, and a new generation is now ready to fall in love with Tim Burton’s style all over again.
