Babineaux's Sweeney Todd

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          Tim Burton’s film Sweeney Todd does indeed make viewers sympathize with both Sweeney and Mrs. Lovett even though they do not make the best decisions morally. The way music is used in this film greatly influences our feelings toward Sweeney and Lovett. The passion they portray through their voices makes viewers want the best for each of these significant characters in this movie. Burton overcomes the moral disgust, murder, and cannibalism illustrated by down-playing it the same way he does in his other movies dealing with death. Usually Burton decides to use humor to weaken the emotions that usually come from death, but this time he decides to use rather nonchalant mannerisms. These mannerisms are used while performing the actual murders and when the idea comes to make Mrs. Lovett’s pies. Cannibalism is a central element in this film along with the other remakes of this story. In order for cannibalism to come into play, murder has to occur. Sweeney Todd ends lives very easily in this film showing no sort of regret or remorse after doing his dirty deed. He goes on to live regularly as if he always murdered people every day of his life. Mrs. Lovett condones the idea and action of murder, she even influences him so that she can continue making her human meat pies. The way Mrs. Lovett made people consume other human beings really dehumanizes their environment. Since they make it seem so easy to eat people, it suggests that humans are not worth much at all. It also suggests that the people who get murdered are weak people because they do nothing to protect themselves; this gives them a rather unintelligent factor as well. The killing of the weak directly points to the survival of the fittest. Even though Sweeney and Mrs. Lovett are not very prosperous, they show that they can be stronger or cleverer than the upper-class persons of their society. This is how the cannibalism in this film relates to urbanization in London. The overpopulation of the city along with the manipulation of the poor leads to classification and stereotypes of urban people.



Babineaux Sleepy Hollow

http://filmstokeepyouawake.wordpress.com/2010/10/23/sleepy-hollow/

 



Tim Burton bases his film Sleepy Hollow  on Washington Irving’s short story. Burton does use quite a number of things from the short story, but he also manages to make it his own unique project and it would not be Tim Burton if he did not. Burton manages to create an entire new feel and atmosphere to the original story. Washington Irving’s story has much to do with the outside and other aspects of nature. It actually has a sort of pastoral feel to it, leaving one to imagine just how high-key it has the potential to be. Burton’s film on the other hand is not high-key at all. It is very foggy and dark, leaving it to be low-key. With the use of atmosphere, Burton develops an entire new genre from Irving’s story. Along with the genre, Burton changes much about the main character Ichabor Crane. Minor changes to other characters that are not essential to the plot do not really effect the story. But Burton did not majorly change other characters, he decided to make the change with Crane. Along with changing his physical appearance, Burton also changes his occupation which in turn alters the storyline greatly. Another character who is important to the film who Burton changes is Katherine Van Tassell. In the story she is not interested in Crane and does not want to marry him. Burton makes Katherine actually fall in love with Crane. They share an undeniable connection and it is obvious that they will end up together by the closing of the movie. All of these differences had the power to completely change Irving’s story. Also, in Irving’s story people do not have a horribly gruesome death by getting their heads decapitated from their bodies for instance.  No one even dies in Irving’s story. This all goes to show how Burton created a new film from the skeleton/ blueprint of Washington Irving’s story. It is safe to say that Burton takes the bait (Irving’s story being this bait) and runs with it. Burton no doubt is a very creative individual and is perfectly able to create anything out of anything.



Babineaux Ed Wood

http://www.listal.com/viewimage/1039820

 

Ed Wood and Tim Burton's Parallels

With Ed Wood being notoriously known as “the worst director in history” and Tim Burton being known as a stylish genius, one would not think they have much in common. Ed Wood’s films are usually not mistaken as other people’s work, and Tim Burton’s films usually are not either. Both directors have distinct visions that most people do not quite grasp. They both strongly believe in their imagination, and they know what they want. Both artists are very passionate about their work. Wood’s excitement and determination just does not really have a purpose. For example in the film Wood was given a few movie clips that really had no meaning or purpose, but he just sort of threw them in his movies in sort of random places. Burton’s weird ambition is usually followed up with meaning, even if fans do not understand them at first. Ed Wood and Burton are both interested in peculiar topics, and not surprisingly they were both very fond of sci-fi. They are both interested in things such as monsters and outer-space. These subjects always seem to be more of thoughts in the subconscious rather than reality. Another thing that Wood and Burton have in common is them having prominent role models that they almost obsessively loved. Wood’s idol was Bela Lugosi. Lugosi was a famous actor in his time, and he was well-known as playing as Dracula. In his prime he was very popular, but over the years he became poor and unfortunately addicted to drugs. Burton’s idol was the legendary Vincent Price. Both Wood and Burton were able to meet and even work with their childhood stars. Wood actually became friends with Lugosi and put him in his not so prevalent films. Burton got the chance to do the same with Price after he got famous enough. Johnny Depp got a taste of all of those things by playing in Edward Scissorhands and by being Ed in Ed Wood. In the end, we realize that Wood and Burton are just about positivity and doing what they really believe in by forgetting everything society has to say and not taking no for an answer.