What Makes an Auteur?

The auteur theory is a form of film analysis which identifies, “the director as 'author' of a film through the imprint of a personal visual style.” (Sklar, 1993, p. 523) The theory implies that the standard of reference when viewing a film is the personal input of artistic creativity from the director. According to this theory, a film and its director can be assessed by a body of work rather than looking at each 'text' individually. An auteur's films have recurrent themes, characters and a very distinct visual style.

Tim Burton is an auteur. His films are recognisably his work. “Of all the Hollywood talents of the 1980s and 1990s, Burton created the most distinctive world.” (Thompson, 2003, p. 691) This post refers to three of Burton's films, demonstrating the auteur qualities of this prolific director. Films which, although produced over a period of seventeen years, contain many features that bind them and identify them as Tim Burton creations.

Still from Edward Scissorhands (1990)

Burton's sets are very distinctive in style, echoing the German Expressionist Movement. The distorted buildings and unnatural colourings allow us to step into his world, which is not the same 'reality' we inhabit everyday.

Tim Burton uses lighting and colouring to generate atmosphere in his productions. “Desaturated colour may establish and reinforce certain moods throughout a film, as in the world created for Tim Burton's Sleepy Hollow (1999) – a world where there are lots of clouds and fog, the sun never shines, nothing is in bloom, the trees are bare, it's cold, gloomy and colourless...” (Phillips, 2005, p. 68)

Still from Sleepy Hollow (1999)

Similarly, in Edward Scissorhands (1990) the bright suburban background contrasts with the dull, darker nature of Edward and his creator's mansion. In Sweeney Todd (2007) desaturated colour is also used to contrast the dark and dreary representation of the present day with the bright scenes, during Todd's flashbacks, of how happy his life once was.

Still from Sweeney Todd: Demon Barber of Fleet Street (2007) 

The characters Burton uses in his films have underlying similarities. The main character is usually an outsider, different to others in some way. “The suburbia of Edward Scissorhands (1990) is invaded by an awkward young monster resembling a Goth rocker.” (Thompson, 2003, p. 692) Sleepy Hollow depicts an eccentric and squeamish police constable from New York who is sent to the village of Sleepy Hollow to solve a series of murders. His mannerisms and lifestyle is very different to the locals. Likewise, in Sweeney Todd, the main character is hell-bent on revenge and is darker and angrier than other characters in the film.

It is impossible to speak of Tim Burton's creations without addressing the casting of Johnny Depp. It has become expected that any Burton film will include a performance by Depp. The Depp-Burton relationship is another layer of the director's auteurism. Not only do his film characters have similarities but the actors are also often similar, if not the same, in each film.

 

There is no doubt that Tim Burton has been and continues to be a very influential auteur. His films, Edward Scissorhands, Sleepy Hollow and Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street, really showcase the aspects of Burton's talents that have made him so identifiable in the film industry. While portraying genres from horror to musical each still contains a very identifiable 'voice'; that of Tim Burton.

 

Sources

• Film History An Introduction. 2nd Edition by Kristin Thompson and David Bordwell. 2003, McGraw-Hill Higher Education.

• Film. An International History of the Medium by Robert Sklar. 1993, Thames & Hudson Ltd.

• Film. An Introduction. Third Edition by William H. Philips. 2005, Palgrave Macmillian. 

Five Defining Moments from pre 1930's Cinema

Pre 1930’s cinema played a massive role in developing films and filming techniques, shaping them, over many years, into what we see on the big screen today. There are many defining moments from this era of cinema. Here are five of these moments that stand out.

1. l'Arroseur Arrosé (1895) 

In 1895, the Lumière Brothers, from France, created their own innovative filming device; a movie camera and projector combined. This device made it possible for multiple people to view a film simultaneously. They patented their invention in February 1895 and named it the ‘Cinematographe’. December 28th 1895 saw the dawn of commercial cinema. The brothers presented the first projected showing of a motion picture to a paying audience, in a theatre designed purely to show movies. The screening consisted of ten short films. The programme lasted about twenty minutes. l'Arroseur Arrosé was one of these films. It became the first famous comedy, and is still renowned worldwide today.

2. Le Voyage Dans la Lune (1902)

George Méliès was known as the ‘Magician of the Cinema’.(Thompson, 2003, p.24) In 1902 his film, “A Trip to the Moon” saw the beginning of special effects and a whole host of photographic techniques that are still used today. He used slow motion, stop-motion, and dissolves, to name a few. These were a real first for cinematography. Méliès produced his Science Fiction film using techniques that had never been used in cinema before to create complex fantasy and magic scenes that would capture the audience. In addition, Méliès also introduced the concept of narrative storylines, characters and how they develop in films.

3. The Birth of a Nation (1915)

1915 saw the creation of the first American epic feature film. “The Birth of a Nation” lasted over three hours and took cinema to a new level. It contained structured and complicated battle scenes. D.W. Griffith’s masterpiece also saw innovative use of photographic techniques; he used dolly shots and incorporated flashbacks into the action. “The Birth of a Nation” caused great controversy due to its racist message and the Ku Klux Klan even experienced a resurgence of popularity due to the film. This was the first time film was seen as a powerful tool that could merit and evoke a powerful response from society.

4. The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari (1920)

The German Expressionist Movement saw the first real relationship between film and art, film art. The stylistic, distorted sets and dramatic lighting make this movement very interesting and recognisable. Robert Wiene’s “The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari” is possibly the best known and influential film from this movement. The actors make no attempt at a ‘realistic’ performance. They move in a jerky, unnatural way to add to the effect of the piece. “The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari” was the first horror film ever made and it captivated audiences. The sets, characters and costumes are still echoed in modern day film, Tim Burton’s films are a prime example of this.

5. Don Juan (1926)

Although early movies were called ‘Silent Films’, they always had music that accompanied the action, usually played live by a pianist/organist in the cinema. “Don Juan” was the first feature-length film that contained synchronised music and sound effects recorded using Vitaphone, but still no speech at this stage. Although the film failed to gain the positive response that Warner Bros. had wanted it still paved the way, and showed the need, for advances in sound in films. It inevitably led to the first ‘talkie’ “The Jazz Singer” (1927) which highlighted the redundancy of Silent Films and took film into a new era.


Sources 

• Film History An Introduction. 2nd Edition by Kristin Thompson and David Bordwell. 2003, McGraw-Hill Higher Education.

• Film. An International History of the Medium by Robert Sklar. 1993, Thames & Hudson Ltd.

• FilmSite