Film directors always try to make their protagonists stand out, especially when said protagonist is meant to be the storys outcast. However, no film director has made their films starring reject as beautiful and sometimes nightmare inspiring as Tim Burtons. Time and time again, Burton makes the main characters of his films black sheep, each with their own unique kind of societal rejection. Burtons knack for creating these kind of characters most likely derives from his experiences as a youth.
Born and raised in Burbank, California, a suburb of Los Angeles, Burton strayed from the average boy who played ball in the park, and instead enjoyed drawing, reading Edgar Allen Poe, and watching old horror movies. Later, finding himself as an apprentice animator at Disney, he realized he had no taste for drawing cute forest creatures and could not express his creativity in his position there. After leaving Disney, the young visionary branched off on his own, creating masterpieces that are so uniquely his that one could easily identify a film as being one of Burtons because of its burtonesque.
The characters he creates range from creepy to eccentric, innocent to murderous, but Burton always has you relating and even rooting for these weirdos from the beginning.
1. Beetlejuice (1988)
One of Burtons very first films, Beetlejuice, presents the outcast character Lydia Deetz, a misunderstood young girl in gothic garb, who is ignored by everyone. The film is supposed to revolve around the Maitlands, a young couple wanting to start a family while living in their cozy, country dream house, but die after a fatal car crash into a river. The couple later find themselves to have become ghosts, trapped in their house that now has new residents. Trying to scare the new house owners with horror scene scenarios, the Maitlands go ignored until Lydia notices the ghostly couple. Lydia states that the reason she can see the ghosts of the Maitlands is simply because
[she] read through that Handbook for the Recently Deceased. It says Live people ignore the strange and unusual. . . [she is] strange and unusual
, in a comical deadpan delivery. After this scene, movie reviewer Bridget McGovern claims that the film is actually about the attention starved Lydia, who is the voice of reason in this paranormal film filled with inattentive adults.
It is very apparent that Lydia is a projection of not only Burtons youth, but of many outcast teens that dont seem to get the attention or understanding they really need. She hides behind the lense of her camera and dark veils, speaking in a voice so quiet, it is barely noticed by her own parents. Despite Lydias dark and veiled outfits, she is a sensitive soul that after finally receiving the notice she craved from the Maitlands, wants to join them in their paranormal existence. At this point in the film, the audience begins to want not only a quest for a happy ending for the Maitlands, but also the disregarded Lydia.
In the end where the Maitlands and Deetz's decide to coexist in their home, it is all really about justice being brought to the previously ignored Lydia, who now has another set of parents in ghost form. Lydia is an exaggerated example of an outcast with her strange outfits, way of communicating, and outlook on the world. For that reason, she is a character that many people can relate to her in one way or another. Lydia's gothic style is what makes her character so distinct, just like Burtons reinvented Wonka in a velvet suit and top hat.
2. Charlie and the Chocolate Factory (2005)
It seems that even remakes of classics will be cut up, rearranged and transformed by Burtons imagination, 2005s Charlie in the Chocolate Factory being one of Burtons productions. Gene Wilders Willy Wonka has been transmuted into both Johnny Depp and Tim Burtons as William Thomas says
hilarious, yet sinister, yet loveable man-child
Wonka. This new Wonka dislikes children, only finding it necessary to finally invite 5 people via golden ticket into the mysterious chocolate factory when he needs an heir the the factory itself. Willy Wonka even seems pleased as 4 of the 5 children are knocked off the group in peculiar and whimsy ways. However the devil is certainly in the details when determining Wonka as the outcast in this Burton film.
Burton creates a never before explored backstory for his Willy Wonka, which helps the audience understand why Wonka turned out the way he did. Young Willy Wonka was the child of a dentist, deprived of any sweets, until he secretly tried a piece of chocolate left over from his burned halloween candy plunder, thus sparking his candy obsession. When upon revealing his sweet dreams to his father, he is rejected and runs away from home. When his expedition fails very early on, he returns home only to find that his house along with his father are not there awaiting his return. This molds Wonka into a man who believes that family will only hold you back, and being especially surprised when little Charlie Bucket does not want to leave his family behind just to inherit the Wonka Factory. In flashbacks, it shows that Wonka was betrayed by his employees-turned-spy who stole candy recipes, leading him to fire all his workers and replace them by the obedient Oompa-Loompas from Loompaland. In this case, it is Wonka himself that outcasts himself from the outside world, becoming a candyland style Bruce Wayne shut-in, in his huge sacred chocolate factory.
3. Edward Scissorhands (1990)
Speaking of shut-ins, we will bring Tim Burtons Edward Scissorhands into the spotlight. Just as the title implies, Edward was created by an inventor, and has makeshift scissor hands. Tim Burton certainly displays his creative flare all over the film, from the pastel colored neighborhood to the outrageous hairstyles the main character, Edward, creates with his bladed hands.
Edward is an isolated oddity, disconnected from the world outside his gothic castle, Edward creates his own realm consisted of magazine clippings and magnificent topiaries. After being introduced to the neighborhood below his castle, Edward goes from outsider, to a sensation, to outcast. Film critic Peter Travers notes how
Burton shows how the townspeople's curiosity about Edward turns to suspicion and hostility (not unlike Hollywood's reaction to an innovative mind).
In the end of the movie, the neighborhood Edward was once warmly welcomed into now judges him for what he is and not for who he truly is, reflecting some of Burtons feelings as a misplaced animator at Disney. Edward is a sensitive soul crammed inside of a horror film villain's body. All Edward ever wanted was love and appreciation, which he receives for a short amount of time as he brought artistic life to the neighborhood and through slowly winning the heart of the lovely Kim. Though once Edward made one small mistake, he was called out as a demon and a menace to the neighborhood. Edward ends up all alone in his gothic castle, dreaming of his cherished memories, but is able to express himself in his isolation. Even though he may have a sad ending, Edward is one of Burtons most known, favored, and loved characters he has created.
4. Corpse Bride (2005)
Burton thoroughly visits all kinds of outcasts, even outcasts of social classes. In Corpse Bride, Burton creates a dreary and gray victorian world where Victor and Victoria meet on the eve of their wedding day. Victoria comes from a pompous family of great social standing, however is now penniless, leading Victorias parents to arrange a marriage between their daughter and Victor, who comes from a family of new money. Victorias parents act as though this arranged marriage is the lowest and last resort to save the family wealth. Sensing this feeling from Victorias parents, causes Victor to become more of a nervous mess than he already is. Film critic Kim Newman claims that Victor is
yet another of Burtons film alter egos, demonstrating his inner sensitivity with piano duets.
Not only is Victor looked down upon because of his familys new money, but he also believes in marrying for love, a shared sentiment with Victoria, but is an absolutely ridiculous idea to both of their parents. Marrying for love was a rare thing for the time period chosen, however Victor and Victoria find that they might just be able to care and love each other upon their meeting.
Victoria admires Victors quiet and sensitive personality which were not traits that were very acceptable for a gentleman in the victorian era. The couple face the undead and a murderous villain who marries for money, however the protagonists prevail and end up together out of love and not wealth or social status. Burtons characters in Corpse Bride challenge societys status quo and win the hearts of the audience.
5. Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street (2007)
Another tale retold by Burton is that of Sweeney Todd. Sweeney Todd is originally a musical written by Stephen Sondheim, but is adapted into a beautifully evil film and is
as much a horror film as a musical: It is cruel in its effects and radical in its misanthropy, expressing a breathtakingly, rigorously pessimistic view of human nature
according to New York Times's A.O. Scott. The story is set in London, starring a successful barber who is content with his lovely wife and child. However his wife catches the eye of malevolent judge who unjustly outcasts the barber to prison in Australia, rapes the barbers wife, and takes his baby daughter. The barber returns as Sweeney Todd, seeking revenge against the judge who wronged him.
Sweeney is a frightening character, seeking a horrible and bloody vengeance, but the audience understands the outcasts powerful bloodlust. In real life, no one ever roots for the murderer, so why does the audience stay in team Sweeney? It's because Sweeneys life was unfairly ruined. All the wrongs against him turned him into a man who can see the flaws of man and society, singing out to the city that They all deserve to die. He may have chosen the bloody path of revenge, but we still feel sympathy for this poor man.
Sweeney is cutting the throats of nearly all his customers and Mrs. Lovett turns the bodies into meat pies that she sells in her shop below Sweeneys barber shop. It is a horrifyingly gruesome comedy, and while Sweeney is murdering his patrons, he is still not seen as the villain by the audience. The audience, no matter how terrifying the barber is, still sees the villain as the evil judge. Burton makes the murderous Sweeney a character that the audience sides with because his happy life was ruined by someone who abused their power.
Burtons outcasts range from charming to absolutely nightmare inducing, and every single one of these outcast characters is artistically stunning. No matter how far out these characters are, Burton somehow always has you rooting for the oddball underdog. There is at least one Burton outcast relatable for anyone who has been in the oddball and misunderstood position in any situation.