Cinematic Techniques Used In Edward Scissorhands

From 2003 with Big Fish to Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, Burton has been making audiences feel new emotions for over 3 decades. Burton has a way for making the audience feel a certain way about certain things in his films. He can make the audience feel attached to the dark characters in his films. Many of the main characters seem to be odd or different, such as Edward in Edward Scissorhands he does this by using many different cinematic techniques. Each technique adds to the main theme throughout his films. Tim Burton uses sound and music, lighting, and characterization types to prove that being different does not make you an outcast. To begin, Burton uses lighting to prove that being different does not make you an outcast. Usually
being different is scary or many people, that if it is not a certain way it makes it bad. Burton portrays this fear in Edward Scissorhands by using front to side lighting. When Edward is walking out of the house towards the police, the front and side lighting cast creepy shadows across this scene. The shadows make Edward look more harmful than he really is. Using this effect, Burton produces a balance between the police's perspective and Edwards. This effect is to make the audience feel sorry for Edward and does not want to see him harmed, but at the same time, Burton wants to make the audience feel that Edward must be stopped because potentially Edward could be dangerous. Another example is in Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. In the scene, the winners of the golden tickets are about to meet Willy Wonka and go into the factory. Before they enter, the back lighting creates a mood of uneasiness for the audience. Behind the contestants is sunny and beautiful, but where the contestants stand is dark and gloomy from the shadow of the mysterious factory. The effect is to create tension and suspense between the main characters. Once they enter the front gates, all of a sudden out of the gray dark factory, dolls and animatronics of bright color with a high key lighting appear to introduce Mr. Wonka, but when the animatronics catch on fire, Wonka simply laughs and freaks out the children. Burton also uses some characterization with Wonka to show that he is just odd, and in a way, almost bipolar. He can go from very serious to laughing and having a good time. These are not the only techniques Burton uses however. Another way Burton expresses that being different does not make you an outcast is by using music and sound, along with building characterization.
For example, during Big Fish When Edward Bloom goes to confront the giant, the non-diegetic music is soft and suspenseful, but when he reaches the giants cave, the music becomes intense, fast, and horrific as if the giant is going to kill Edward. However, once Edward gets to know the giant a little better, it turns out he is not such a bad guy after all. The music is more joyful and happy when Karl (the giant) and Edward leave for the big city. There is also another example of this in Edward Scissorhands. During the film, Peg goes up to the castle and walks up the staircase to where Edward is hiding. When she notices Edward, the music is soft and gradually gets louder and faster leading up to Peg and Edward talking. All of a sudden the music cuts out during the conversation. This is too show the fear Peg has when Edward's hands start to move and snip. Characterization is also made in this scene, once Peg takes Edward home, the non-diegetic music returns and she is friendly and accepting of who Edward is. Just like how Edward bloom accepts Carl for who he is, Peg accepts Edward for who he is even if Carl and Edward are
different. Throughout all his films, Burton has expressed the fact that being different does not make you an outcast through many cinematic techniques. When Burton wants to control what his audiences will feel, he uses music and sound, lighting, and characterization to achieve his goal of presenting the theme of the film. By using his directing dexterity and these cinematic techniques,