Tim Burton has always had his own weird yet iconic way of making movies that feel out of the box. His stories usually focus on people who feel out of place, surrounded by worlds that look dark, strange, and sometimes even a little sad.
Over time, these became his signature style. Even after all these years, a handful of them still feel just as enjoyable, spooky, and emotional as they did when they first came out. Check them out here!
1. Sleepy Hollow
Released in 1999, ‘Sleepy Hollow‘ brings horror, mystery, and a bit of romance as well. Burton took inspiration from Washington Irving’s story but changed it using foggy forests, grey colors, and deep shadows that set a spooky tone right away.
On top of that, Johnny Depp played Ichabod Crane as a nervous and slightly awkward detective sent to solve a series of murders, instead of the schoolteacher from the original tale. Burton also turned the Headless Horseman into a horror villain rather than just a legend. The visuals were so strong that the film won an Academy Award, and it remains one of Burton’s most gothic movies.
Related: 25 Must-Watch Gothic Horror Movies Of All Time
2. Beetlejuice
After that, ‘Beetlejuice‘ showed how Burton could handle dark ideas without making them feel heavy. The movie talks about death and the afterlife, but Burton balances it all with comedy, which helped bring his style to a much bigger audience.
At the same time, Michael Keaton’s ‘Beetlejuice‘ became unforgettable because of his strange humor. Even though he doesn’t appear as often as people remember, he steals every scene.
3. Batman Returns
Soon after, ‘Batman Returns‘ gave Tim Burton full freedom to show Gotham City his own way. The city feels tall, crowded, and gloomy, with shadows everywhere. Setting the story during Christmas only made Gotham feel colder and more uncomfortable.
In addition, Danny DeVito’s Penguin feels more like a horror character than a comic-book villain. Burton portrayed him as damaged and angry, with a tragic backstory that explains his behavior.
In case you missed it: ‘Wednesday’: This Creepy 90-Second Scene Took Tim Burton 8 Months To Perfect
4. The Nightmare Before Christmas
Not long after, Burton brought his style into animation with ‘The Nightmare Before Christmas‘. While Burton came up with the story and worked as producer, Henry Selick handled most of the directing because Burton was busy.
Even so, Selick stayed true to Burton’s vision. Both creators shared a love for classic monster movies from their Disney animation days, and stop-motion animation worked perfectly for Burton’s exaggerated characters.
5. Corpse Bride
After experimenting with animation before, Tim Burton fully returned to stop-motion with ‘Corpse Bride‘. This time, he directed the entire film himself, and that full control gave him enough scope to explore.
It includes familiar Burton themes like love, death, betrayal, and murder. Johnny Depp voiced Victor Van Dort, while Helena Bonham Carter voiced the Corpse Bride, and the hand-made animation helped make this one of Burton’s strongest animated films.
