Posted: January 9th, 2023

The Burton Fairy Tale

Establish a set of criteria for the Burton Fairy Tale. With this criteria, evaluate Vincent to show the reader how these elements show up in Burton’s work.

my task for this assignment is that I need to write a well-organized essay that answers the following prompt: Many scholars have argued that Tim Burton’s films don’t receive the attention they should when it comes to seeing them as modern-day fairy tales. Using two texts from the reader, establish a set of criteria for the Burton Fairy Tale. With this criteria, evaluate Vincent to show the reader how these elements show up in Burton’s work. I have to follow this conditions: ● have a title and a clear thesis statement; ● give special attention to paragraph organization and concreteness of examples/detail; ● use in-text citations for any source material you use; ● follow MLA 9 formatting rules for all in-text citations and the Works Cited page; and ● consider your audience’s level of background knowledge and expectations. ● and 800-1000 words The essay should be written in American English. The primary source is “Vincent” a short movie on youtube. Here is the link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XkMJlRmQh7M When you use scenes from Vincent than you have to give the time stamps. and the secondary sources are “Tim Burton and the Idea of Fairy Tales” and “Breaking the Disney Spell”
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“Vincent,” A Modern Fairy Tale: An Analysis of Tim Burton’s Film Techniques

Fairy tales have long captivated audiences with their magical and often morbid themes, and modern filmmaker Tim Burton has brought his own unique twist to this genre in his films. Many scholars, such as Catherine Orenstein in “Tim Burton and the Idea of Fairy Tales,” argue that Burton’s work is often overlooked as a modern interpretation of the fairy tale. In this essay, I will establish a set of criteria for the Burton fairy tale and evaluate the short film “Vincent” using these criteria to show how Burton incorporates traditional fairy tale elements in his work.

Criteria for the Burton Fairy Tale:

A unique, often macabre or dark, visual style.
A focus on outcasts and misfits as main characters.
The incorporation of elements of magic and the supernatural.
A subversion or twisting of traditional fairy tale tropes.
“Vincent” (1982), directed by Tim Burton and narrated by Vincent Price, follows the story of a young boy named Vincent who idolizes the famous horror actor and dreams of becoming a Vincent Price-like villain when he grows up. The film, which is only six minutes long, showcases many of the elements that define a Burton fairy tale.

Firstly, “Vincent” exhibits Burton’s signature visual style, characterized by its use of vibrant colors and exaggerated character designs. The film’s use of bold reds, blues, and purples adds to the otherworldly and dreamlike atmosphere, and the exaggerated features of Vincent and his parents, such as their elongated noses and sharp chins, further contribute to the fantastical tone of the film.

Secondly, Vincent, as a young boy who is fascinated by the macabre and is constantly at odds with his mundane suburban life, fits the role of the outcast or misfit commonly found in Burton’s work. Vincent’s desire to be like Vincent Price, a figure who is also ostracized by mainstream society for his interest in horror, further emphasizes this theme of the outsider.

Thirdly, “Vincent” includes elements of the supernatural, as Vincent’s vivid imagination brings his hero Vincent Price to life in the form of a cartoon. This blurring of the line between reality and fantasy is a common feature in Burton’s work and adds to the fairy tale-like atmosphere of the film.

Lastly, “Vincent” subverts traditional fairy tale tropes by presenting a young hero who aspires to be a villain rather than a typical hero. This subversion of expectations adds an element of surprise and originality to the film, further cementing its status as a modern fairy tale in the vein of Burton’s work.

“Vincent” effectively incorporates the key elements that define a Burton fairy tale, including a unique visual style, a focus on outcasts and misfits, elements of magic and the supernatural, and a subversion of traditional fairy tale tropes. This analysis demonstrates how Burton’s work can be seen as a modern interpretation of the fairy tale genre.

Works Cited:
Orenstein, Catherine. “Tim Burton and the Idea of Fairy Tales.” In “Breaking the Disney Spell,” edited by Jack Zipes, 107-125. New York: Routledge, 2006.

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