Quinten Tarantino and Tim Burton are household names and are renowned for their unique film styles. Both have recognisable traits that can be spotted within minutes of viewing their work and define them as directors. Tarantino for instance, is easily identified by his “slasher” style. His movies are centred around gratuitous violence and audiences can expect to see graphic images of of blood spray and other gore. This is evident in From Dusk till Dawn when the maid is killed and the camera slowly pushes in on George Clooney and this is intercut with jump cuts of various blood sprayed objects and close-ups of the beaten body. Other elements that appear in his films include prolonged shots of women’s bare feet (a transferal of his fetish to the screen), trunk shots and complex Mexican standoff set-ups. All these elements have been evident throughout his career.
Tim Burton’s signature quirky and dark style pulls the viewer into a fantastical world filled with very gothic images. Burton’s sets are often filled with spirals and stripes and similar types of characters appear; for example Augustus Gloop (Charlie and theChocolate Factory), Tweedledee/Tweedledum (Alice in Wonderland), and Francis Buxton (Pee Wee’s Big Adventure). Other common elements in a Burton film include use of flashbacks and the recurring appearance of actors Johnny Depp and Helena Bonham Carter.
Whilst these directors have successfully developed their own distinctive style, I have considered the pros and cons of a filmmaker being defined/confined by one particular style. Both of the aforementioned directors are celebrated for their cinematic choices but I can’t help but wonder if they have become complacent with revisiting the same themes and elements over and over again. Have they limited their own creative ability and has their ‘out of the box’ thinking become trapped inside the ‘box’? Whilst Quinten Tarantino’s graphic scenes were originally designed to horrify audiences, due to frequent exposure audiences have become desensitised to them and they have lost a certain degree of their shock-factor. But as these directors are known for their styles, can they no longer deviate from these due to audience expectations?
As an aspiring filmmaker I’m considering whether or not I’d like to pursue a personal film style. I question if a unique style will create a certain amount of predictability or if it is a way to establish a name for yourself? A specific style can be a representation of the individual which often appeals to audiences. However, most importantly I think all filmmakers must have a good foundation and understanding of production techniques before over-complicating things. Therefore, if necessary a filmmaker can strip away some of the excess to make their project somewhat more palatable and attractive to a broader audience. Whilst this is a decision I will need to consider in the future, firstly I need to experiment with applying different production techniques and practises that might not be typically used in the creation of a form I may be pursuing.
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