TIM BurtOn  

Fill in the gaps in this biography of Tim Burton

Tim Burton was ___born_____in 1958, in the city of Burbank, _California, US___________.

He remains without question one of the __greatest______ original film _____directors____ working in _____Hollywood_______ today.

Indeed, his talent and originality have kept him at the ______top__ of the profession where he occupies a very special place, somewhere ____in_______ the mainstream and the avant-garde, in that region of cinema occupied by artists ___where___ worldview is ____an___ unconventional that it attains popular appeal.

In 1989, Tim Burton directed the hugely _acclaimed_________ Batman which, although his _first______ personal film, was one of the most __seen__________ movies of all time and gave him unprecedented _______fame____ in Hollywood, considering the originality and adventurousness of his ____next______ films (for _____example____ Beetlejuice in 1988).

Edward Scissorhands (1990), another hit, saw him at the peak of his _directoral__and artistic_____ powers and established a fruitful working _period___________ with ____actor_______ Johnny Depp who played in his 2005 film _____Charlie and the Chocolate factory________of Roald Dahl’s book Charlie and the Chocolate Factory and who became one of his most esteemed ___partner______since their first film together.

In 1992, Batman Returns was a much_______ darker film than the original, a reflection of how much ___________ freedom Tim Burton had won (____as___ Warner Bros were reputedly unhappy with the final result).

And even _for________ Ed Wood (1994), his loving _____film______ to the life and work of the legendary ‘Worst Director of All Time’ Edward D. Wood, Jr., was a box-office disaster, it got some of the best ________reviews____ of Burton’s career.

In fact, Tim Burton is ____known____  both for his dark, quirky-themed _movies__________like Sleepy Hollow, Corpse Bride, Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street, or Dark Shadows (2012) and for __Blockbusters__________  such as Pee-Wee's Big Adventure, Batman, Planet of the Apes, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory and Alice in Wonderland (2010), one of his most  _____renowned___ films, which became the fifth highest-grossing film of all _time_____.

Burton has ____created_______ 18 feature films as of 2014, and has _produced________ 12 as of 2012  (among which the very nice __stop____-motion______ tale called The  Nightmare Before _Christmas______________ in 1993).

All in all, Tim Burton’s films consistently challenge the spectator’s ___expectations________, push forward the ____world________ of filmmaking and bring to life previously unthinkable _characters___________ (like Edward Scissorhands).

Taken as a whole, his work __is____based______ on the confrontation _____between_______ the fantastic and the _____realistique_______, and the consequences of these two worlds intermingling.

Big Fish, Burton’s 2003 effort, is no different. And _even though_____, somehow, it is not really the ______best___.

On the surface, it would appear to have all the __attributs_________ of a classic Burton film: a magic screenplay, fairy-tale characters, flights of imagination, forces of nature ( _as____ well ___as____ the supernatural), far-fetched situations and vastly imaginative visual style and imagery. The movie is, in fact, ____is____ packed with fanciful episodes that it begins to feel ____as_______ a loose adaptation of The Odyssey, told from the mouth of an aging character named Ed Bloom, a story-___writer_______ and dreamer who sees the world with beautiful eyes.

AN EYE-OPENING VISIT TO THE THYSSEN MUSEUM !

POP ART MYTHS
Museo Thyssen-Bornemisza, Madrid Spain
June 10th 2014 to September 14th 2014
Paseo del Prado, 8
https://www.museothyssen.org/

     A few years back, the Thyssen-Bornemisza museum in Madrid offered me an eye-opening insight into the world of Pop Art through their exhibition named Pop Art Myths. From the 10th of June to the 14th of September 2014, in collaboration with Japan Tobacco International and the BBVA Foundation, the exhibition counted around 104 different artworks from various countries all portraying the same artistic period. Pop Art, chosen by the curator involves world-wide famous artists such as Andy Warhol, Roy Lichtenstein but this gallery presents local spanish artists as well. Indeed, Pop Art was an artistic movement born in the late 50's and early 60's which is extremely well known for idealising our consumer lives thus turning daily objects into new modern myths. And it doesn't stop there. Pop Art also, was the master of turning Hollywood's best of the era into timeless icons such as Marilyn Monroe.

     The exhibition had a general joyful and opening feeling. The bright and attractive colours of the paintings caught my eye as soon as I stepped into the room. And, the simple construction of the paintings allowed me to identify myself and find pleasure in what I saw. The art exhibited plunged the me, into a abstract mythical world all the while staying connecting to the real world thanks to the  daily objects it portrayed such as Coca-Cola bottles. However, I spotted that a few famous pieces were missing from the collection such as Marilyn's immense Diptych created by Andy Warhol in 1962 and Keith Haring's exuberant outlines of popular figures. These well known pieces would have made a massive contribution to this showcase, but in the end the flow of the exhibition was just as brilliant because the paintings gave a fantastic liberating feeling.

      Furthermore, as a third year student specialising in media studies, I have decided to centre my attention on the painting Jackie Blue in the series of the same name by Andy Warhol painted in 1964. Indeed, after the tragic murder of former US President John F. Kennedy on the 22nd of November in Dallas, (Texas), Warhol documented this event of international importance through his wife : Jackie Kennedy. She wasn't a movie star, but she was America’s royalty: young, glamorous, regal, and the most popular First Lady. One of the world’s greatest style icons, she influenced the way an entire generation of American women wanted to look, dress and behave. She was a visual metaphor for the youth and promise of the Kennedy administration. And, I firmly believe that this woman could be qualified as a myth or hero of our modern world. How does Jackie Kennedy embody the image of a myth and heroine through Warhol's double painting Jackie Blue? And, how can a historical figure be idealised as a myth by art?
                                      
                                           
Extracts from painting Jackie Blues - Andy Warhol, 1964 - Acrylic and silkscreen on canvas - The MET Museum, New York



     The painting presents a side by side double close-up facet of Jackie Kennedy. The former First Lady is placed on the right side of the squares but her look is pointing to the left creating an interesting dynamic to the  artwork. Moreover, the punchy blue colour of the painting makes the outline of Jackie Kennedy stand out. Also, Warhol uses two shades of blue as a background to the former First Lady. On the left side, the dominant colour is light blue (sky blue) which symbolises peace, serenity and spirituality. And, on the right side, Jackie is surrounded by dark blue, meaning trust, dignity, intelligence and authority. These positive attributes prove that Jackie is represented as a heroin and a myth by Warhol in the Jackie Blue series. 

      Indeed, the artistic movement it belongs to : Pop Art, reintegrates art and the real world bringing "high" and "low" culture on the same page. Therefore, Andy Warhol, does exactly that. The artist portrays Jackie Kennedy as a heroine of popular culture. He began his series of 'Jackie' paintings in response to the media blitz that followed the incident, choosing photographs used in the media before and after the event. By cropping Jackie’s face and repeating it, Warhol focused on her beauty, courage, grace and vulnerability during this tragic event. Jackie’s powerful image represents not only her grief, but also that of the entire country which can surely qualify her as a myth or heroine of our modern society. As a matter of fact, I find most striking that Andy Warhol through a simple work of art manages to idealise a historical figure as a popular myth and idol for women in the United States and around the world. 
     I can surely recommend this exhibition to anyone who is searching for an entry into popular myths and heroes of our world ! The massive range of artists also contributes to the diversity of this art gallery. Unfortunately, the Thyssen Museum is not touring their Pop Art : Myths exhibition, but there is a virtual tour on offer for the general public as well as an interactive magazine. Don't hesitate to go have a look !