Johnny Depp could be identified as Tim Burton’s alter ego, another aspect of Burton’s auteur style. The relationship between Depp and Burton is shown in an interview where the interviewer asks, “How does it feel to work with each other?” Burton said “Rare experiences where you meet with somebody, connect with them as a person, as an artist and you know pretty much immediately” where Depp answers “Working with Burton is like going back to the most comfortable place you can be, is like going home”. The relationship between the two is like a swap of personalities, where Depp knows the expectations of the character he will develop. Burton has worked in six films with Depp, where the relationship between them grows and develops, each of the characters representing a little bit of Burton’s personality shown by Depp. In Edward Scissorhands, Sleepy Hollow, and Sweeny Todd, Johnny Depp is the main character, expressing the ideals and style of Burton.
Just like Tim, Danny has a very particular style in his work, something now iconic to himself. This type of iconography between the both people, leads to each other boosting the awareness of themselves through productions. In a way, Danny Elfman is just as much as an auteur as Burton himself. His music usually consists of choirs, flutes and violins, usually at the higher pitch than normal that create a strange distinctive type of music. The music reflects the work of Burton with it being parallel to the films contents. Tim Burton’s signature style is highly recognisable for his visual tendencies, but he also possesses a natural ability to add in his thoughts in his narrative lines. The narrative might not be as impressive as the visual ideas, but Burton’s mind is presented in every film he directs. The stunning mise-en-scene, the static criticism of society, and his relationship with Depp, demonstrate across his body of works that Burton is an auteur.
Unit 26: Film Studies