Tim Burton rewatch! Burton was once one of the biggest names in movies, but it seems like no one talks about him anymore. Let’s go through his work again and see what we can see from today’s perspective. It all began with Vincent.

Here’s what happens: Vincent Malloy is a child who, unlike all the other kids, wishes he could be just like Vincent Price. Despite the protestations of his mother to be normal, Vincent lives in nightmare imagery going further and further into the darkness.

Origin story: The legend goes that Disney could see that Burton had potential based on his student films, but Burton wasn’t fitting in on projects like The Fox and the Hound. Disney at the time was uncharacteristically invested in cultivating up-and-coming new talent so they gave Burton a decent budget to make his own short film. Vincent became Burton’s calling card in Hollywood.

Outsider theory: The idea is that most (all?) Burton films are about outsiders in some way. Vincent is certainly an outsider. The whole point of the movie is about how his behavior is odd, and yet he finds solace in his oddness.

Reality breaks through: Most (all?) Burton movies feature escaping into fantasy, yet the real world keeps butting in, often in interesting ways. In this case, it’s Vincent’s mother who encourages him to go outside and “play,” while offering no further info on what “play” might entail.

Best bits: Narrator: “Vincent is nice when he aunt comes to see him, but he imagines dipping her in wax for his wax museum.”

Thoughts on this viewing: Vincent hits the sweet spot between adorable and ghoulish. In just over six minutes, it establishes a whole bunch of classic Burton-isms.

Next: Not witch hunters.

* * * *

Want more? Check out my ongoing serial, THE SUBTERKNIGHTS, on Kindle Vella. A man searches for his missing sister in a sprawling city full of far-out tech and secret magic. It’s a sci-fi/fantasy hybrid full of action, romance, mystery, and laughs. The first three chapters are FREE! Click here for a list of all my books and serials.