Misunderstood Monsters:

Another main feature of Tim Burton films is the ‘misunderstood monster’. His ‘monsters’ are always misunderstood creatures often looking for some form of love and acceptance. Penguin from Batman Returns, Edward Sissorhands, Sweeney Todd and to some degree, the Headless Horseman from Sleepy Hollow, are some of the classic examples. In these movies who are the real villains? Penguin? Or the guy pulling the strings? In Edward Sissorhands is it Edward or society? Sweeney Todd or Judge Turpin? The Headless Horseman or the person who wrote his hit list of victims? Burton makes us think beyond what we see and shakes the line between good and evil.

Burton likes to show his audiences that there are two sides to everything and everyone. He does this effectively through the use of colour, as I have previously showed you in his last technique, and through the concept of misunderstood monsters. In Edward Sissorhands, Edward at first appears to be a very dark and scary character, but we are quickly shown that this is first impression that is entirely wrong as we soon see that he is a sweet and innocent creature who has never experienced the outside world or the love and comfort of a family. He’s shy and awkward but like a cute little kid he is curious and fun loving as we can see in this scene. *clip*

In Batman Returns, Burton makes us feel sorry for Penguin by revealing his misfortune and reminding the audience that he is a man, just like everyone else. Penguin gains sympathy by being given a reason as to why he turned out this way, he was an outcast, abandoned by his own family just because he looked strange and different and is left to be raised in the sewers by penguins. Anyone doomed to that fate is likely to go a little crazy. One of Penguin's famous quotes that illustrates this is "I am a man. I have a name", this scene I will show you now. *clip* Also, when Penguin dies we are again given sympathy towards this poor misunderstood monster despite all of his evil deeds as he is carried off into the water by the only family he ever knew, the penguins. *clip*