Style Inspiration: Tim Burton's "Gothic Dreaminess."

"I don't understand the appeal of Johnny Depp," someone confessed to me recently. Though I don't think he saw it as a confession really. Whereas I, a human female with a pulse, would never utter such a thing.

I still dream of a Johnny Depp circa mid-1990s. And that's how he's remained in my memory. However, I did understand where my friend was coming from with his opinion. Johnny Depp really hadn't done any movies that appealed to me for his acting abilities. Other than the first Pirates of the Caribbean movie, and Finding Neverland.

"I think it's the pairing of him with Tim Burton that appeals to me," I said. 

He didn't understand that either. The appeal of Tim Burton was lost on him as well. I tried to explain it at first... But then I realized the appeal of Tim Burton was purely visual for me. The stories themselves failed to capture me on their own. But watching a Tim Burton film was a different story.

"It's like watching a dream. There's eery beauty in the interpretation of these characters coming to life."

My friend seemed to indulge me on this. But I felt like it needed further explanation. I had long found stye inspiration from Tim Burton's work. 

This is me at 17, in one of my senior photos. Looking at this picture, which I didn't really give to anyone, you'd never know I was a bubbly cheerleader. I didn't let this look out much. Only because it was Arizona, and very hot. But you can see that the dark elegance I was trying to go for, which is due to my exposure to these films...

Beettlejuice

Really...  Who didn't find Winona Ryder to be a fascinating creature to look at in this film?

Stunning. Beautiful. A little bit creepy.

I remember seeing this movie at the age of 11 and feeling grateful there was a celebrity paler than me.

For years after this movie, I was told I looked like her.  And I loved that.

Edward Scissor Hands

Leather. Hardware bits. Wild hair.

That may have been the key pieces (as well as the scissored hands) to Edward's look... But I loved them. Still do. Very punk rock. Very dominatrix - which isn't a look I subscribe to. But one I can appreciate on others.

No... In terms of my youth and this movie, I was more in line with Kim's look...

Sweet. Youthful. Fresh-faced. I adored this white dress she wore in one of the final scenes. ADORED it! The pale skin and blonde hair carried an eery appeal on it's own.

The Nightmare Before Christmas

I feel that it was with this movie that my obsession with skulls developed. 

The stop-motion tediousness of building this film makes the movement of the characters creepier. The darkness of the set design and lighting... Were perfection.

They are beautiful.


The Corpse Bride

I was 28 when this came out in theaters. Again, you have the stop-motion and eery lighting of the set design...

But what I loved was the Victorian-style of clothing on the characters. Proper. Beautiful.

The expressions and movement... It was easy to be pulled into this one, even if I found the story itself boring.


Charlie & The Chocolate Factory

This movie was all about Veruca Salt for me.

Again... Pale skin. Dark hair. And top it off with a snooty and conniving air. She is the ultimate bitch. One we all would have gladly been, had our mothers/fathers/grand parents let us get away with such behavior. And the colorful background and styling of the character in this version was perfectly mixed. 

She appears soft to me in this film, versus the original 1970s version. I truly believe that those around her look at her and adore her, thus allowing her to do whatever she pleases... And make absurd demands.

Alice In Wonderland

Sure, sure... Everyone raves about the Mad Hatter's look in this film, as well as the Queen of Hearts, and Alice herself.  And while Alice had some pretty dresses in the movie, I loved the White Queen's look...

Pale skin and light hair. It's perfectly eery. Soft, beautiful and ominous in its surroundings.

This actually makes me crave a "Vamp" colored manicure right now!

These are just a few of the movies I've found beautiful to watch. Only with Beetlejuice, "Alice" and "Charlie," though, did I actually enjoy the story lines. The other three movies, it was purely the visualization and the styling that drew me into them.