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The Art of Movie Magic
Tim Burton Retrospective at MoMA
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Since its release in 1993, fans have religiously watched The Nightmare Before Christmas during a holiday season that stands as a bridge between spooky Halloween and joyous Christmas. Now Jack Skellington fans have even more to cheer about.
This holiday season at MoMA, a tribute exhibition to Tim Burton will be presented, containing the director’s original conceptual artwork—an opportunity for Burton fans to see inside the filmmaker’s mind. Fans will also be able to see the sources of Burton’s inspiration, including James Whale’s 1931 Frankenstein as well as other films. Many mediums will be available for viewing, such as Burton’s personal drawings and paintings, some of his storyboards and moving-image formats that bring the director’s wild ideas to fruition. And for the big movie buffs, props, costumes and puppets will be also be on display.
Tim Burton is known for his dark imagery, but only true fans can really understand that there is a sense of light and hope hidden between the twisted imagery and swirls of dark colors. From the ice and topiary sculpture scenes of Edward Scissorhands to Jack Skellington’s song “What’s This?” in The Nightmare Before Christmas, Burton is not limited to dark and dismal images but is earnest in telling the story of the outcast in a unvaried environment attempting to break free. His stories have heart, and Burton shows viewers that we are not limited and if our heart’s desires branch outside of what we know, we should pursue them.
From devoted fans who know his earliest works such as Beetlejuice (1988) and Edward Scissorhands (1990) by heart, to those who have recently discovered him through his interpretations of children’s book Charlie and the Chocolate Factory (2005), and the renowned musical Sweeney Todd (2007), this exhibition will be something worth the while. Any devoted followers of his films—in a genre completely of their own—will to want to check out the exhibition at MoMA this winter.
November 22, 2009–April 26, 2010 at