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TIM BURTON

Director Tim Burton has carved a unique niche in Hollywood for four decades, creating dark, peculiar, and delightfully quirky characters and worlds. This month, the celebrated master of the macabre returns to the movie that launched his career, Beetlejuice . So, let’s explore some of his signature trademarks. A gothic perspective It goes without saying that Tim Burton’s work is inseparable from dark, gothic perspectives. While this style permeates his entire catalogue, it’s especially evident in Batman, Batman Returns, Sleepy Hollow, and Sweeney Todd - all of which lean heavily into his ghoulish outlook and sensibilities. Outcasts and outsiders Name any Tim Burton movie, and you’ll find a misfit at its heart. Likely reflecting his own insecurities, Burton often focuses on characters who are alienated or misunderstood - from Lydia in Beetlejuice to Edward Scissorhands, Bruce Wayne, Pee-wee Herman, and more. Through them, he explores themes of identity, individuality and loneliness. Expressionism An artist before becoming a filmmaker, Tim Burton’s work is deeply influenced by Expressionist artists like Salvador Dalí and Mario Bava. The deliberate imperfections in his production designs create a dreamlike quality, imbuing his stories with a surreal, fairytale aesthetic.

DECEMBER

Army of Darkness (aka Evil Dead III ). An absolute treasure of the genre, bringing slapstick and horror together perfectly. Perhaps a little too awesome for a young kid though, it definitely left an impression. What’s one of your all-time favourite films, and why? Gremlins ! The perfect amount of wonder and whimsy all wrapped together in a quirky, monstrous little package. It’s on my Christmas watch list every year. What’s one of your all-time favourite TV series, and why? I think Buffy easily comes in at the top of my list. Such a great show, and an awesome bit of nostalgia from some golden years of goofy good-time TV. What have you been watching lately that you’d recommend? Lately, I’ve been really into Succession and it’s an absolute ripper of a show. All the drama and political intrigue you could ask for carried by some unreal performances - a must-watch.

’ s ROVING REPORTER

CARL FOREMAN @ JB Tuggeranong, ACT

On The Radar

What’s the best thing about working at JB? The people. In my years at JB I’ve been able to be a part of so many great teams full of awesome people, getting to bring the best I can to those teams is always rewarding!

2025 kicks off with a bang as a slew of major films hit physical media, including the highly

anticipated horror sequel Smile 2 , the buzzworthy Joker: Folie à Deux , and Tom Hardy’s return in Venom: The Last Dance . Also on the radar are Francis Ford Coppola’s polarising Megalopolis and Kate Winslet’s WWII biopic Lee , making for an epic new year.

What’s a movie you saw as a child that has left a lasting impression on you?

QUIZ

child star played the little girl character in the original Miracle on 34th Street (1947)? Q4 In which film did the song White Christmas first appear? Q5 Which 1987 movie has a shootout in a Christmas tree lot? Q6 Which popular Christmas song was composed by a singing cowboy actor in 1947? Q7 What toy are

the fathers fighting over in Jingle All the Way (1996)? Q8 Which festive song features in the 1944 movie Meet Me in St Louis ? Q9 What is the highest grossing Christmas movie? Q10 The 1982 animated film The Snowman is wordless, except for which song?

PRE-ORDER NOW IN DEVELOPMENT

Q1 Who is the film Joyeux Noel (2005) dedicated to? Q2 Which British actor played Santa Claus in the 1994 remake of A Miracle on 34th Street ? Q3 And which Hollywood

News of a new entry in The Fly series is generating significant buzz among horror fans, especially with confirmation that the project will not be a remake but will exist within the same universe as the 1986 David Cronenberg film and its 1989 sequel. While story details remain under wraps, the current popularity of horror legacy sequels and elevated horror offers hope for a

genuine evolution of the iconic franchise, which began with the 1958 original and its two sequels. Director Nikyatu Jusu ( Nanny ) is attached to helm the film, and is also set to direct a sequel to Night of the Living Dead, and a feature-length adaptation of her short vampire film Suicide by Sunlight .

NOVEMBER 2024 (Issue 241) ANSWERS - A1. Midnight Cowboy (1969) A2. Kathryn Bigelow for The Hurt Locker A3. Michael Landon A4. Stay Away Joe (1968) A5. Annie Get Your Gun (1950) A6. The late James Earl Jones in Patriot Games and Clear and Present Danger A7. The Bond author Ian Fleming A8. The Bond spoof Casino Royale (1967) A9. John Rambo (Sylvester Stallone) in Rambo: First Blood Part Two A10. Cimarron (1931), Dances with Wolves (1990), and Unforgiven (1992)

6 DECEMBER 2024

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