symbolism  colour   lighting

In the film Sweeney Todd, Tim burton uses a bird in a cage metaphor to symbolise that the character Johanna is locked in cage much like a bird in the cage. she creates this persona of being a bird because when she sings the tone of her voice is very high and chrippy.

tim burton uses symbolism thoughout the films sweeney todd and sleepy hollow. symbolism is the use of an object to portray an idea. A recurring symbol that burton uses throughout these films is the bird in the cage.in sweeney todd ths symbol is used to show that that character johanna is trapped. in the scen where johanna first comes into the film she is sining, the tone of her voiceis extremly high and chripy. she is well dressed with long golden hair while she is singing she is looking out her window wondering what the world is like. the windows that johanna is looking out of have bars going up and down them which r extremly similar to prison bars making reinforcing the idea that she is trapped. this symbol is repat throughout sweeney todd with Todds atic also having bars on the windows in his barber shop in the attic. with todd looking out bared windows tells us that he is also trapped however he is not physically trapped like johanna, he is metally and emtionally trapped. he is so driven by his revenge that he cant see or imagine the furture that he couldnt regonise he own wife and daughter. in sleepy hollow this symbol is shown as an optical illusion with the bird being on one side of it and a cage being on the other and when the string is twisted it the bird becomes trapped in the cage creating the illuison. this symbol fisrt appears when cranes mother is showing it to him she is trapped behind the father, the symbol get passed down to crane who is trapped by his passed and is enable to let it go. He then gives the illusion to Katrina Van Tassel, she is trapped by her father and her whichery. Tim Burton uses this symbol within both films to create an illusion of being trapped within an idea. sweeney todd and sleepy hollows ilusion is similar because all character that are associated to the symbol are trapped much like Mr Todd and Crane are both mentally trapped from wha happened in the past. As the auidence understanding this symbol give you a better understanding of what is happening within the film and why the characters are acting like they are and the reasons behind their actions. 

in Sweeney Todd and Sleepy Hollow colour is used very dramatically with the majority of the film being in monochromatic colours and the flashbacks being bright and vibrant pops of colour. monochramatic colours is when a single colour id used throughout the film but is different shades, tones and tints to it. what the colour scheme does to the film Sweeney Todd is make the city and the present day look miserable and depressing. the effect of the colours on the characters make them look as if they have had their life sucked right out of them. where as when the flash backs of todds prefies life the colours are bright and vibrant fill with warm yellows and pinks, soft whites and browns. the bright colour within this scene can create a happy and full of life and joy life style however when todd gets takin away in the scen the colour suddenly disappears and goes into monochramitc colours. sleepy hollows film is also mainly monochramyic colours with bright brusts of colour in the flashbacks. when crane first arrives to the town ship of sleepy hollow the colours are monocharamatic with dark shades and tones. whiat the colour show about crane and the town is that they are both dull and not very happy. though crane is passionate about solveing murders and mysterys it is not making happy there is something missing that is holding him down. in cranes flash backs they are also filled with bright and warm colours giving the audience a sense calm and happiness. it is toward the end of the flash back whe his mother gets taken away the all the warm and bright colour disappear and the monochromatic colours com back into the film. Burton uses the same monochramatic colours in the two films because it adds to the dark and uneasy feeling that he gives the films

Tim Burton uses flashbacks within the films Sweeney Todd and Sleepy Hollow. A flash back is used to show more informations about a characters past. Burton often uses flashbacks throughout theses films that a full of vibrents colour