Moore, S., 2018.

Transformation: Metamorphosis, animation, and fairytale, in the work of Tim Burton

This paper draws on Tim Burton's training as an animator, specifically the use of metamorphosis, and how it has affected his subsequent filmmaking. It looks at the function of physical metamorphosis in animation, situating it historically as a subversive tool that serves to disrupt narrative structure and causal logic.
Disney animators were explicitly instructed not to use metamorphosis in the depiction of characters, lest they lose their intrinsic selves in the process (Klein, 2000). Referencing films including Corpse Bride (2005) and Beetlejuice (1988) the paper points out that, in contrast, Burton's approach to metamorphosis is enthusiastic, using its destabilising powers with his most empathetic characters.