The tone of Tim Burton‘s directorial debut is far from the likes of the director’s now signature style. Today, Burton is celebrated for his gothic horror and dark fantasy films, thanks to movies early in his career, like Beetlejuice and Edward Scissorhands. Burton’s unique style has been applied to movies and TV series alike, in both the live-action and animated mediums.

Burton’s style is terrifying at times, but is often playful and instantly recognizable to those even vaguely familiar with his most celebrated work. Burton got his start as a director working on various short films throughout the 1970s and early 1980s. It wasn’t until after Paul Reubens saw Burton’s short film Frankenweenie that the director would make his feature-film directing debut.

Tim Burton’s First Movie Was Pee-Wee’s Big Adventure

Burton’s first feature film is the adventure comedy Pee-wee’s Big Adventure, based on Reubens’ famous character of the same name. Pee-wee’s Big Adventure is a fun mystery movie centered around the тιтular character’s search for his stolen bicycle. Reubens has stated that after getting a feel for Burton’s style within the first few minutes of Frankenweenie, he knew he’d be the director.

Pee-wee’s Big Adventure marks the first time Pee-wee was seen on the big screen, instantly becoming a favorite character for children and adults alike. For its lighthearted tone and Reubens’ endearing portrayal of Pee-wee, Pee-wee’s Big Adventure has continued to be celebrated by audiences, and is among Burton’s best movies, despite being inconsistent with the rest of his filmography.

Pee-Wee’s Big Adventure Isn’t Like Most Tim Burton Movies

Most of Burton’s filmography can be characterized by its distinct gothic visuals and use of eccentric characters. The тιтle character in Pee-wee’s Big Adventure aligns with the latter component of Burton’s films, but the adventure comedy is noticeably without many horror elements and is quite kid-friendly.

The narrative and whimsical atmosphere established in Pee-wee’s Big Adventure is largely in the hands of Reubens, who not only created the character of Pee-wee Herman but also co-wrote the film’s screenplay. It’s clear Pee-wee’s Big Adventure is Reubens’ creative vision first and foremost, but early marks of Burton’s signature traits can be seen throughout the film as well.

There Are Still A Few Tim Burton Traits In Pee-Wee’s Big Adventure

The most significant of Burton’s stylish contributions to Pee-wee’s Big Adventure is the Large Marge scene. The character first presents herself as a truck driver picking up a hitchhiking Pee-wee, before making a sudden and unsettling transformation into a bug-eyed monster.

Large Marge is easily one of Burton’s best monster creations. Though her appearance in Pee-wee’s Big Adventure is brief, the impression it left on audiences is everlasting. Burton also infuses a surreal aesthetic throughout the film that is tailored to Pee-wee’s childlike sense of wonder.

Pee-wee’s Big Adventure also marks the first of many collaborations between Burton and composer Danny Elfman. There have only been a few Burton films that Elfman did not score —his absence being quite noticeable. The 40-year-long partnership between Elfman and Burton has been crucial to the latter’s projects, and Pee-wee’s Big Adventure is where it all started.