An auteur is a filmmaker who exerts strong authorial control over their movies and has a distinctive style and thematic elements that are consistent across all of their films. The auteur theory was developed in 1954 by François Truffaut and Andrew Sarris, who analyzed respected directors to define serious artistic work in film. Tim Burton and Quentin Tarantino are examples of auteurs, as Burton's films consistently feature dark, gothic themes and settings while Tarantino's films are characterized by extensive dialogue and graphic violence. Alfred Hitchcock is also cited as a pioneering auteur for his distinctive cameo appearances, use of suspense and blonde femme fatale characters.