Edward Scissorhands Film Review

Fig 1: Movie Poster

Tim Burton's Edward Scissorhands (1990) explores the paradoxes of society wanting to be individuals and the same in this Beauty and the Beast cross Frankenstein fairy tale. Edward the protagonist is a creation - a synthetic son to an inventor who made him out of his cookie cutting machine and gave him blades for hands, however the inventor dies before he has the chance to give him human hands. “Burton's vision, for all its sadness, is laced with humour and humanity. Like all true fairytales it bears endless repetition.” (Lee, 2014). Johnny Depp makes the perfect leading role for Scissorhands, all the emotion and character, you can see in his eyes you don't need much dialogue to see the innocence, vulnerability, caring, socially awkward wonder that is Edward. The film isn't a melancholy one and like Lee said it is laced with humour in scenes where Edward frightens the living hell out of Kim (Wynona Ryder) and he's marching around not knowing what to do with himself or where Peg tries to hide his scars with Avon cosmetics (see fig 2).

Fig 2: Make up Scene

The production design itself conveys the contradiction of individuality yet fitting in by being the same by being set in a suburbia of organised rows of houses, the layouts all the identical just different chalky, pale colours juxtaposed with a dark mansion on the hill (see figs 3 and 4). When Edward arrives, he releases his creativity through topiary which intrigues and fascinates the neighbours who love him for his talents they revel in his individuality and get him to groom dogs moving onto their owners' hair. “This is a world waiting for someone to astonish it with passionate unorthodoxy, and Edward is just the man to do it.” (Malcom, 1991). Things go south when jealousy grows for Kim's boyfriend and he puts Edward on a troubling path and causes many problems for him turning the town against him. This reflects the denseness that is society - we destroy what we love, by changing it and ruining it but the blame falls entirely upon the innocent.

Fig 3: Juxtaposed suburbia.

Fig 4: Suburbia

Aspects throughout the film suggest this tale is one dear and alike to Burton, such as the same wild hair him and Edward both have or that the creepy mansion at the end of the street that no one dared go to reflects that Burton was a misfit in his society and given he was born in 1958 and grew up during the sixties and seventies which coincidentally seems to be some of the time periods that this film is set you can see the connection. Perhaps like Edward, Burton had people turn on him for his uniqueness? “the whole is a refreshing change from any current Hollywood norm. Burton is a real film-maker, equipped with imagination and the technical means to display it properly.” (Malcom, 1991). 

Fig 5: Inside the Mansion

Praise is well deserved for Edward Scissordhands, for the production design, the originality, the music, the costumes and make up artists. The camera work does an amazing job at capturing the magical moments with the aid of music to set the tone and help convey the story like when exploring the mansion (see fig 5) and especially the ice sculpture scene where Kim twirls underneath snow which is incredibly rare in that town (see figs 6 and 7), it reminds the audience how special Edward is. “Edward Scissorhands isn't perfect. It's something better: pure magic.” (Travers, 1990).

Fig 6: Edward Creating Snow

Fig 7: Magical moment, Kim in the snow.

Bibliography

Lee, M. (2014) ‘Edward Scissorhands, review: “A true fairytale”’ In: The Telegraph [online] At: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/film/filmreviews/11298442/Edward-Scissorhands-review-a-true-fairytale.html (Accessed on 12 November 2016)

Malcom, D. (1991) ‘Edward Scissorhands’ In: The Guardian [online] At: https://www.theguardian.com/film/News_Story/Critic_Review/Guardian_review/0,,558617,00.html (Accessed on 12 November 2016)

Travers, P. (1990) ‘Edward Scissorhands’ [online]. At: http://www.rollingstone.com/movies/reviews/edward-scissorhands-19901214 (Accessed on 12 November 2016)


Illustration List

Figure 1, Movie Poster.

Edward Scissorhands movie poster (#1 of 5). (1990) [Poster]. At: http://www.impawards.com/1990/edward_scissorhands_ver1.html (Accessed on 12 November 2016)

Figure 2, Make up scene.

‘Edward Scissorhands’- oral component part 2: Narrative and film language and representation. (2009) [Image]. At: http://jennashortfilmblog.blogspot.co.uk/2011/02/edward-scissorhands-oral-component-part.html (Accessed on 12 November 2016)

Figure 3, Mansion juxtapose suburbia

Saloz, J.C. (2016) 18 iconic houses from films. At: http://www.playgroundmag.net/noticias/historias/casas-peliculas-querriamos-visitar_0_1823817615.html (Accessed on 12 November 2016)

Figures 4&5

Analyzing Tim Burton (with images, tweet) · aleal1. (2013). At: https://storify.com/aleal1/analyzing-tim-burton (Accessed on 12 November 2016)

Figure 6, Edward creating snow.

Edward Scissorhands. (1990). At: https://www.pinterest.com/pin/474496510722915100/ (Accessed on 12 November 2016)

Figure 7, Kim in snow.
Powered2016. (2010) Movie scenes, Edward Scissorhands (Tim Burton, 1990). At: http://moviescenes.tumblr.com/post/16991441153/edward-scissorhands-tim-burton-1990 (Accessed on 12 November 2016)