Edward Scissorhands - A Gothic Fairytale.

The magical Film of Edward Scissorhands was released in 1990. Directed by Tim Burton. Starring Johnny Depp, Vincent Price, Dianne Wiest and Winona Rider. Genre:Comedy/Drama/Fantasy.- BBFC Rating: PG (cut) - Running Time: 1 Hour 43 Minutes. - An incredible film full of fantasy and magic.

The tale starts with a grandmother recounting a story to her granddaughter of a strange man in a Gothic Castle who she was very much in love with. As the grandmother stares longingly out of the window, the film cuts to flashback...

Edward Scissorhands is a lonely recluse who lives in an eerie Gothic Castle way up on a hill. It is grim and in a dilapidated state, depressing and gloomy. Edward Scissorhands is a strange invention, born of an elderly inventor who died before he had a chance to complete him. Edward has no social skills due to his isolation; he is painfully shy and barely says a word, save for small utterances. He is a gentle soul under a definite handicap. In place of hands he has a mass of varying size scissors. The inventor, (Vincent Price) had plans to give him hands to complete his creation. But instead Edward is left with heavy sharp shears and scissors which he wields erratically about in the air, especially when angry. He cuts a solitary figure in his black high necked leather suit and his long scruffy hair. The most defining features about Edward are his eerie white complexion, his stark black hair, doe like inquiring eyes and his small pursed lips. Which give his face a surprised and startled look. He also has small scars on his face due to the many accidents he has had with his scissors.

One day a very friendly Avon lady, Peg Boggs (Dianne Wiest) calls on Edward and after giving him a full beauty treatment she finds she cannot leave this strange reclusive person on his own in the dark and gloomy castle. Being full of compassion for his lonely plight she wants to take him home where she will care for him and slowly introduce him into society, where she hopes he will flourish and become a model citizen. She takes the bewildered Edward back down the hill to her home to live with her, much to the dismay of all her neighbours. Edwards cuts a sinister figure in suburbia as he walks into town in his Gothic attire and waving his alarming scissorhands. Everyone is intrigued and quite scared of him on first impression; he does seem quite an oddity.





Once inside the house, the out of place Edward is filled with an unsettling feeling he has never experienced before, when he meets the Avon ladies daughter Kim, (Winona Rider). The strange and introverted Edward has just fallen in love for the very first time. Has the Avon lady taken on an impossible task? Or will the scissor wielding Edward learn to become a model American Citizen? What she doesn't know, is that the socially inept Edward possesses a remarkable skill and one that will win him the respect and admiration of all the disapproving neighbours.-

I love the film, Edward Scissorhands. It is a truly enchanting modern fairytale. It's full of atmosphere and magic. The premise is a fantastic one, eccentric and offbeat. Tim Burton is one of my favourite directors and I love that all his central characters are always a little bit odd and they never quite seem to fit neatly into a society niche. The character of Edward is sad and solitary and my heart went out to him throughout the duration of the film. Johnny Depp plays the part masterfully with a perfect vulnerability and a child like innocence and an open eyed awe of everything new that he was presented with. Trying to eat peas with his scissorhands you see what an obstacle they are to him and though whilst a very funny thing to watch, you feel a great compassion for him. He has curiosity value to all around and they find him entertaining, drawing great amusement from his oddness. Poor Edward is on display and even more alienated than before. He is paraded round down and shown off to the townsfolk like a circus freak. Though all done with the best intentions, his new guardian is turning him into a bit off a celebrity, but for all the wrong reasons.

There is an underlying message in this tale that being different is never really going to work in the long term, and as the film evolves, it all comes back to what truly is acceptable in the norm, and you have an unshakeable feeling that this character will fall from grace before too long. I love the Gothic element in the film and one that Tim Burton is particularly fond of, and puts to good use within his films. Johnny Depp looked brilliant in his customized black leather suit which cut a stark contrast to his white face, giving him a surreal and spooky fairy tale quality. I love the scissors. What a fantastic touch there, and what an imaginative mind to come up with shears for hands. The story of Edward Scissorhands was inspired from an early picture that Tim Burton drew as a child.




Everything about the character of Edward Scissorhands was aesthetically perfect and beautiful to watch. The characterisation by Johnny Depp was superb, so in-depth that I believed him to be this strange isolated person. Johnny Depp is Tim Burton's favourite actor, and you can see why, and this film was the start of their long collaboration together. The man puts himself deep into a role and draws out the very essence at the core of the character. Depps facial expressions bring this character to life with his child like qualities and contrast of dark creation. Burton mixes tragedy with comedy expertly and the right balance is evident here. The setting of middle class American suburbia works extremely well with the Gothic fairy tale instruction. The film has a magical quality about it, an uplifting feel and with Johnny Depp at the helm he gives Edward Scissorhands a charm and accessibility. At the end of the day though this is no ordinary man and can a person who doesn't really belong in this new environment exist and function within it?

The skill which Burton gives Edward Scissorhands is another masterstroke and the scenes of topiary are absolutely brilliant, the waving speed of the scissors and cutting of the hedges is beautifully shot and incredible to watch. It is just so original. The whole film is an absolute masterpiece and I never tire of it. Beautifully directed by Tim Burton, Edward Scissorhands is a suburban Gothic fairytale of innocence and experience, of intolerance and loneliness. Should a fish be taken out of water? Or should it be left in its own environment? By taking Edward out of his comfort zone are they being cruel to be kind or vice versa? The film poses a lot of questions and they relate to the person who doesn't quite fit into society, who can't quite be put into a box, and ultimately the rescuer will become the destroyer because of ultimate non-acceptance of his difference. Burton's films are full of fantasy and fairytale quality, mixing tragedy with comedy; they are haunting, spooky, and stunning with a brilliant imagination behind them. Dianne Wiest is excellent as the caring Avon lady. Her character complimented Depps perfectly, and Winona Rider is competent as the love interest of Edward Scissorhands, giving the film a 'Beauty and the Beast' feel. All the cast worked well together to bring the film convincingly to life.

Burton was "Quirky, highly imaginative, and self absorbed" as a child and all these qualities spill over into his films today. Tim Burton's films are incredibly beautiful and surreal. The amazing 'Sleepy Hollow'. The great 'Charlie and the Chocolate Factory'. 'Nightmare Before Christmas' is a dreamy and delicious tale. Beetlejuice and his Batman films were devilishly dark. - Edward Scissorhands has an amazing atmospheric choral soundtrack, incredibly imaginative sets, stunning scenery and beautiful sharp and colourful cinematography. Edward Scissorhands must be the jewel in Tim Burtons crown. The film is a cult classic, outstanding in every way and brought to life the Iconic Gothic character of Edward Scissorhands. Heartbreaking and haunting, Edward Scissorhands is a very special film and I recommended it 100% +.-

Christianna Garrett-Martin

-Directed by-
Tim Burton
-Starring-
Johnny Depp
Winona Ryder
Dianne Wiest
Alan Arkin
Robert Oliveri
Vincent Price
Writers:
Tim Burton
Caroline Thompson
Music by
Danny Elfman
Cinematography
Stefan Czapsky

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