86 of 1001 Movies: Edward Scissorhands (1990)

Edward Scissorhands is a modern fairy tale, and it's beautifully done by Tim Burton. Coming off a success with Batman, and already building his unique story telling abilities with the likes of Beetlejuice, he finally makes a movie that is original, and creatively amazing. It's also one of Johnny Depp's first starring roles, and Wyonna Ryder fits Tim Burton's usual like for the female lead.

Edward has been living alone for who knows how many years undiscovered, until an Avon lady drops by and finds him. Peg decides to take Edward home with her, and this causes a stir in the neighborhood as he doesn't look like the other neighbors most noticeably that he has scissors for hands. Some neighbors label him evil, while others begin to pursue him out of attraction. Most dangerously, Edward is naive, making him a target for his want to fit and help being used for illegal activities. The fact that Edward is falling for Peg's daughter, Kim, doesn't help his situation, as he will do anything to win her affection for him. She's a popular teenager who's boyfriend wants to cause him a lot of problems.


Edward Scissorhands is the best of Burton's work. The story is a little far-fetched. I have tons of questions about how this all works, but the fairy tale atmosphere makes it work. The biggest debate though is whether this story is real in the mind of Kim, or just a story she has made up for her daughter to listen to as a bed time story. To be honest, it would be highly disappointing if it was just a bed time story Kim made up, but with the mounting illogical plots in the story it also makes sense if it wasn't an actual happening in her mind.

Johnny Depp does really well in this film as Edward. He gives a difficult character a personality under all his quietness. He's naive, but he cares, and he only wants to know what it's like to be loved causing him to cater to the neighbors in the ways he can with his scissor hands. Whether that be trimming their lawns, their dog's hair, or even his neighbors own hair. These antics lead to hilarity and awkwardness. He looks like a very scary character on the outside, but he's really just wanting to please everyone. Wyonna Ryder is also likable as Kim. While she hasn't been seen in as much of recent there was once a time where she made a lot of movie appearances including Burton's earlier work, Beetlejuice. Probably the main issue with Ryder is that she usually just doesn't exude much of a personality, and I can only remember one face from her.

The use of the light and dark in this movie is well done too. The colors just add to the creative and quirkiness of it. The houses in the neighborhood are all pastel, and bright whereas the one house that Edward lives in looks like a dark castle. The comedic timing is also a nice relief in the movie including the moment Edward shreds open the water bed with his scissorhands the night he stays over. The most beautiful scene in the film is of Edward trimming an ice sculpture, and Kim comes out to play in the trimmings as if they are snow fall. The mood and score just make it feel perfect.

In a world where we don't have many creative movies nowadays it is nice to see a movie that is completely original, and from the mind of the director. Tim Burton wrote and directed it. It is a new movie that didn't derive from any other story, and it's a reflection on much of the director's own musing of the teasing and difference he felt growing up himself. The fact it's original, and will leave you feeling emotion in some ways makes it one worth watching over.

Rating 10 of 10.