Tim Burton has made plenty of movies that are strange, somewhat dark, and yet wildly creative. Out of all of his movies from his filmography though, Edward Scissorhands is my personal favorite as it manages to speak to outsiders and relate to feelings of not fitting the mold of what reality expects you to be. It’s about as perfect a Tim burton film as you can get and there are many reasons why this masterpiece speaks to me and many others in the ways that it does.
On the top of an old abandoned hill where an old house is present, an Avon saleswoman named Peg (Dianne Wiest) discovers a strange man who was built by an old inventor who forgot to give his creation hands so the man is left with just scissors for hands. Peg takes the man who is named Edward (Johnny Depp) back to her home which creates buzz among the town and gets more and more attention after seeing the incredible things Edward can do with his hands. Edward meets Peg's family including his husband Bill (Alan Arkin), her son Kevin (Robert Oliveri), and her daughter Kim (Winona Ryder) who Edward falls in love with. However, things start to go wrong as Edward has trouble fitting into his new reality and it leads to Edward feeling pressure to live in a society where things work differentially than they do back home.
The story almost has a very storybook-like feel to the whole thing as it focuses on a character that is mainly something out of a fantasy and putting him in a strange reality that is just like our own except there are some things about this reality that don’t sit quite well with our main protagonist. As expected of a Tim Burton production the overall narrative is strange but also lovely with the addition of having many interesting themes that are guaranteed to make you think about your everyday reality. Most of the charm and humor comes from Edward and his delightful and naive way of looking at the world he finds himself in. what I personally like though is that the humorous bits are not made to make fun of Edward’s character and instead are more charming and likable that it makes it almost too hard to resist. This is Tim Burton at his in terms of storytelling and though he has made many other incredible movies, this is by far his most greatest offering.
The characters are all great with the main star Edward practically stealing the show in every scene he is in. Admittedly I’m not a huge fan of Johnny Depp as an actor but his performance as Edward was probably the best role he’s ever played. He plays the character so charmingly well that sometimes I almost forget Johnny Depp is even playing him which is truly an amazing accomplishment. Also, I don’t know if it was made intentional but the way Edward’s character is portrayed made me think about how a person with a disability sees the world and has a hard time adapting to some aspects of reality. I relate to Edward’s predicament and the way he is treated by society. Even if it wasn’t Tim’s intention this character is a fine example of how people with disabilities view the world and how others respond to it. Edward's bond with Kim is very romantic and I like that over time she starts to understand the pain Edward goes through even though no one else does. I really do love the bond they share and their understanding for each other really tugs at my heartstrings from time to time. I also like that there is no bad guy in this feature and even the people who are somewhat mean toward Edward aren’t necessarily evil but more like people who are constantly bugging him and doing strange things to him which most of the time is uncomfortable and unfamiliar to someone who’s been locked away from the rest of society.
The cinematography is dazzling to look at. From the oddly colored neighborhood to the spooky unknowns of Edwards home, It captures Tim Burton’s creepy vision while also Throwing in some beautiful scenery. The set designs were done by Bo Welch who also worked on Beetlejuice which is another movie Tim Burton directed. One of the most impressive settings is the home that Edward grew up in which is haunting but also pleasant at the same time and you can just feel how the years have not been so kind to this once functional place. The makeup of Edward himself is very warped and strange but also has a naive sort of innocence that shows that he is anything but a killer. The stuff they can do with Edward’s literal Scissorhands visually is downright outstanding and they take full advantage of that fact by making those hands do many different things such as trimming bushes, cooking, cutting hair, or even making it snow.
The music is done by Danny Elfman and his score is both enchanting and sometimes kinda depressing in a good way. When certain moments hit, the music score accompanies greatly the situation and it delivers something magical and mysterious. One of the biggest features of the music is the subtle but also lovely chorus that accompanies the musical instruments to create a score that is 100% Elfman’s and nobody else’s.
I can go on and on about why this is the best Tim Burton movie, but the fact is that it has almost everything you can want out of a movie. Something that is dark but enchanting. cute, but also warped and strange. If you are new to Tim Burton’s film catalog or you just want to see a great and well-executed movie in general, this is an absolute must-watch for the reasons mentioned before and many more. This is my favorite movie from the mind and imagination of one of the most oddball directors to ever come from Hollywood and there are plenty of deep morals and interesting creativity that will always leave me coming back for more.
(Final Grade: A+)