A failed invention, a decaying castle, a neighbourhood of gossiping housewives and an initial Box Office failure, Burton’s Edward Scissorhands (1990) continues to triumph as a whimsical comedy and an achingly sad romance that will certainly bring tears to your eyes. This Modern-day fairy-tale follows the story of Edward (Johnny Depp) – a Frankensteinian man with scissors for hands. High above a street of pastel-coloured houses and a story-book suburb, Edward lives alone in a crumbling manor where his talent for scissor work and topiary is marvelled. It is only until he is adopted by a suburban family, plunged into their seemingly colourful neighbourhood and falls in love with their teenage daughter Kim, does Edward’s life become even more complex.
Patently, Burton’s love for the Gothic and German Expressionism prevails in this film and creates the spellbinding, dreamlike tale that is Edward Scissorhands. For those who love the aesthetically pleasing, this film is nothing short of a visual delight. In no small part, the greatest thrill of this film is the friction between two aesthetics captured in a single frame: the dark, gothic world suspended above the sunny, idyllic suburbia. This is emblemised through the costuming of Edward in head to toe in black leather against the fanciful world of scarlet dresses and conceited housewives. Burton ironically paints this suburban neighbourhood as a surreal and foreign place of exaggerated colours and characters; bringing the ‘Suburban Gothic’ to life – a genre which warns against society’s bloated values of beauty and conformity. This heart-warming yet tragic story tells of an outsider, a feeling that admittedly many can relate to.
As well as the beautiful, hand-crafted sets of the American suburbia, Danny Elfman’s eerie score gives the tale a magical and ethereal touch that conveys the simple musical narrative of an alienated Edward. Elfman’s critically acclaimed score effectively expresses the fractured suburban fairy tale of Burton’s gothic horror while also bringing an underlying gentleness to it. This balance of humour and seriousness for satire is perfect for anyone who is enchanted by the idea of “otherness” that so many fear.
If the stunning cinematography and dreamlike soundtrack does not move you, then the Johnny Depp and Winona Ryder combo definitely will. Although Edward Scissorhands was not Johnny Depp’s film debut, his performance left a remarkable stamp on his career. Depp’s performance is utterly marvellous, capturing the pain and emotion of Edward’s isolation in less than 150 words throughout the whole film. While Depp inhabits a character that is meant to be an outcast, his soulfulness gives Edward depth and a yearning for connection. As Kim, Winona Ryder provides an equally impressive and emotional performance largely manifesting in the character’s growing empathy for Edward as the townsfolk merely romanticise his bladed hands. This duo offers an intimacy to a narrative that serves as a universal message to those who are different.
With plenty to applaud, from the aesthetic colour palette to the touching on-screen performances, Burton’s Edward Scissorhands is an essential watch for all those who love cinema.
Score: 5/5
Spotlight Magazine 