Edward Scissorhands

Release Date: December 14, 1990

Director: Tim Burton

Synopsis: In cookie cutter suburbia, there is a family like any other. The mother Peg, an Avon sales woman, goes to the top of the hill outside of town where an old mansion sits. There she finds a young boy who is dressed in bizarre leather clothing and has scissors for hands. She and the boy, named Edward, begin talking and she decides to take him in with her and her family. Edward immediately falls for her teenage daughter Kim. Soon, the whole town is enthralled with their newest member, and especially the artwork he does with the neighborhood shrubberies. Edward then makes foray into dog grooming and hair styling, and soon everyone wants a piece of this kind hearted, young stranger. Kim’s boyfriend Jim, however, isn’t fond of Edward and will do anything to get him out of town.

Review: I’ve always liked this movie. I thought it would be the perfect segue into the holiday season, since it’s Tim Burton and he’s always doing creepy stuff, and it snows a lot in the movie. This was Johnny Depp’s and Tim Burton’s first collaboration together (7 more would follow over the next two decades), and I have to say I really love this movie. Edward isn’t supposed to be really scary, but just creepy enough that he’s an outsider. What I find great about this film is that it’s not about some monster; it’s about a young man who is an outsider, but isn’t phased by what people have to say about him. He was created from a cookie heart, and the inventor who created him died before he was able to give Edward hands (thus the unfortunate need to have scissors instead). He is inherently kind and would do anything for the ones he loves.

Seeing Anthony Michael Hall as an angry adult is just hysterical to me. I will always see him as Farmer Ted from “Sixteen Candles.” It’s hard for me to see him as this studly, masculine man who tries to kill people. Wynona Ryder has always ranked so-so with me; her voice is SO annoying. But she was likable in this film. As always, Johnny Depp is awesome. I don’t think I even need to say more about that!!!

            I’m usually not the biggest fan of Tim Burton films because the give me the creeps. He can literally take the most normal thing and make it ridiculously creepy. The houses are all neon Easter colors and the hairstyles that Edward creates are just as kooky. His camera angles are a little weird, and the costumes are pretty out there as well. He came up with the idea for the character Edward Scissorhands from a drawing he did as a child. Uuuhhhh . . . who draws stuff like that when they are little? Disturbed, I tell you! I can honestly say this is the only Tim Burton film I enjoyed (except for Pee-Wee’s big adventure, lol).