Perfect

Rating: 10/10 (12 November 2010)

Edward Scissorhands, as its slogan states, tells the story of an uncommonly gentle man. As the film progresses it is clear to see that he is the only gentleman in a neighbourhood filled with narrow-minded and ignorant residents. This (and many other reasons!) is why it is easy to fall in love with Edward, who is perfectly portrayed by Johnny Depp. The story is a simple one: boy meets girl, boy falls in love with girl, but it's not meant to be. However, Tim Burton put a twist on this typical, Hollywood rom-com structure when he created this dark fairytale. Edward is discovered by the cheery, Avon representative Peg Boggs (Dianne Wiest) who thinks it would be a great idea for him to go home with her. Little does she know, that this is the worst thing she could have done. Tim Burton emphasises the monotony of life in the Suburbs when showing every resident rushing to Peg's house to have a look at the new visitor. Edward immediately falls in love with Peg's daughter Kim (Winona Ryder) when gazing at her photograph. She, however, has a jock boyfriend: Jim. He rapidly forms a hatred for Edward and mocks him throughout the film. Life in this neighbourhood eventually takes its toll on Edward, and without giving anything away, he doesn't get the fairytale ending he deserves. The ease at which we fall for this story, is perhaps, the best thing about it. Tim Burton invites us into his Gothic fantasy world and we enjoy every moment we are there. The music, that accompanies the many bitter-sweet moments between Kim and Edward, is beautiful; it is easy to see why Danny Elfman believes the music he composed for Edward Scissorhands to be his greatest. It is also understandable why Tim Burton favours this out of all of his films; if he had only made Edward Scissorhands, he would still be thought of as a great Director. The wonderful performances by all members of the cast, which include Vincent Price as the inventor, add to the brilliance of this film. Each character is different from the next, yet equally believable. This just adds to how heart-breaking this film is; we know, that this is how people would act towards someone this different. We sympathise with Edward because all he wants to do is fit in. The amount of themes Edward Scissorhands covers is endless: love, hatred, jealousy, kindness and it, also, raises many questions about society. Something else that needs to be touched on is the amazing contrasts between Edward's dark, eerie, lifeless world and his new life; filled with bright colours, flocks of people and noise. This makes Edward stand out even more from the crowd, his pale face covered in scars and his all-black clothes. To sum up, Edward Scissorhands is a must for Tim Burton and Johnny Depp fans alike, they are both at their best here. It is definitely a modern- day classic that will stay with you long after you've seen it, and want to be watched over and over again.