One of my favorite movies

Rating: 10/10 (20 October 2005)

Edward Scissorhands is brilliant on so many levels. It is a wonderful Lynchian satire, a touching story, a wonderful visually design, and poetic music that remains one of the best movie scores ever.
The plot seems a lot like the movie version of Frankenstein mixed with The Elephant Man. A struggling Avon Lady (Weist) tries to sell her product at an abandoned mansion. There, she discovers Edward (Depp), a pale man covered in scars and with scissors for hands. She takes him home, a suburban neighborhood caricature, and becomes acquainted with some of the neighbors, sculpting their lawns and cutting their hair into wild forms. Edward also meets the Avon Lady's daughter, Kim)Ryder) and falls in love with her. Unfortunately, she already has a boyfried, Jim (Hall), who tries to frame Edward for breaking into his house.
The film is a sort of traditional Hollywood film, except told in reverse. Normally, this formula involves the freak being loathed, only to show some hidden talent or perform a good deed and then becomes loved. Edward starts out as being loved for his unique talents, only to become hated later. Obviously, Burton was worried that he would eventually succumb to Hollywood pressures and saw himself as being loathed after being celebrated for his popular films like the original Batman. Indeed, Edward even looks like Burton, with his fright wig.
The people of suburbia are perfectly portrayed. They are caricatures and are only described by their stereotypical traits, including the oversexed housewife and the disgruntled army vet. Then again, the only sore spot comes from one of these characters, O-Lan Jones's religious nut who is convinced Edward is a demon. She really adds nothing to the story is just a very poor addition. (Although there is one amusing sight gag toward the end involving her. ) Many people have faulted Winona Ryder's character for being to bland and not being able to draw sympathy. She is, in my mind, the character that develops the most. At the beginning, she is simply another stereotype, in this case the high school cheerleader. Edward loves her, yet she brushes him off. Eventually, after the supposed break in she was involved that was placed on Edward, she sees Edward for what he really is: a lonely figure that wants acceptance. She realizes that her life with Jim is not the way life should be. It is certainly a step for a cheerleader character to sympathize with a "loser" instead of a jock.
Danny Elfman's music score is also used to the maximum effectiveness. The Ice Dance seen, in which Edward carves and ice sculpture for Kim, would not nearly be as effective without the hauntingly poetic voices in the score. The scene is told dialogue free, and yet shows more emotion than any other scene in the film. Other nice little additions, such as the violin during Edward cutting hair, really help with the atmosphere.
Edward Scissorhands is Tim Burton's masterpiece. He makes his characters as engaging as his sets and the music. It works as comedic satire and as drama. Next to Goodfellas, this was the best film of 1990, and remains one of the best films ever made.