A Modern Fairytale

Rating: 8/10 (18 July 2008)

This story has many elements of a classic fairytale, it opens with an old lady being asked by her grand daughter why it snowed, she then tells the story shown in the film...
In a strange mansion a scientist (Vincent Price) has made a man, unfortunately he died before he could attach proper hands leaving him with strange hands made of large scissors, it is never explained why he gave Edward (Johnny Depp) hands made of scissors before adding his permanent hands but such an explanation isn't really needed. Edward is "rescued" from his solitary like by Peg, the local Avon Lady (Dianne West) and taken to live in her house in the suburb below.
Almost all the locals are curious about her new house guest and are keen to meet him, soon he is busy using his scissors turning their hedges and shrubs into amazing topiary, cutting their dogs' hair and eventually cutting their hair too. Things start to go wrong however when Peg's daughter Kim (Winona Ryder) and her thuggish boyfriend Jim (Anthony Michael Hall) return... she is understandably scared when she returns home from a few days camping and discovers Edward in her bed. When they learn that Edward can use his scissors to open locks Jim decides to get him to break in to his father's house to help him steal various items which he claims were stolen from him, when Edward is captured by a security device the others flee leaving him to face the police alone, from now on the locals distrust Edward is soon demonised although Kim sees her boyfriend for what he is and attempts to protect Edward.
In some ways this is the opposite of a traditional fairytale where one would expect an unpopular character to become loved. The acting is good, the direction is classic Tim Burton and the setting is great; the perfection of the pastel shaded suburbia is more creepy than the Gothic mansion upon the hill and the ordinary townsfolk are far more sinister than the strange Edward.
As to what this all has to do with snow... well you'll have to watch the film to learn that.