One of the Most Beautiful Films I've Ever Seen

Rating: Null/10 (22 September 2002)

Many people complain that Tim Burton is overrated as a director. To them, I present to you EDWARD SCISSORHANDS. Not only is this one of the most beautiful films I've ever seen, but one of the best and most imaginative.
This is the story of Edward (Johnny Depp). Edward is the creation of a gentle mad inventor (Vincent Price), but unfortunately for Edward the inventor died before he could attach hands, so Edward is left with a motly collection of scissors and blades for hands. Of course, this is unnerving to the uber-perky Avon lady (Dianne Weist) who happens upon the young man. Strange as he may look, the kind woman realizes that Edward can't keep living alone like he has been, so she takes him back home to her suburban home to her typical family. The neighbors are fascinated and are soon patronizing Edward's natural abilities for gardening and haircutting. Edward is enjoying his new friends, but is mostly interested in Weist's teenage daughter Kim (Winonna Ryder). He has fallen for her, and she begins to fall for him, but problems arise when Kim's thug boyfriend (Anthony Michael Hall) decides to rob his dad and use Edward as a patsy. Who would have expected that a movie about a man with scissors for hands would yeild such gorgeous results? The film's style is visually striking and inlaid with a great sense of ironic humor. Every house in the suburban neighborhood where the story is set looks exactly the same, every car leaves the driveway at the same time in the morning, presumably for the same place. The mansion on the hill where Edward lives is gloomy and gothic, but features a beautiful garden out in front. The latter transfers into the former as soon as Edward enters the picture and his unique talents are put to place, and this carboard cutout neighborhood becomes a fairy land. Depp's performance is nothing short of astounding. His character reflects a child-like innocence and is intensely likeable, but still a bit frightening.
The real triumph here is Dany Elfman's beautiful score, which really captures the essance of the film. I highly, highly recommend this film to everyone. It's one of the great American films of our time.