Edward Scissorhands (1990)

Director:

Tim Burton

Writers (WGA):

Tim Burton (story) &
Caroline Thompson (story) ...

Release Date:

14 December 1990 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy | Drama | Fantasy | Romance

Tagline:

His scars run deep.

Plot:

An uncommonly gentle young man, who happens to have scissors for hands, falls in love with a beautiful teenage girl.

Plot Keywords:

Hand | Scissors | Inventor | Love | Creation

Awards:

Nominated for Oscar. Another 5 wins & 10 nominations

Cast

Johnny Depp	...	Edward Scissorhands
Winona Ryder	...	Kim
Dianne Wiest	...	Peg
Anthony Michael Hall	...	Jim
Kathy Baker	...	Joyce
Robert Oliveri	...	Kevin
Conchata Ferrell	...	Helen
Caroline Aaron	...	Marge
Dick Anthony Williams	...	Officer Allen
O-Lan Jones	...	Esmeralda
Vincent Price	...	The Inventor
Alan Arkin	...	Bill
Susan Blommaert	...	Tinka (as Susan J. Blommaert)
Linda Perri	...	Cissy (as Linda Perry)
John Davidson	...	Host-TV

Runtime:

105 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

70 mm 6-Track (analog 70 mm prints) | CDS (digital 70 mm prints) | Dolby SR (35 mm prints) | CDS (digital 35 mm prints)

Certification:

Iceland:12 | Italy:T | Spain:T | Portugal:M/12 | Finland:K-10 (cut) (1991) (theater release) | Finland:K-11 (uncut) (2003) (DVD) | Finland:K-12 (cut) (1991) (video) | Ireland:PG | South Korea:12 | UK:12 (re-rating, uncut) (2007) | Brazil:Livre | Germany:6 (f) | Argentina:13 | Australia:PG | Canada:PG | Chile:14 | France:U | Israel:PG | Netherlands:MG6 | New Zealand:PG | Norway:10 (cut) | Singapore:PG | Sweden:11 | UK:PG (cut) | USA:PG-13 (certificate #30658)

Filming Locations:

Dade City, Florida, USA

Company:

Twentieth Century-Fox Film Corporation

Trivia:

The first draft of the film was written as a musical.

Goofs:

Continuity: When his bush sculptures are finished, most of them are much higher than the original hedges.

Quotes:

[first lines]
Kim: Snuggle in, sweetie. It's cold out there.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "The Sopranos: Stage 5 (#6.14)" (2007)

Soundtrack:

DELILAH

An uncommonly gentle man.

BIG SPOILERS.

"Give it to my loved ones?" - Edward Scissorhands.

Created by an inventor who dies before finishing his creation, and so leaving him with razor-sharp shears as hands - Edward Scissorhands (JOHNNY DEPP) isn't like other people.

When kindly Avon lady Peg Boggs (DIANE WIEST) finds him one day, hidden away in a Gothic mansion on top of a hill, she takes him under her wing and decides to take him back to the suburbs to live with her.

When we see Edward in this pastel paradise for the first time, it is apparent that he doesn't belong: his wild, dark and frightening appearance contrasting against the immaculate, sweetly colored people and homes of the suburbs. It's an ironic contrast too, as both of these 'worlds' reflect feelings and thoughts that should not associated with them - as Edward is a good-hearted person, whereas the people of the suburbs are unkind and intolerant.

When Edward arrives there he is welcomed and loved, due to the way in which he can sculpt hedges, dogs and hair into amazing works of art. But eventually, due to human trickery and greed, and Edward's want of acceptance and love, Edward is painted by the townspeople as a monster when he is told to rob a house by the boyfriend of Peg's daughter, Kim (WINONA RYDER), and he is ostracized by the town.

Throughout the course of the movie, Edward falls in love with Kim. Originally treating him as an outcast, she falls in love with him too, realizing what a kind and remarkable being he is. In the end, she is the only one who accepts him, when the entire town turns against him. Kim's boyfriend, Jim, enraged by jealousy of Edward, tries to kill him. In defense of Kim and himself, Edward plunges his scissor-hands into Jim's chest and kills him. Realising both that by what he has done they can never see each other again for his safety they share a final kiss and part ways, Edward remaining in his mansion and Kim returning to the shocked town below. The ending of this movie is one of the most wonderful I've seen. Poignant and bittersweet, it is hard to forget quickly.

Johnny Depp is outstanding as Edward Scissorhands, showing a kind of curious and bemused innocence within in the character, but at the same time a restrained passion. Every expression on his face is full of raw emotion: every cautious smile, and every time of hurt and confusion. Johhny Depp is Edward Scissorhands.

This is a wonderful fable from the brilliant imagination of Tim Burton. It's a twisted and sophisticated Gothic fairytale with a dose of comedy, and a good helping of morality, too. While a family movie, it's not really for kids - some things in there even shocked me.

This movie is amazing, and I was entranced by it the very first time I watched it. I'm not usually one for ridiculous hyperbole about movies, but there is very little wrong with this one. I love this movie.

10/10