"Edward Scissorhands" movie review

 (fig. 1 – poster)

The film “Edward Scissorhands” created by Tim Burton is an absolute masterpiece. From the beautiful juxtaposition of the creepy mansion, where Edward lives and the slightly dystopian suburbia where the other characters dwell, to the memorable design and fresh idea of the movie. Roger Ebert states that: “The director Tim Burton wages a valiant battle to show us new and wonderful things. In a Hollywood that placidly recycles the same old images, Burton uses special effects and visual tricks to create sights that have never been seen before.” (Ebert, 1990)

The movie received a fair amount of criticism concerning the characters and the plot, but the design of the film cannot be denied for instance The New York Times says that: “As in each of Mr. Burton's films, the production design is the central good idea, perhaps even the sole one. This time, with production design by Bo Welch ("Beetlejuice") and cinematography by Stefan Czapsky, it involves bright colors in unlikely combinations, for instance, a lavender-suited Avon lady driving a dandelion-yellow car) and fashionably ridiculous late-1950's artifacts placed prominently throughout the characters' bunkerlike homes. On the lawns of these houses, more and more of Edward's singular topiaries -- in the forms of a ballerina, a penguin, a set of bowling pins and so on -- begin to appear.” (Nytimes.com, 2014)

(fig. 2 – movie still)

“Edward Scissorhands” is focusing on a major issue – the relationships between society and people who are slightly “off” the accepted limits of what is normal. The website Coco.raceme.org says that: “This is a wonderful tale about love and kindness, but also about rejection and estrangement. It shows the limits of people's tolerance for what is different from them and how strangers, those who stray from the norm, commonly named 'misfits', awake mockery or fear from a society which will use them and ultimately reject them, thus breaking their innocence and goodness.” (Coco.raceme.org, 2014)

(fig. 3 movie still)

In conclusion, the movie is an instant classic, although criticised, it will still remain in the heart of every viewer, because it is capable of producing an emotional response and connection to the characters. After all, who hasn’t felt rejected by society at least once in their lives.

Images:

Fig. 1 - Meg-leslie.blogspot.co.uk, (2011). Meg Leslie CGA&A: Tim Burton's Edward Scissorhands (1990). [online] Available at: http://meg-leslie.blogspot.co.uk/2011/12/tim-burtons-edward-scissorhands-1990.html [Accessed 3 Nov. 2014].

Fig. 2 - Cinesnatch.blogspot.co.uk, (2014). Cinesnatch: Hit Me With Your Best Shot: Edward Scissorhands. [online] Available at: http://cinesnatch.blogspot.co.uk/2012/05/hit-me-with-your-best-shot-edward.html [Accessed 6 Nov. 2014].

Fig. 3 - Anon, (2014). [online] Available at: http://www.fanpop.com/clubs/edward-scissorhands/images/23334085/title/edward-scissorhands-photo [Accessed 6 Nov. 2014].

Bibliography:

Ebert, R. (1990). Edward Scissorhands Movie Review (1990) | Roger Ebert. [online] Rogerebert.com. Available at: http://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/edward-scissorhands-1990 [Accessed 3 Nov. 2014].

Nytimes.com, (2014). Movie Review - Edward Scissorhands - Review/Film;And So Handy Around The Garden - NYTimes.com. [online] Available at: http://www.nytimes.com/movie/review?res=9C0CE2D81338F934A35751C1A966958260 [Accessed 3 Nov. 2014].

Coco.raceme.org, (2014). Edward Scissorhands: review. [online] Available at: http://coco.raceme.org/films/edwardscissorhands/review.php [Accessed 3 Nov. 2014].