Topic > Tim Burton's Edward Scissorhands Movie Review

Only so many things have the privilege of being considered masterpieces, but Tim Burton's filmography, including Beetlejuice (1988), A Nightmare Before Christmas (1993) and Batman (1989) are a collection of masterpieces. '90s Edward Scissorhands is no exception. This film is a compelling cinematic and artistic achievement. It is a version of the classic Frankenstein story and challenges the ideas of everyday society. Burton's interpretation and perception of monsters and the horror genre is fascinating. This film is remarkable for its fantastic use of color, sound, and use of social commentary. Edward Scissorhands tells the story of a man created by an inventor (Vincent Price) who tragically dies before he has time to finish him, leaving Edward with scissors for hands, as the title suggests. He is picked up from the mansion where he lives by the local Avon lady, Peg Boggs (Dianna Wiest), and is brought into her suburban family which includes her husband Bill (Alan Arkin), daughter Kim (Winona Ryder), and son Kevin (Roberto Oliveri ). Edward falls in love with Kim and experiences all the emotions that come with first love, and quickly becomes a celebrity in the neighborhood until they finally drive him back to solitary confinement. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an original essay The use of color in Edward Scissorhands is truly remarkable and is one of the best in the filmography. Burton draws a very clear line between Edward and the city, making one empty and desaturated with color and the other highly painted and saturated. One of the first scenes of the film shows the city with its plethora of houses, each with a different color. The residents all wear very bright and colorful clothes, but if you look at Edward's character design, like the dull color of his skin, his dark hair, his black leather bodysuit and, in general, the atmosphere surrounding him and his scissors hands, there is a big difference. Even the abandoned mansion, where Edward lives, with its jagged edges is clearly designed to contrast with the biscuit-cut suburban streets. When Edward is brought into this new environment, it is clear that the color change is supposed to convey how different Edward is from what is perceived as normal, and the absence of color for Edward continues throughout the film. Written by composer Danny Elfman, the film's score helps define Edward's character. Its reflective elements highlight Edward's experience trying to integrate into society. During the film's opening scene, upbeat music plays as you see the city, leading you to perceive it as a perfect utopia, but the music turns eerie when we get our first glimpse of the abandoned mansion where Edward resides. The music also serves to show how far from normal Edward is, which is a theme explored throughout the film, and how when he is first introduced into society he is seen as a threatening figure because he is different, and difference always evokes fear . Ironically, it is later revealed that the city is much more threatening than Edward is. The social commentary in Edward Scissorhands is brilliant. The collection of characters, each in their own right, helps reveal broken suburban life. For example, Esmeralda (O-Lan Jones) demonstrates the fanaticism of religion and how it can give rise to fears that lead to intolerance and judgment. When Esmeralda first met Edward, or should I say saw him, she then ran away after saying, “He's not from heaven. It comes from the stinking flames of hell. The power of Satan is in him, I feel it…”, is not very welcoming and encourages the city to.