Edward Scissorhands

365 Films

 Entry #5

Edward Scissorhands (1990)

Directed by Tim Burton

Unfortunately, these days one has to adopt an apologist stance when discussing the works of Tim Burton. 2012 was particularly rough on him when Dark Shadows and Frankenweenie were unfairly maligned by the fickle tastes of popular consensus. And that’s failing to mention the fact that his previous film was Alice in Wonderland. Enough said. This wasn’t always the case though, for throughout the late 80’s and into the 90’s he was the goth golden boy. And for my money, there aren’t many other films I can think of that demonstrate his wide array of talents as much as Edward Scissorhands. You’ll have to forgive me because my memory is failing me at the moment. I can’t remember if this was the first Burton I saw in theaters or if it was Batman. Nor can I remember if I had seen the immortal Pee Wee’s Big Adventure of Beetlejuice prior to this. Point being, this entry is of dubious origins, however, Edward Scissorhands is so good it doesn’t matter if I can’t come up with an interesting story behind it.  Scissorhands is perhaps Burton’s most successful modern day fairy tale in that it showcases an astonishing array of iconic moments that are steeped in genuine emotion. It’s a very rare thing for a film to achieve such a combination but Scissorhands makes it look effortless. As an introduction to the world of Burton, it is invaluable.  It’s also important to remember that this was a major career stepping-stone for the relatively new filmmaker. Up to this point his resume only included the previously mentioned films (and yes, yes the shorts and all those years he spent as a Disney animator. What am I, his biographer?) What those titles indicated was someone closer in spirit to a cinematic prankster than a genuine storyteller.  In the case of Batman, he was a spirited protector and tour guide of the public’s collective imagination. It was with Edward Scissorhands that all the pieces came together with the utmost eloquence. The production design, Danny Elfman’s score, the oddball comedic bits, and the immaculate performances under Burton’s visionary direction tell a story that is simply put: beautiful.