Edward Scissorhands (1990) Review Tim Burton

Edward Scissorhands (1990) Review Tim Burton

Figure 1  

                          
Edward Scissorhand is a romantic fantasy film directed by Tim Burton in 1990, starring Johnny Depp. The scene for the film is set in an unnatural suburb with a grey mountain on which sits a Gothic mansion in which Edward lives. The suburban enclave seems completely fake due to its bright pastel coloured houses and every thing seeming to be too perfect (Fig. 2). Janet Maslin describes the suburb "where the houses huddle together like a candy-colored wagon train" (Maslin, 1990). The setting of the film feels so small and makes it seem to the audience that there is nothing outside of the suburb and that it really is a specially built set for a film. The audience is never shown anything else in the world except from the mansion and the suburban enclave, this therefore creates a strange atmosphere around the setting. This is then twinned with the people that live in this area as the majority of the residents don't seem to be completely sane, "Everyone in this film is stylized and peculiar" (Ebert, 1990).

Figure 2   

When we first encounter the setting of the film we immediately cast assumptions about the area. We usually consider bright, clean colours to represent good and happy, whereas dark, sharp colours usually represent evil; and this is what Burton wanted to lead us to believe. However as the film unfolds, this turns out to be quite the opposite. We find out that the darkly clothed Edward who "is denounced as a freak, a fake, a demon" (Travers, 1990) is a completely innocent character who only wants to help the community. Where in fact, the suburb community turns out to be the only evil in the area. This was possibly used a a message to the audience to not judge something by its appearance, but by its personality and story.

Throughout the film, we are constantly reminded that we are watching a Tim Burton film. His style seems to resonate through the majority of his films almost making each piece seem as though it is part of a series. Links can be made to the appearance of Edward and Beetlejuice, both shown with out of control hair and pale complexion. (Fig. 3) 

Figure 3   

There is also a large similarity between the attic of the mansion seen in Edward Scissorhands and the barber shop seen in the Sweeney Todd film, also directed by Tim Burton. (Fig. 4,5) 

Figure 4   

Figure 5   

Bibliography

Maslin, J 

(1990) 

Edward Scissorhands (1990)Review/Film; And So Handy Around The Garden

In: The New York Times

[online]

At: http://www.nytimes.com/movie/review?res=9C0CE2D81338F934A35751C1A966958260&partner=Rotten%2520Tomatoes

(Accessed on 8/11/2013)

Ebert, R (1990)

Edward Scissorhands Film Review

http://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/edward-scissorhands-1990

(Accessed on 8/11/2013)

Travers, P (1990)

Edward Scissorhands Film Review

http://www.rollingstone.com/movies/reviews/edward-scissorhands-19901214
(Accessed on 8/11/2013)


Illustrations

Figure 1
Edward Scissorhands
(1990)
Tim Burton, [Film Poster], USA, Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation
http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Xy4Hk-k00c8/UQwpKkYxFvI/AAAAAAAAGJo/h2RZ1uFt5Ao/s1600/1990-edward-scissorhands-poster1.jpg
(Accessed on 8/11/2013)

Figure 2
Edward Scissorhands
(1990)
Tim Burton, [Film Still], USA, Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation
http://www.imcdb.org/i029148.jpg
(Accessed on 8/11/2013)

Figure 3
Beetlejuice
(1988)
Tim Burton, [Film Still], USA, Geffen Company
http://images4.fanpop.com/image/photos/23800000/-Beetlejuice-beetlejuice-the-movie-23838745-1360-768.jpg
(Accessed on 8/11/2013)

Figure 4 
Edward Scissorhands
(1990)
Tim Burton, [Film Still], USA, Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation
http://dispatchmag.com/wp-content/uploads/Edward-Scissorhands-the-attic-resembles-sweeney-todd.png
(Accessed on 8/11/2013)

Figure 5
Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street
(2007)
Tim Burton, [Film Still], USA/UK, Warner Bros.
http://www.dvdactive.com/images/reviews/screenshot/2008/4/st.jpg
(Accessed on 8/11/2013)