Title: Edward Scissorhands
Release Date: December 7, 1990
Director: Tim Burton
Production Company: 20th Century Fox
Summary/Review:
Edward Scissorhands is a Christmas movie because it’s culminating scenes take place at Christmas time and the movie serves as a fable of how snow came to its Sun Belt suburban setting. But I also found strong parallels to two beloved holiday classics: Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer and How the Grinch Stole Christmas! Edward (Johnny Depp) is like Rudolph in that he has a physical characteristic that sets him apart from others, and like Rudolph he’s only celebrated for how his physical difference can benefit others such as cutting topiaries, grooming dogs, and styling women’s hair. In Edward’s case, the story is flipped in that he’s initially celebrated before being feared and mocked. Like the Grinch, Edward lives on the mountaintop and comes to the community in the valley, but in this case he is the sole Who doing things for others with no expectation of reciprocity, while the village is full of Grinches who deal in gossip and judgement.
Tim Burton’s film is known for it’s design of the conformist suburb with bright, solid colors. He also casts against type with pretty boy Depp as the “monstrous” Edward, Winona Ryder as the blonde cheerleader Kim, and Anthony Michael Hall as her jock boyfriend Jim. The standout role for me is Dianne Wiest as the kind-hearted Avon sales agent Peg, and Kim’s mother, who sets things in motion by bringing Edward into her home. Despite the fact that this movie was HUGE at the time of its release, I never got around to seeing it until now, but it’s automatically become my second favorite Burton film to Pee-Wee’s Big Adventure.
Rating: ***1/2
Panorama of the Mountains 