Edward Scissor Hands - film Review

Fig.1. Edward Scissor Hands, 1990 (poster art)

Edward Scissor Hands was a film directed by Tim Burton and released in 1991. Despite it being Tim Burton's usual dark and gothic style, the film had a truly gentle and heartwarming feel to it. Much like Beauty and the Beast, the film was also a fairytail romance between an outsider (Edward who has scissors for hands) and Kim, a normal teenage girl.

Fig.2. Edward Scissorhands, 1990(Film still)

The film was set in suburban Burbank, California, with its massed produced and identical looking houses. The houses actually come from Tampa, Florida. They painted all of the houses to a certain colour scheme of "sea-foam green, flesh, butter and dirty blue..." The Film Producer, Denise Di Novi said that "The houses hadnt been sold yet. You know, It was like having your own little backlot to shoot in." (AnOther, 2015)

Fig.3. Edward Scissorhands, 1990(Film still)

In fact many say that the film setting and narrative was a personal reflection of Tim Burtons childhood: "Inspired by the director's own disaffection towards his suburban youth." (AnOther, 2015)
Tim Burtons conveys this "disaffection" by placing Edwards dark, mysterious castle in the center of the neighbourhood, creating an obvious juxtaposition between the bright neighbourhood and the out of place gothic castle.

You could say that the film had a surrealist setting as it  combines  suburban America with a fantasy castle. Ordinarily, the two could not go together. Many of the camera angles show this surealist aspect from Edwards perspective looking down from his castle at the suburban neighbourhood.

Production designer Bo Welch helped Tim Burton achieve this contrast, bearing in mind that CGI and green screens hadn't been invented yet! There's one scene in the movie when Peg (Kims Mother) is seated in her car and looks through her side view mirror at the mysterious castle standing there. "The castle she see's is actually a small study model, propped up on a c-stand." (AnOther, 2015)

Green foliage and bushes surrounds the exterior of the caslte. The bushes take on different forms, including a Giant Hand. Another thing you could say that was out of place! However the audience then later learns that its Edward who makes these creations by cutting the bushes with his scissor hands! Inside the castle is many empty spaces filled with a few rundown bits of machienerey and equipment. A staircase entwined with cobwebs leads you to the top of the castle, to a place which looks like an attic but with nothing inside it. They always keep the lighting dull within all the rooms of the castle, helping to portray Edwards sad and isolated character.

Fig.4. Edward Scissorhands, 1990(Film still)

Tim Burtons Character teaches us about accepting difference.  However you can't doubt that the mise-en-scene of the film helps achieve this too.

"Its is a fairytale, but a fairytale with a moral." (Vincent Price, 1990) actor- "The Inventer" from the film.

Fig.5. Edward Scissorhands, 1990(Film still)

Illustration list:
Figure 1. Edward Scissorhands, 1990 (poster art) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Edward_Scissorhands(Accessed on 10 November 2016)  

Figure 2. Edward Scissorhands, 1990 (Film still) https://filmharlot.wordpress.com/2012/06/11/edward-scissorhands-analysis/ (Accessed on 10 November 2016)  

Figure 3. Edward Scissorhands, 1990(Film still) https://flexpointe.wordpress.com/2012/11/29/mise-en-scene-edward-scissorhands/ (Accessed on 10 November 2016)

Figure 4. Edward Scissorhands, 1990(Film still) http://www.scenesisters.com/2014/04/edward-scissorhands-1990-review.html (Accessed on 10 November 2016)

Figure 5. Edward Scissorhands, 1990 (Film still)  http://www.anothermag.com/art-photography/8102/ten-things-you-might-not-know-about-edward-scissorhands (Accessed on 10 November 2016)

Bibliography:

AnOther, (2015) 'Ten Things You Might Not Know About Edward Scissorhands' In: AnOther [online] At: URL: http://www.anothermag.com/art-photography/8102/ten-things-you-might-not-know-about-edward-scissorhands (Accessed on 10 November 2016)

Edward Scissorhands - Hollywood Backstories - PART1 (2008) [user-genereted content online]EviLQuicK, 31 Aug 2008 At URL: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uaPob-C7Z3E (Accessed on 10 November 2016)

Edward Scissorhands - Hollywood Backstories - PART2 (2008) [user-genereted content online]EviLQuicK, 31 Aug 2008 At URL:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WwF08JlauAY (Accessed on 10 November 2016)

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