Edward Scissorhand (1990)

Film Review

Edward Scissorhand also known as Tim Burtons
adaptation to the Frankenstein story. This film simply
has it all which makes it somewhat perfect.
The movie satirizes the homogeneity of American
suburbia through a contrast with gothic architecture as
Edward lives in an old gray horror-movie castle that
looms up absurdly over this suburban street where the
houses are multi coloured and each driveway has lawn
perfectly mowed. Although it doesnt seem real as the
audience we
make sense of it
because Tim
Burton takes us to
a world where
anything is
possible. From
far the castle
looks horrible as if nothing there is living, however when you
get closer this imperfect mansion becomes very perfect; especially the garden a place that looks like it is
looked after very well. And the garden really portrays Tim Burtons style. This inside of this mansion on
the other hand looks like an old laboratory where the equipment has collected dust over the years, as if no
one lives there; and the inside of the mansion really contrasts to the outside. As the simplistic heavy
walls, lacking in decoration and windows allude to Italian gothic architecture. And this makes the bare
walls emphasize the height of the building As Peg walks through the mansion she ends up in the attic
where the roof is broken, the only thing in the room is a fire place and that too does not fit its purpose, the
fire place has old pictures and articles placed around it.
Image 1: Edward Scissorhand- Film Poster
Image 3- Mansions Garden
Image 4- Gothic Mansion
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When Edward comes to live in this
suburban street alongside Peg and
her family, he is very excited and
this is shown through his
expressions. Never having left the
mansion Edward is a boy too
sensitive for this world. And this
point can be easily made by just
looking at Edward; he has two-
foot-long scissor blades one set
of shears for each ''finger''. Living
around the bare minimal in the
mansion it may have been easier for him to cope however we dont know this. When he comes he seems
to adapt better than thought; having difficulties with eating and the water beds. Aside all this Edward
becomes extremely popular with the women of the neighborhood, some of them fascinated by his knack
for inventing odd haircuts.
A lot in this movie resembles Beauty and the Beast. The beast being Edward and Beauty being Kim. You
can see that Edward likes Kim from the moment he see her photograph; and see the feelings grow
between them both as the film progresses. Edward isnt bad at all however one incident which he was
wrongly accused for; turned all the neighbors against him. All of a sudden this new environment he was
getting used to and started to feel a part of turned around. As the audience we know that Edward is
innocent, and this world he began to feel apart of all of a sudden turns upside down an everything he
seems to touch he accidentelly ends up harming. Although the film has so many unrealistic aspect; we as
the audience never question this, because Tim Burton is taking us somewhere where everything is
possible. For example the scene where Edward is carving an ice sculpture whilst watching the film we
dont think
where did it
come from, or
its impossible;
because were
watching a fim
where a man has
scissors as
hands, and
everything about
the film fits
perfectly.



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Image 6, Ice sculptures
Bibliography
Research
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('()*&(*, s.n.), JwotJ 5clssotbooJ- Ao Atcbltectote of lootosy ooJ llctloo, AL:
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(0#&,-*, 1990), JwotJ 5clssotbooJ (1990), AL:
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