From Deseret News archives:
Edward Scissorhands
Film review
This is Burton's fourth film, following "Pee-wee's Big Adventure," "Beetlejuice" and "Batman," each of which has seemed to take place in a unique universe, some kind of parallel space and time that blends various eras and mores and movie conventions.
Whatever you may think of Pee-wee Herman, his first film was a delightful enterprise his own little "Pee-wee" world, if you will brought to life by Burton's vivid imagination, with no small influence from his animation background.
Likewise, his comic twist on horror conventions with "Beetlejuice" and his gothic nether world in "Batman" brought to the screen stylized visions that seem at once alien and familiar.
With "Edward Scissorhands," Burton creates a movie that is just short of a masterpiece his major flaw being one minor character that seems too cruel in the context of this sweetly conceived world.
Despite that problem, however, this tale of a young misfit who simply wants to be accepted, is a marvelous parable about prejudice and a sharp satire of suburban life that should be embraced by audiences tired of jaded, cynical movies.
High above them is a mountaintop horror-movie castle where an eccentric inventor (Vincent Price), in Gepetto-like fashion, has created a real, live boy named Edward (Johnny Depp). Pale, sad-faced and clad in black leather, he has scissors for hands because his "father" dies before replacing them with real hands.
Eventually, a kindly Avon Lady (Dianne Wiest) shows up at the castle door, takes pity upon Edward and welcomes him into her family, consisting of a distracted husband (Alan Arkin), a precocious young son (Robert Oliveri) and a high school cheerleader daughter (blond Winona Ryder). There's also the daughter's nasty boyfriend (Anthony Michael Hall).
The neighborhood is filled with gossipy homemakers (chiefly Kathy Baker, cast against type as the town slut, and Conchata Ferrell), who at first are rudely curious about Edward. But later, when Edward reveals a talent for rapidly sculpting hedges into dinosaurs or swans, everyone wants her yard reworked though he's still regarded as a freak. Before long he's into cutting hair, trimming poodles and ice-sculpting the latter providing a particularly beautiful moment in the film.
Recent comments
The reason i gave edward scissorhands 4outof 4 is because i
really...
peace | April 10, 2007 at 4:56 a.m.
how sad is this movie! i felt like swearing at the man
kevin. he's...
katherine | July 19, 2006 at 4:51 a.m.
well it's vary odd i mean Edward dosent look at all like
Jhonny...
Gillian R. | Jan. 7, 2006 at 5:39 p.m.
Cast: Johnny Depp, Winona Ryder, Dianne Wiest, Anthony Michael Hall, Kathy Baker, Vincent Price.
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