Undescribable Perfection

By the time the dramatic fireworks start popping off, each one feels earned.

A terrific literary drama and character piece that shows how the process of creating art can be seen differently by those doing it and those looking at it from the outside.

Watching it is like watching the spectacle of a class clown at their best: you laugh at their jokes, instigate their defiance, and "ooooh" when they get in trouble.

It's tough now, to look back and imagine a time when Tim Burton was a gothic indie darling and Johnny Depp an enigmatic underexposed young actor, but indeed once they were - and Edward Scissorhands is probably the apex of that time in both their careers. Having not seen it for quite a while, a recent one night cinema showing gave me the opportunity to reappraise it as the jaded adult that I am now. Peggy Boggs (Dianne Wiest) decides to visit the grim dilapidated mansion that towers over the American suburban estate where she resides, as part of her Avon cosmetics round. There she discovers Edward (Depp), a creation of the inventor who previously owned the mansion, who passed away before he could provide Edward with the human hands to replace the scissors that make up his current appendages. Though Edward is initially popular in the suburbs, misunderstanding and prejudice soon start to raise their heads, particularly around Peggy's teenage daughter (Winona Ryder). The film really in unmistakably Tim Burton. The decision to use practical sets and models rather than CGI was a good choice, as the film still looks great. Maybe the aging prosthetics on Ryder in the opening and closing wrap around scenes doesn't look that impressive, given what CG can do there - but that's the exception rather than the rule. There's an unreal fantasy aspect to the town and its looming impossibly stylised mountain range that is beautiful and memorable. The costume and hair design is brilliant too. Danny Elfman's score too is another iconic collaboration with Burton, though he chooses a more orchestral and sweeping pieces here, over the "Plinky Plonky" themes he was often providing at the time. The story is a little undercooked, a variation on both "Frankenstein" and "Beauty and the Beast" it could have done with another couple of moments to heighten the believability of the love story, and the way that the town turns on Edward, once he rejects the advances of Kathy Baker's bored housewife. The script though is good and often laugh out loud funny. Alan Arkin steals a lot of the film as Peg's husband, entirely nonplussed about the events going on around him. Vincent Price too, with his glorious cadence is great in his scenes. Sad both in terms of the actual plot and when viewed against the triumvirate of misfires Burton would direct, the lost years of Winona Ryder's career and the eventual overexposure of Depp; "Edward Scissorhands" is imperfect but beautiful. Timeless but evocative of that period in Burton's career. Artificial yet genuine and you should definitely see it.

"Edward Scissorhands" tells the story of a young man, created by a scientist, whose creator died before he could give him real hands. Now he lives on a dark castle with scissors as hands, until a friendly lady from the neighboring town invites him to live with her family. Newly invited into the conservative community, problems begin to arise.You can clearly see that this film is supposed to serve as a parabola rather than a realistic plot. It succeedsin creating great emotions towards the main character and his fateful love for the daughter of the family. Personally, I didn't like the set design all too much, but that's just a question of preferences and you can clearly see the typical Tim Burton style shimmering through. The story is not really creative or innovative but it is told nicely and the acting is great.All in all this is not a must-see but it can serve as an example what exclusion can cause in people and how we are all responsible for creating a society that is worth living in.

Edward ScissorhandsIt resembles with Disney cartoon features but the problem in here is that it is a real world and is probably one of the reasons why some of the sequences would be difficult to digest and would raise some questions that should not be. But as I said, Edward Scissorhands being somewhat similar to a Disney feature offers everything i.e. sketchy and shady characters, peculiar world and amusing perspectives. Tim Burton still lacks a better execution as he fails convincing the audience that it is all "real" or even the accept the stills that are projected. But if he fails, Johnny Depp has got his back and not only does he convince them but makes them feel for the character; he is flat out amazing but needs a better supporting cast. Edward Scissorhands scores majestically in pouring out emotions on screen through stellar performances and brilliant writing but unfortunately could not deliver the perfect execution and editing that it deserved.

Tim Burton crafted a wondrous and fantastical character in Edward (Johnny Depp) that directly contrasts and exposes the flaws in the mundanity and repetitiveness of suburbia. This contrast is first noticed, quite humorously, in the looming, dilapidated, haunted house on a hill lurking just at the end of the neighborhood's cul-de-sac. Peg (Dianne Wiest), a loving Avon saleslady, approaches and enters the mansion in hopes for a sale, and comes across the frightening Edward sitting in a corner with blades for fingers - a result of the inventor's (Vincent Price) sudden death. What sounds to be a cheap horror slasher movie ends up being a heartwarming tale as the town accepts (mostly) Edward for his unique hedge trimming and haircutting talents. It's not until Edward is unintentionally framed in a misdemeanor that people begin to doubt that the scissors are for good. Peg's daughter, Kim (Winona Ryder), is the only one to see through to Edward's good intentions, but that does not stop the town from going on a rampage, driving Edward to accidentally kill someone and supposedly commit suicide as well. It displays an interesting commentary on society as a whole. Unique traits will be heralded when they are used to promote the well-being of everyone, but if the trait is misinterpreted, they will be cast away just as quickly. It's well intended that Edwards hands are made of blades, an instrument that is firstly seen as a dangerous tool and secondly as an artist's paintbrush. And it's well intended it is Edward's hands that are the affected area because hands are the most human of all body parts and he cannot physically embrace or connect with someone, representing the distance between him and everyone else. People wish to use Edward for their own gains first rather than to spend time with his as a fellow human being. But in a very beautiful twist of fate, Kim hugs him tightly and kisses him, showing that there is hope for those who are born differently. A lot of care obviously went into set design and costume design, especially for Edward and his hands. I often wondered during the movie how they crafted the prosthetics to have moving fingers and the scissors to still be operable. Most characters were well written, except for Jim (Anthony Michael Hall) I think because his motivations felt a little underwhelming or confusing at times. Sometimes it felt as if he was needed more as a plot point to drive the story forward, especially at the end. I think if the story shifted the main antagonist to the society as a whole in which they lived, it could have ended on a more satisfying and introspective note. But either way, that's still a minor gripe. I also saw the ending monologue coming from a mile away. Overall, I really enjoyed it and it made me tear up a little, and that is always a plus.