In one of Tim Burton's most sensitive films, Johnny Depp portrays the sweetly innocent creation of a lonely old inventor.
In this Gothic fairy tale from 1990, a synthetic young man named Edward Scissorhands (Depp) ventures from his reclusive house on the hill to middle class America in the suburbs. Left unfinished because of his inventor’s death, Edward has sharp scissors for hands that won’t allow him to touch other people. This situation becomes especially unfortunate when he falls in love with a rebellious teenaged girl (Winona Ryder).
About the Production of Edward Scissorhands
- The simultaneously humorous and tragic story, written by Burton and Caroline Thompson, is reportedly based on Burton’s self-portrait as a young man, in which he depicted himself as a freakish outsider.
- Edward Scissorhands was nominated for the Best Makeup Academy Award (Ve Neill and Stan Winston) and for a Grammy for Best Instrumental Composition Written for a Motion Picture or for Television (Danny Elfman). Although it didn’t win either of the honors, the film won a variety of awards from science fiction groups, including the Academy of Science Fiction, Fantasy & Horror Films USA and Hugo Awards.
- Burton shot entirely in west Florida around the Tampa Bay area, most notably in a tract housing development in Lutz that required only that the houses be repainted in pastel colors for the production.
- The music and story from the movie inspired New Adventure’s touring ballet stage show production of Edward Scissorhands by Matthew Bourne.
About the Actors in Edward Scissorhands
- So far, Depp has worked on six films with Tim Burton: Sweeney Todd, Corpse Bride, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, Sleepy Hollow, Ed Wood, and Edward Scissorhands.
- In order to make her fit in with the rest of suburbia, Ryder lost her dark-haired Goth look and appeared as a perky blonde for the role.
- The kindly old inventor who dies before finishing his creation was Vincent Price’s final movie role before his actual death in 1993 from lung cancer and emphysema. Already quite ill while making the film, his part was minimized to accommodate his health limitations.
- Burton wrote and directed the short animated film Vincent (1982), in which a daydreaming seven-year-old boy named Vincent dreams of being just like Vincent Price. In addition to serving as inspiration, Price narrated the six-minute black-and-white short that set the stage for Burton’s later animated hit film A Nightmare Before Christmas (1993).
- The eclectic cast includes Dianne Wiest as a kindly Avon lady, Alan Arkin as her clueless husband, Anthony Michael Hall as the jealous boyfriend, Kathy Baker as an over-sexed neighbor, and Conchata Ferrell as an aggressive neighbor.
About the DVD
- Edward Scissorhands
- Director: Tim Burton
- Run Time: 105 minutes
- Rating: PG-13
- DVD anniversary versions were released in 2000, 2002, 2005 (Collectible Tin), and 2007 (Blu-ray).
Additional Sources: The Internet Movie Database and New Adventure Edward Scissorhands.
Copyright Leslie C. Halpern. Contact the author to obtain permission for republication.
Leslie C. Halpern - Leslie C. Halpern, Romantic Films/Comedies Topic Editor, authored Passionate About Their Work, Reel Romance, & Dreams on Film.
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