Edward Scissorhands - Surrealism at its best

Edward Scissorhands is the 1990 vehicle that introduced Johnny Depp (as Edward), Our Winona, and the enigmatic director Tim Burton to many mainstream audiences, while putting Vincent Price and several other established actors in quirky roles that they appeared to relish.

Edward is Price's Frankenstein-like creation, almost complete except for the hands, which are improvised from a series of rather imposing sets of scissors. As with Mary Shelley's original, he looks menacing, but is gentle, as revealed by his demeanor, his Marcel-Marceau facial expressions, and a Wizard-of-Oz, Tin-Man-with-a-heart allusion). As with Mel Brooks' Young Frankenstein, this is a monster with considerable sexual appeal.

Our Winona plays his love-interest, Kim. Edward lives in a big black mansion atop a mountain that rises inexplicably from the cul-de-sac neighborhood lost in both space and time. Those who dwell at the bottom of the hill live in monochromatic, prim little pastel houses with perfect lawns and shrubberies. Devises such as CD players, big screen television sets, and rotary dial phones proliferate, making it difficult to discern which decade the residents occupy. The timelessness and faux perfection presage the Wisteria Lane sets of Desperate Housewives, and blogger charismagick argues that the film is Tim Burton's answer to The Stepford Wives.

When the Avon lady (Dianne Wiest) comes calling to Edward's home he is introduced for the first time into suburban life. At first his novelty is a big hit with the housewives -- particularly Kathy Baker, who steps way outside the type she established in Picket Fences. His sex appeal eventually becomes too big of a burden for him, isolating him from all of his potential supporters.

All except for Our (lovely) Noni, of course. The final showdown in this film is reminiscent of Heathers with Our Winona in a fight-to-the-finish with her bully boyfriend, played but not overplayed by Anthony Michael Hall as an obligatory trope in the mainstream-girl-rescues-misunderstood-outcast film that this is.

The contrast with Her Greatest Work is in the nature of the heroine she plays -- the long auburn hair makes her a more classic high-school beauty than the brooding, close-cropped Veronica.

Director Tim Burton created a wonderfully believable make-believe world, with some scenes reminiscent of Latin American magic realism. He gave the make-up artists an additional challenge in the scenes that bookend the film, presenting Our Winona as an elderly grandmother for the opening and closing storytelling scenes.

April 10, 2026 update -- James could not help but notice this allusion in the daily post of the (unofficial) National Park Service LEGO Vignette page. 

Final Verdict: Four Croquet Balls



Lagniappe

Watching this movie we could not help but think about our own loveable, yet lacerating, monster.

Perry Scissorhands