Karlamarie and Aleah's Critique On Edward Scissorhands

In Reading and Writing for Self Discovery class we viewed the movie Edward Scissorhands directed by Tim Burton. It shows how Edward struggled trying to be normal and trying to fit in with his new environment. Tim Burton cast Johnny Depp to play the lead character of Edward Scissorhands, and we both agree he made the right choice. It was a smart choice to cast him because Johnny Depp’s eyes were very mysterious and his parts had such limited lines so he spoke with his eyes a lot. He also was able to speak in a monotonous tone that added to his character even more, showing his dark shy side.

            Tim Burton, the writer and director of the film is a very creative and distinct man. Most of his films usually have some dark features to them and a lot of them are animated, but not all. I especially think in Edward Scissorhands that he was creative because of the scriptwriting. He distinguished each character with their own little quirk, and also gave Edward minimal lines. He also made the main character Edward stand out from all of the others, which made his importance even more evident. All of the characters in the local neighborhood wore bright colors and were very outspoken, but Edward always wore black and was very shy. The costume choice and differences of scenery differentiated the people of the community and Edward.

            One useful technique was shot vs. scene. Every once in a while when Edward wouldn’t speak they would close in on his face, which portrayed even more emotion and added drama to the shot as well. Another important technique that was very relevant in the film was montage. They would constantly flashback to when Edward was with the inventor trying to get his own pair of hands, but then would transition back into present time in the neighborhood. So the technique of transition also tied into montage.

            But we can both agree that scenery was a very important aspect of the film. The color choice of the houses and the whole community helped with the characterization of the characters. Since their houses and whole neighborhood were so bright they were all connected and cheery and all resembled the same values and that sort of thing. But then Edwards home is referred to as the “Haunted House on the Hill” and is dark and twisted and eerie looking. So it only made sense that he wouldn’t be like everybody else coming into Peg’s household.

            Costumes also linked ideas in the movie. Edward’s knack for leather, all black attire and his pair of scissor hands made him very unique and out there. While in the community the girls wore skirts, neon colors and 90s clothing. The costumes set the two people apart because they didn’t look at all alike and made them even more of an odd pair.

            This film used a lot of techniques and elaborated it’s costumes and scenery, making it a must see film. While watching this film you have to dive deeper than just enjoying it, you have to look at it’s visuals and its choice of speech and character. We both recommend this film because it is a classic, creative and very well-written movie.