Edward Scissorhands
10th Anniversary Edition
review by David G.
Rated PG-13
Studio: Fox
Running Time: 105 minutes
Starring Johnny Depp, Winona Rider, Dianne Wiest,
Kathy Baker, Vincent Price
Screenplay by Caroline Thompson
Directed by Tim Burton
Retail Price: $29.98
Features: Commentaries, TV Spots, Theatrical Trailers,
Featurette, Concept Art, Interviews
Specs: 1.85:1 Anamorphic Widescreen, English 4.0 Dolby
Digital, French 2.0 Dolby Digital, English Subtitles,
Spanish Subtitles, Chapter Search, THX Certified
In a castle dominating a typical suburb, an inventor
(Vincent Price) creates a man but before he could finish him
by giving him hands, he dies. The poor creation, named
Edward, is reduced to live alone in the castle with scissors
instead of hands. That is, until he is discovered by the
Avon representative Peg Boggs (Dianne Wiest) who decides to
bring him into her family. A new life is beginning for
Edward who will disturb the quiet suburb. He's going to
learn love with the Boggs's daughter Kim (Winona Rider) and
will face to the envy, the lack of understanding and the
malice of the inhabitants.
Tim Burton managed to create a unique world. From "Pee
Wee's Big Adventure" to
Sleepy
Hollow, his marks as a director are well put here. In
this movie, he has made his own Frankenstein (He is a big
fan of this old horror films and the presence of Vincent
Price is not a coincidence) but in a fairy tale way, he
chose the discrepancy to send our truths back in the face.
We are afraid of difference and of change in our habits. But
in all this stupidity or this malice, there is Jim, Kim's
boyfriend (Anthony Michael Hall), goodnessis personified by
the inventor (Vincent Price), Peg Boggs (Dianne Wiest) and
finally Kim (Winona Rider), this is Edward personalising the
innocence.
This movie is certainly my favorite among Burton's films,
it's a real delight: the picture is naive and beautiful, the
music is superb and the cast is perfect (Johnny Depp is
brilliant). If you think you are blasé or tough, just
watch the movie and especially the scene with Edward
sculpting Ice while Kim is spinning under the "snow" and
now, look into my eyes and try to say that you feel nothing.
You would surprise me if you could.
The movie is presented in a widescreen anamorphic version
(1:85:1) and there is nothing to complain about it. The
black is deep, and the picture is crystal clear. Stefan
Czapsky ("Batman Returns") should be happy.
English 4.0 Surround, English Dolby Surround and French
Dolby Surround tracks are included with English and Spanish
Subtitles. Tim Burton didn't want to remix his movie, so
there is not 5.1 Dolby Digital Track but the 4.0 his
excellent, although the surround sare discreet. The other
tracks are fine, but no more than that.
Some good and some bad here. The good: The audio
commentary by Tim Burton and Danny Elfman, the theatrical
trailers and the TV spots. The bad: the featurette (useless)
and the concept art (too short). In between: the item called
Soundbites: some very short interventions of different cast
and crew members on few questions.
An eternal enchantment, an unmissable classic which will
delight everybody from 3 to 80 years old. This is a movie to
watch and to watch again and again. Thank you Mr. Burton.
 (5/5, NOT included in
final score)
(5/5)
 (4.5/5)
 (3.5/5)
(4.5/5, NOT an average)
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