You could have thought that Tim Burton would rest on his laurels, following "Batman"'s huge commercial success. Well, not at all. "Edward Scissorhands" appears like a more serious, more mature and even touching movie. This modern fairy tale links skilfully elements from the basic fairy tale (the castle) and elements from the social life (Peg's job as representative for a cosmetics firm) and it can be divided into two parts: the first one that epitomizes Edward's rise: thanks to his scissorhands that give him gifts as a hairdresser and a gardener, he becomes the idol of the town. The second one that shows Edward's fall, following a burglary in which he was inconveniently involved in, he becomes the town's bête noire (and the movie becomes painful) Tim Burton tells this modern fairy tale by introducing a lot of poetry, and during his movie, he tries to create an aesthetic beauty and he succeeds in, especially with the gardens of the castle, Edward's sculptures and Edward himself is good-looking in spite of his scissorhands. But "Edward Scissorhands" is also a movie of contrasts. There's an obvious contrast between the brightly coloured town and the dark rooms of the castle but also one between the bright town and its inhabitants who are scornful or mocking. Besides, they're the object of a satire of the actual society and Burton tries to underline its weaknesses. Of course, the inhabitants appreciate Edward but only for his gifts. Otherwise, they're mistrustful towards him because, in their eyes, he's different and eccentric (you could be one of the inhabitants!) and the single mistake (the burglary) can lead to unexpected consequences... Whereas Johnny Depp, he's simply extraordinary and finds here, one of his best roles. He provides to his character, a lot of tenderness, affection and above all, a deep sensitivity. At last, Tim Burton knew skilfully how to blend several cinematographic styles in just one film. In "Edward Scissorhands", you find everything: comedy, fantastic, horror and drama. Moreover, Danny Elfman's gothic music is widely gorgeous to create an intense emotion. It's sometimes difficult to hold his tears... All in all, a movie which is both tender, cruel and Tim Burton's best movie after "Ed Wood".

Other films that are genuinely moving are The Elephant Man, Fearless and Camille. Edward Scissorhands is a film of darkness and beauty, that makes it such a wonderful and unique film to see. One thing that I really liked about Edward Scissorhands was the music score by Danny Elfman, which was very beautiful, sensitive and mysterious. A good example is in the beginning credits, with the angelic choir accompanying the Christmas-like images on screen. The cinematography was gorgeous, with bright imaginative close-ups contrasted with genuinely Gothic scenes, like when we first meet Edward in the dark house. The script, while not the strongest category of the film, was still very touching, and added to the charm and suspense that was already ensured in the film. The direction by Tim Burton had all his trademarks, very dark and suspenseful, evident in films like Batman and Sleepy Hollow, if a little odd at times, which is fairly typical of Burton. While there were one or two funny moments, the film is genuinely poignant, with a heart-rending ending. I will say I was most impressed with the acting, topped by Johnny Depp's tragic and poignant portrayal of the title character, and then Winona Ryder as Kim, while not quite as convincing is still very sensitive. I was shocked that Depp didn't get an Oscar for his performance, he doesn't say much, but his facial expressions fully justify. There was also sterling support from Dianne West, Kathy Baker et al, while Vincent Price in a minor role as the inventor also impresses, such a shame he died three years later, he was a brilliant actor, if you see him as the truly Machiavellian villain in Great Mouse Detective, or the sadistic Matthew Hopkins in Witchfinder General, you'll know what I mean. As I have already said, the ending is so heart-rending, that I will confess I got through half'a box of tissues. Overall, a remarkably beautiful and poignant film that had me speechless. My advice to anyone who hasn't seen it, and is planning to, have a box of tissues at the ready, it is that sad. 10/10 Bethany Cox.

In case no one has noticed it actor Johnny Depp and director Tim Burton have collaborated on six joint projects, certainly enough to qualify them as a screen team like Wayne and Ford and DeNiro and Scorsese. But in my humble opinion they have not topped Edward Scissorhands their first and best work together.

I think the part of Edward Scissorhands, the gentle Frankenstein like creation of Vincent Price, was Johnny Depp's real breakout role. Around this time Depp was at a real critical point in his career. He was a teenage idol due to his role on 21 Jump Street, but he had it in his head he could do some really serious work. It would have been easy to go with the flow and stayed with the series a few more years and make a pile of money. Sad to say though once teenage idols lose their vehicles very few have careers of the first rank, no matter how talented they are.

Instead Johnny Depp remained true to himself and confident in his abilities and it paid off. This role was so unlike what he had done before and his is a career that keeps reinventing itself with every film. This was his first reinvention and it remains my favorite film of his.

Edward Scissorhands is a fable like a modern Grimm fairy tale with nods of acknowledgment to Mary Shelley's Frankenstein and Peter Sellers character in Being There. Edward is a creation like the Frankenstein monster, but it's no criminal brain that's commanding his body. He's as innocent as a babe, a real live boy, but with a pair of hands made from garden clippers, sharp as a razor. His inventor Vincent Price died before giving him human hands leaving an innocent with what could be deadly weapons.

His innocence is preserved when Dianne Weist the Avon Lady from the neighborhood goes to the Gothic house that looms over her neat suburban pastel neighborhood. I've got to hand it to Tim Burton for those pastel suburban sets showing the stultifying conformity, contrasting to Vincent Price's place. The shots of the ordinary suburban types doing their daily thing say more than 100 pages of dialog.

Weist takes him home, Depp has survived in the place, God only knows how. She seeks to integrate him into life. Those scissorhands prove to be quite popular as he sculpts designs in the suburban hedges, and then goes into hairdressing where he works at a fantastic pace.

Depp's as innocent as Peter Sellers let out into the real world in being there. But said to say it all works out like it did for Boris Karloff in Frankenstein.

Besides those I've already mentioned, pay note to the performances of Winona Ryder as Weist's daughter, Anthony Michael Hall as her jock boyfriend whose jealousy starts Edward's world unraveling and Kathy Baker who stepped out of Desperate Housewives for her role.

This was Vincent Price's farewell performance on the big screen. He did one more made for television film and then after he died a cartoon version of Arabian Nights which was shelved for 20 years was released. In the Citadel Film series book, The Films of Vincent Price, Johnny Depp paid a fine tribute to Price saying he was a wonderful man to work with and a real inspiration. Price also gave him some good financial advice. Buy art as the best hedge against inflation in hard times. And Vincent Price certainly knew his art.

With all these fine people in it, the film is owned body and soul by Johnny Depp. His performance in which his dialog is kept to a minimum due to the character is an object lesson of how much emotion one can convey with both lack of dialog and heavy makeup. Speaking of which the only Oscar this film was nominated for was in the Makeup category and it lost to Warren Beatty's Dick Tracy. How Johnny Depp didn't get a nomination at least is a disgrace.

You watch Edward Scissorhands and I recommend you watch it as a triple feature with Frankenstein and Being There and it will blow you away.