Edward Scissorhands Essay

Outsiders suffer in society, never gaining acceptance because of their differences. Outsiders are mistaken and feared because of their differences resulting in them getting rejected. In the movie, Edward Scissorhands, Tim Burton introduces the important idea that outsiders may be exploited because of their differences but never accepted, resulting in them suffering. By using various film techniques Burton reveals how outsiders suffer because they’re misjudged and rejected by society.

The first important idea in the film is that outsiders are misunderstood and judged because of their obvious appearances and differences. Burton first introduces Edward when Peg enters the mansion. Our first view of Edward is an extreme long shot of him crouching in the shadows. He's dressed in a leather suit with metal studs and massive scissors for hands making him look very gothic and threatening. Peg firsts backs away as she is frightened and feels vulnerable by Edwards appearance. However Ed’s first piece of dialogue, in a quiet voice, almost child like, “please don’t go” transforms a first impression of Edward, gothic and threatening, into a innocent and vulnerable impression making the initial threat to be wrong. Then we hear Ed reply to Peg’s question, “where is your father”, with, “he didn’t wake up” backs up how young and innocent Edward really is. These examples reveal the important idea of how outsiders are misunderstood based on their appearances and obvious differences. Recently an unarmed black man in Florida, USA, was shot while attending to an autistic patient. This example again backs up the idea how outsiders are misunderstood and judged based on appearances.

The important idea that outsiders are exploited because of their differences is presented into the movie as the town pupils get to know Edward. Burton firstly uses a long shot and a low angle shot of Edward carving sculptures. This may sound like Edward is using his differences to his advantage, but really the town is using him as a tool. This idea is developed when a tracking shot shows all the women in the town lining up wanting their dogs hair and their own hair cut. Then Joyce wanted to open a new hair salon, “I want to call it Share Heaven...I want to put mirrors along here”. These two pieces of dialogue