This film can be placed in both the fantasy and romance genres. One feature that contributes to the fantasy genre is the music. It is orchestrated, often with a choir of voices singing enchanted tunes. Sometimes it is fast-paced and high-pitched (at 3:04), but at others it is slow and child-oriented (here's the main theme). It can even be thought of as sad when associated with images of Edward (Johnny Depp). Sometimes it is quiet and simple, and others it is loud and actually really breath-taking (two thumbs up to composer Danny Elfman). Another feature demonstrating the fantasy genre is the character of Edward. He was invented, and instead of having hands, he has scissors. Also, the opening and closing scenes show that it's snowing because of Edward carving ice blocks, but it is impssible to generate that much snow form a block of ice and send it all the way from the castle to the town next to the mountain. Therefore, it is fantasy. It is also a romance because edward falls in love with Peg's (Dianne West) daughter, Kim (Winona Ryder). The music also suggests this with the song "A Portrait of Kim," which is hear din the scene when Edward first sees the aforementioned portraits of Kim. Toward the end of the film, Kim tells Edward that she loves him, but they can't be together because he is linked with injury of Kim's brother, Kevin, and the murder Kim's ex-boyfriend, Jim.
It can be connected to Disney's "Beauty and the Beast" because like Edward the Beast is isolated from society at first and not particularly pleasing to look at, but like Kim, Belle falls in love with him anyway. Also, there are Gaston in Jim, who both supposedly love Belle and Kim, and both Gaston and Jim die in the end because they try to kill the Beast and Edward, respectively. However, "Beauty and the Beast" has a happier ending because in "Edward Scissorhands," Edward returns to isolation and never sees Kim again while in "Beauty and the Beast," Belle and the Beast get married. The movies can also relate to the fantasy genre because the characters of Edward and the Beast are both impossible.
Tim Burton produced, directed, and wrote (with Caroline Thompson) the movie. Tim Burton may have made this film because of how personal it is. It is all about how people begin to accept him, but the only one aside form Peg who really cares about him and never doubts his motives is Kim. It is definitely one of Burton's most emotionally captivating films.
Tim Burton can be associated with many dark fantasies, such as "The Nightmare Before Christmas," "Batman Returns," "Corpse Bride," and "Beetlejuice," so we can tell that Burton enjoys child-friendly stories with a dark twist to them. Therefore, this movie fits well with his other work. There are certainly significant similarities in theme and narrative. For example, in "Corpse Bride," a woman's (Helena Bonham Carter) fiance is killed on her wedding day. Years later, when a groom (Johnny Depp) is preparing his wedding vows, he puts the ring on a branch, which is really the corpse bride's finger. When they go to her home down below, she is so excited that she is finally married, and the man finally accepts her as a friend. However, he has his real marriage to worry about. She sadly lets him go. This relates to "Edward Scissorhands" because she is different from the world above, but the man sees her for who she really is. She and Edward both led tragic lives, but everything turns out fine for them in the end, even though they can' have what, or who, they sought to get."Corpse Bride" is animated, while "Edward Scossorhands" is not, but I do see a visual similarity in that the corpse bride and Edward are both pale, but dark and scarred in appearance. There is also a similarity in the style of music, which is orchestrated once again by the fabulous Danny Elfman. It is fast-paced at times, such as when the corpse bride is chasing the groom, and slow and sad at other times, such as when the groom rejects her as his wife.
The theme of "Edward Scissorhands" is that a a misunderstood man falls in love with a woman he can't be with because he is different, even though he is very gentlemanly, kind, and innocent.
The target audience includes teenagers, older children/preteens, and young adults. However, even adults may enjoy its whimsical charm and brilliant score. It addresses the audience with the sweet character of Edward, the fairy-tale-like music. the magical ice and hedge sculptures,
the occasional humor as Edward tries to fit in with society (here's one of the funny scenes), and the drama between Edward, the town's citizens, Jim, and Kim.
Sources: google (images), youtube (see links), IMDB, The Tim Burton Collective, and my memory.
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