A little while ago I was able to sit down and re-watch Edward Scissorhands. While probably more of a Christmas movie than a Halloween one, I always include it in my All Hallows Eve lists because of its themes and the character of Edward. Whether you consider it one way or another, this modern fairy tale is definitely worth a watch.

Everything in this movie is not what it first appears to be. The scary mansion on the hill wasn’t scary or creepy at all. It was the home of a lonely inventor who made cookies. The idyllic neighborhood below was not boring or bland but instead filled with people set on their own agendas and willing to do anything to accomplish them. The movie shows the viewers the old saying of ‘don’t judge a book by its cover.’

Our main character Edward is outwardly a scary looking person. He has wild hair, pale white skin with many scars, no eyebrows, wears a dark leather suit and has large scissors instead of hands. Yet Edward ends up being one of the most innocent and nicest characters throughout the film. He is taken from his home by Peg, a well-meaning but oblivious character to hers after she finds out Edwards father had died and he was alone there.

This is Edwards first time outside of the mansion and it is quite a trip. He finds himself dressed in regular i.e. acceptable clothing. When the neighborhood find out his artistic skill with topiary, they immediately jump on it and demand he cut all their shrubbery too. No one pays him for his work though which Peg’s husband complains about. Edward doesn’t see it as being taken advantage of as he is just happy that it makes them happy. This entrepreneur streak goes farther when it’s figured out that Edward is just as skillful at cutting first dog’s hair and then humans. There are suddenly plans for him to open up a shop in town, but Edward seems most excited that Peg will have a counter to sell her cosmetics.

It is when Edward visits the salon that we first start to see the townspeople’s real interests come out. In a funny but disturbing scene, neighbor Joyce tries to force herself onto Edward and he flees. There is also Kim’s (Peg’s daughter and Edwards love interest) jerk boyfriend Jim who hates Edward from the start. Jim sees Edward as strange and because of that wrong. He wants Edward gone and as Edwards popularity grows with both Kim’s family and the town (even a scene where he and Kim watch Edward on a TV show that promises to help him and is very telling of the story itself), and the more Kim accepts Edward, Jim becomes more and more aggressive towards him.

When Jim coerces Kim to ask Edward to help them break into his father’s house it all goes badly for Edward when he’s trapped inside. I always wonder if Jim knew it would happen, but he refuses to take any blame or to speak up that they were in on it too. Now the townspeople really turn on Edward. He is suddenly a hooligan and people twist their stories about him to make Edward seem even worse. It was Edward who came on to Joyce and she barely got away. It was Edward sneaking into their yards and looking in their windows instead of him being invited over to create beautiful topiaries. Instead of telling Edward to not worry or be ashamed of his scars it was ‘that guy is a freak.’ The more the rumor mill spins, the bigger and bigger the issue gets. Peg and her family are ostracized just be association. The only sympathizer Edward seems to have is a cop who asks the psychologist if Edward will be okay. The psychologist reads off a long list of problems Edward has in the most bored voice I have ever heard. The cop is rightly alarmed and repeats his question. The psychologist seems surprised, but flippantly tells him that he will be. It is another of many examples throughout the movie that show a lack of empathy and mindfulness of the neighborhood. There is also Kim who now feels terrible about what’s happened turns more and more to Edward instead of Jim and this enrages him.

In a touching scene, Edward is sculpting ice and the shavings create snow. Kim is enchanted by it and this is where they start to fall in love. Jim interrupts it of course, but the changes are already happening. Later Kim asks Edward to hold her and he heart breakingly tells her, “I can’t.” This is interrupted by a drunken Jim driving wildly through the neighborhood and crashing into things. He almost runs over Kevin, Kim’s little brother, but is saved at the last moment by Edward. Edward tries to see if Kevin is alright, but he ends up accidentally giving him little cuts on his face.

Edward then runs off and the entire town is searching for him. The same cop who asked if he was alright before, lets him run back to his mansion instead of arresting him. He then tries to disperse the growing crowd (mob?) by telling them that Edwards dead and there’s nothing to see here. He leaves and of course none of them believe it. It’s Jim and Kim that go into the mansion looking for him.

A violent fight occurs, although it should really be stated that Edward held back being a guy with scissors for hands. His heart isn’t in the fight and he wants to be left alone and starts to lose. Kim interferes and this is when Edward stabs Jim and he falls out of a window and dies. It’s a bit of a brutal ending for the bully Jim, but possibly the only way Jim would leave Edward and Kim alone. Edward and Kim finally kiss and she leaves.

Yes, she leaves. Kim tells the other neighbors that Edward and Jim fought and they’re both dead. No one disputes her and the mob goes home. The beginning and ending are the same showing an old Kim reading to her granddaughter about why there is snow. She explains that she knows Edward is still up there making his beautiful ice sculptures, because that’s how the snow appears.

The movie has a lot more levels than one would think upon first viewing it. Even the beautiful cinematography holds clues to the story. If you should watch it, look at the kinds of topiary’s Edward makes and wonder why. Listen to the radio and TV that is played throughout movie as they give hints as well. There are also a surprising number of funny moments. Edward and the waterbed are a favorite of mine. The freaky doll, trying to eat dinner, being shown off at show and tell by Kevin, getting drunk for the first time and sometimes Edwards facial expressions show much more than he ever says aloud.

As stated in the beginning, this is technically a Christmas movie, but I always include it in my Halloween list because of the story. That the man who looks likes the monster is the most innocent and nice of the story and that the monsters really look like you and me.

If you would ever like to rewatch this movie and others, find me on twitter @quietlikeastorm.