Edward Scissorhands (1990)

User Rating:

8.0/10   

Director:

Tim Burton

Writers (WGA):

Tim Burton (story) &
Caroline Thompson (story) ...
(more)

Release Date:

14 December 1990 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy | Drama | Fantasy | Romance

Tagline:

His scars run deep.

Plot:

An uncommonly gentle young man, who happens to have scissors for hands, falls in love with a beautiful teenage girl.

Plot Keywords:

Hand | Scissors | Inventor | Love | Teenage Girl

Awards:

Nominated for Oscar. Another 5 wins & 10 nominations

Cast

Johnny Depp	...	Edward Scissorhands
Winona Ryder	...	Kim
Dianne Wiest	...	Peg
Anthony Michael Hall	...	Jim
Kathy Baker	...	Joyce
Robert Oliveri	...	Kevin
Conchata Ferrell	...	Helen
Caroline Aaron	...	Marge
Dick Anthony Williams	...	Officer Allen
O-Lan Jones	...	Esmeralda
Vincent Price	...	The Inventor
Alan Arkin	...	Bill
Susan Blommaert	...	Tinka (as Susan J. Blommaert)
Linda Perri	...	Cissy (as Linda Perry)
John Davidson	...	Host-TV
Biff Yeager	...	George
Marti Greenberg	...	Suzanne
Bryan Larkin	...	Max
John McMahon	...	Denny
Victoria Price	...	TV Newswoman
Stuart Lancaster	...	Retired Man
Gina Gallagher	...	Granddaughter
Aaron Lustig	...	Psychologist
Alan Fudge	...	Loan Officer
Steven Brill	...	Dishwasher Man
Peter Palmer	...	Editor
Marc Macaulay	...	Reporter
Carmen J. Alexander	...	Reporter
Brett Rice	...	Reporter
Andrew B. Clark	...	Beefy Man (as Andrew Clark)
Kelli Crofton	...	Pink Girl
Linda Jean Hess	...	Older Woman / TV
Rosalyn Thomson	...	Young Woman / TV
Lee Ralls	...	Red-Haired Woman / TV
Eileen Meurer	...	Teenage Girl / TV
Bea Albano	...	Rich Widow / TV
Donna Pieroni	...	Blonde / TV
Ken DeVaul	...	Policeman
Michael Gaughan	...	Policeman
Tricia Lloyd	...	Teenage Girl
Kathy Dombo	...	Other Teen
Rex Fox	...	Police Sergeant
Sherry Ferguson	...	Max's Mother
Tabetha Thomas	...	Little Girl on Bike
Tammy Boalo	...	Neighborhood Extra
Jackie Carson	...	Neighborhood Extra
Carol Crumrine	...	Neighborhood Extra
Suzanne Chrosniak	...	Neighborhood Extra
Ellin Dennis	...	Neighborhood Extra
Kathy Fleming	...	Neighborhood Extra
Jalaine Gallion	...	Neighborhood Extra
Miriam Goodspeed	...	Neighborhood Extra
Dianne L. Green	...	Neighborhood Extra
Mary Jane Heath	...	Neighborhood Extra
Carol D. Klasek	...	Neighborhood Extra
Laura Nader	...	Neighborhood Extra
Doyle Anderson	...	Neighborhood Extra
Harvey Bellman	...	Neighborhood Extra
Michael Brown	...	Neighborhood Extra
Gary Clark	...	Neighborhood Extra
Roland Douville	...	Neighborhood Extra
Russell E. Green	...	Neighborhood Extra
Cecil Hawkins	...	Neighborhood Extra
Jack W. Kapfhamer	...	Neighborhood Extra
Bill Klein	...	Neighborhood Extra
Phil Olson	...	Neighborhood Extra
Joe Sheldon	...	Neighborhood Extra
James Spicer	...	Neighborhood Extra
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Nick Carter	...	Neighborhood Extra (uncredited)
Tim Rerucha	...	Van Friend (uncredited)
L.A. Rothman	...	Girl in Diner (uncredited)

Directed by
Tim Burton

Writing credits (WGA)
Tim Burton		(story) &
Caroline Thompson		(story)
Caroline Thompson		(screenplay)

Produced by
Tim Burton	....	producer
Denise Di Novi	....	producer
Richard Hashimoto	....	executive producer
Caroline Thompson	....	associate producer

Original Music by
Danny Elfman

Cinematography by
Stefan Czapsky		(director of photography)

Film Editing by
Richard Halsey

Casting by
Victoria Thomas

Production Design by
Bo Welch

Art Direction by
Tom Duffield

Set Decoration by
Cheryl Carasik

Costume Design by
Colleen Atwood

Makeup Department
Irene Aparicio	....	hair stylist
Fern Buchner	....	makeup artist: Dianne Wiest (as Fern Buckner)
Bridget Cook	....	set hair stylist
Selena Evans-Miller	....	makeup artist (as Selena Miller)
Matthew W. Mungle	....	makeup artist
Ve Neill	....	makeup department head
Rick Provenzano	....	hair stylist
Kim Santantonio	....	set hair stylist
Susan Schuler-Page	....	set hair stylist
Werner Sherer	....	hairdresser: Dianne Wiest
Liz Spang	....	hair stylist
Rick Stratton	....	makeup artist
Yolanda Toussieng	....	hair designer
Mary Ann Valdes	....	assistant hair stylist
Lynda Kyle Walker	....	hair stylist
Brad Wilder	....	makeup artist
Stan Winston	....	special makeup and scissorhands effects producer
Steve LaPorte	....	special makeup effects artist (uncredited)

Production Management
Bill Scott	....	unit production manager (as Bill P. Scott)

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Francis Conway	....	second assistant director
Jerry Fleck	....	first assistant director
Margaret Nelson	....	second second assistant director

Art Department
Steven Lee Baer	....	draperyman (as Steven Baer)
Michael R. Blaich	....	construction paint foreman
Gary Clause	....	construction foreman
Tandova Ecenia	....	assistant props
John R. Elliott	....	construction foreman
Stephen I. Erdberg	....	set dresser
Michael R. Gannon	....	assistant props
Daniel J. Gillooly	....	assistant greensman
Ann Harmon	....	art department researcher (as Anne Harmon)
Ann Harris	....	set designer
Rick Heinrichs	....	set designer
Chris Herrington	....	construction paint foreman
David Howland	....	plasterer foreman
Jack Johnson	....	illustrator
Michael Harry Kerr	....	assistant greensman
Shane Mahan	....	art department coordinator: Stan Winston Studio (as Shane Patrick Mahan)
Kevin Mangan	....	standby greensman
David Manhan	....	set dresser
Chuck McSorley	....	leadman
Dan Ondrejko	....	master greensman (as Danny Ondrejko)
Paul Paleveda	....	assistant greensman
Tim Paleveda	....	assistant greensman
Dan Pemberton	....	construction foreman
William A. Petrotta	....	property master (as Bill Petrotta)
Diane Phelps	....	art department researcher
Leo Rijn	....	art department sculptor
William Robertson	....	topiary frame construction
John Rosengrant	....	art department coordinator: Stan Winston Studio
Stephanie Schwartzman	....	art department researcher
Alex Scutti Jr.	....	head plasterer
Alex Scutti Jr.	....	plasterer gang boss (as Alexander Scutti)
Anne Sidaris-Reeves	....	assistant props (as Anne Reeves)
Paul Sonski	....	set designer
John Villarino	....	construction coordinator
Mike Villarino	....	general construction foreman
Chris Zimmerman	....	construction paint foreman
Clyde Zimmerman	....	paint supervisor
Randy L. Childs	....	propmaker gangboss (uncredited)

Sound Department
Vanessa Theme Ament	....	foley (as Vanessa T. Ament)
Richard L. Anderson	....	supervising sound editor
Mary Andrews	....	adr editor
Michael Barnitt	....	cableman: LA
Michael J. Benavente	....	sound editor
Mike Chock	....	foley editor
James Christopher	....	sound editor
Robert Deschaine	....	foley mixer
Warren Hamilton Jr.	....	sound editor
Petur Hliddal	....	sound mixer
Stanley Kastner	....	rerecording mixer
Chet Leonard	....	cableman: LA
Steve Maslow	....	rerecording mixer
Kathy McCart	....	recordist
Heather McPherson	....	foley
Oscar Mitt	....	assistant sound editor
Sonny Pettijohn	....	assistant sound editor
John Pospisil	....	special sound effects (as John P.)
Eric Potter	....	sound effects recording
Gary Ritchie	....	recordist
Earl Sampson	....	boom man
David E. Stone	....	supervising sound editor (as Dave Stone)
Ralph Stuart	....	assistant sound editor
David W. Alstadter	....	foley mixer (uncredited)
Steve Lee	....	sound effects librarian (uncredited)
Donald C. Rogers	....	technical director of sound (uncredited)

Special Effects by
David LeRoy Anderson	....	art department: Stan Winston Studio (as David Anderson)
Michael Arbogast	....	special effects
Bill Basso	....	art department: Stan Winston Studio
Evan Brainard	....	mechanical department: Stan Winston Studio
Len Burge	....	art department: Stan Winston Studio (as Len E. Burge III)
Craig Caton	....	mechanical department: Stan Winston Studio (as Craig Canton-Largent)
John Coen	....	art department: Stan Winston Studio
Mitchell J. Coughlin	....	art department: Stan Winston Studio (as Mitch Coughlin)
Bruce Spaulding Fuller	....	art department: Stan Winston Studio
Dave Grasso	....	art department: Stan Winston Studio
John B. Hagey	....	special effects prop shop (as John Hagey)
Beth Hathaway	....	art department: Stan Winston Studio
Guy Himber	....	mechanical department: Stan Winston Studio
Kevin Hudson	....	art department: Stan Winston Studio
Adam Jones	....	art department: Stan Winston Studio
Karen Mason	....	art department: Stan Winston Studio
Mark 'Crash' McCreery	....	art department: Stan Winston Studio
Jon Curtis Price	....	mechanical department: Stan Winston Studio
Mark Rappaport	....	mechanical department: Stan Winston Studio
James Reedy	....	special effects
Gary Schaedler	....	special effects
Andy Schoneberg	....	art department: Stan Winston Studio
Michael Spatola	....	art department: Stan Winston Studio
Ian Stevenson	....	art department: Stan Winston Studio
Samantha Stevens	....	art department: Stan Winston Studio
Michael Umble	....	special effects production assistant
Robert E. Watson	....	art department: Stan Winston Studio (as Rob Watson)
Brian Wood	....	special effects
David Wood	....	special effects
Michael Wood	....	special effects supervisor
Mike Edmonson	....	special effects foreman (uncredited)
Eileen Kastner-Delago	....	art department: Stan Winston Studio (uncredited)
Eileen Kastner-Delago	....	special effects crew (uncredited)
Curt Massof	....	art department: Stan Winston Studio (uncredited)
Hans Metz	....	special effects technician (uncredited)
Patrick Tantalo	....	special effects crew (uncredited)

Visual Effects by
Yarek Alfer	....	lead sculptor: Stetson Visual Services, Inc. (as Jaroslav G. Alfer)
Leslie Ekker	....	key model maker: Stetson Visual Services, Inc.
Henry Gonzales	....	key model maker: Stetson Visual Services, Inc. (as Henry Gonzalez)
Ron Gress	....	lead model painter: Stetson Visual Services, Inc.
Tom Griep	....	key model maker: Stetson Visual Services, Inc. (as Thomas Griep)
Ian Hunter	....	key model maker: Stetson Visual Services, Inc.
Terry W. King	....	lead miniture special effects: Stetson Visual Services, Inc. (as Terry King)
Peter Kuran	....	visual effects: VCE
Laurel Lichten	....	key model maker: Stetson Visual Services, Inc.
Bill Neil	....	effects director of photography
Bradford Plows	....	key model maker: Stetson Visual Services, Inc.
Dennis Schultz	....	key model maker: Stetson Visual Services, Inc.
Robert Spurlock	....	miniature effects: Stetson Visual Services, Inc.
Mark Stetson	....	miniature effects: Stetson Visual Services, Inc.
George Trimmer	....	chief model maker: Stetson Visual Services, Inc.
Thomas Valentine	....	stage crew chief: Stetson Visual Services, Inc. (as Tom Valentine)
George Willis	....	key model maker: Stetson Visual Services, Inc.
Dana Yuricich	....	key model maker: Stetson Visual Services, Inc.
Paul Gentry	....	director of photography: miniatures (uncredited)
Laurel Schneider	....	miniature effects production coordinator (uncredited)
Scott Schneider	....	model maker (uncredited)
Pam Vick	....	rotoscope animation: VCE (uncredited)

Stunts
Greg Anderson	....	stunts
Todd Bryant	....	stunts
David Burton	....	stunts
Tammy Brady Conrad	....	stunts (as Tammy Brady-Conrad)
Gary Price	....	stunts (as Gary Rev. Price)
Lori Lynn Ross	....	stunts
Gar Stephen	....	stunts
Bill Suiter	....	stunts
Glenn R. Wilder	....	stunt coordinator
Scott Wilder	....	stunts
John Zimmerman	....	stunts

Camera and Electrical Department
John Carney	....	best boy electric
John F. Cassidy	....	key grip
David A. Cook	....	electrician
Kenny Davis	....	dolly grip
Tom Durkin	....	electrician (as Thomas J. Durkin)
Brooks P. Guyer	....	crane operator: Louma crane
Alfred E. Kalous	....	best boy electric: LA
Tom Keefer	....	grip best boy
Ian Kelly	....	supervising video engineer
Richard Kuhn	....	second grip
Dennis J. Lootens	....	rigging gaffer
Barry T. Lopez	....	second grip (as Barry Thomas Lopez)
Frank Miller	....	camera operator
Art Molinaro	....	electrician lamp operator
Kevin Murphy	....	chief lighting technician
Mike Paleveda	....	electrician
Zade Rosenthal	....	still photographer
Michael Santoro	....	grip best boy: LA
Todd M. Short	....	second grip
Daniel E. Teaze	....	second assistant camera
Robert Ulland	....	Steadicam operator
Zoran Veselic	....	first assistant camera
Warner R. Wacha	....	second assistant camera
Richard J. Lee Jr.	....	rigging set lighting technician (uncredited)
Bob Scott	....	second assistant camera (uncredited)
Rob Whitehurst	....	video assist operator: second unit (uncredited)

Casting Department
Tina M. Boergesson	....	extra casting coordinator: Florida
Rose Rosen	....	extra casting coordinator: Florida
Jory Weitz	....	casting associate

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Kathy Bird	....	wardrobe: women (as Kathryn 'Bird')
David Davenport	....	key costumer: men
Nancy McArdle	....	key costumer: women
Ray Summers	....	costume supervisor

Editorial Department
Catherine Best	....	first assistant editor
Jonathan Chibnall	....	assistant editor
Colleen Halsey	....	film editor
Dennis McNeill	....	color timer

Music Department
Bob Badami	....	music editor
Steve Bartek	....	orchestrator
Margaret Goodspeed	....	assistant music editor (as Margie Goodspeed)
O-Lan Jones	....	composer/musician: organ
Jo Ann Kane	....	music copyist
Nathan Kaproff	....	orchestra contractor
Susan McLean	....	music scoring recordist
Shawn Murphy	....	music scoring mixer
Sharon Rice	....	assistant recording engineer
Sally Stevens	....	choral contractor
Shirley Walker	....	conductor
Jon Wattenbarger	....	choir director: Paulist Boys Choir of California (as Dr. Jon Wattenbarger)

Transportation Department
Dan Anglin	....	transportation coordinator (as Danny Anglin)
John Hood	....	transportation captain (as John H. Hood)
Wanda N. Kestner	....	transportation co-captain
R. Randy Pines	....	transportation captain
Stanley R. Webber	....	transportation captain

Other crew
David Allsberry	....	animal trainer
Marilyn Bailey	....	script supervisor
Michael J. Burmeister	....	location manager
Robert Dawson	....	main title sequence designer
Kelly Rae Fry	....	office production assistant
Doris Hellmann	....	production accountant
Ellen Hofstadter	....	assistant production accountant
Mary Cay Hollander	....	production coordinator
Jill Jacobs	....	assistant: Denise Di Novi
Marcia Klemm	....	production liaison: Los Angeles
Richard J. Landon	....	mechanical department coordinator: Stan Winston Studio
Diane Minter Lewis	....	assistant: Tim Burton (as Diane Minter)
Robert Maharis	....	location manager
Boone Narr	....	animal trainer (as Boone Nar)
Jon Curtis Price	....	on set coordinator: Stan Winston Studio
Paul 'Sled' Reynolds	....	animal trainer (as Sled Reynolds)
Susan Spencer Robbins	....	assistant: Richard Hashimoto
Letitia Rogers	....	assistant: Danny Elfman
Andy Schoneberg	....	on set coordinator: Stan Winston Studio
Jay Sedrish	....	production accountant
Jacqueline A. Shea	....	assistant production coordinator
Phyllis Thurber-Moffit	....	textile artist (as Phyllis Thurber-Moffitt)
Eden Ashley Umber	....	unit publicist (as Eden Ashley)
Steven C. Ward	....	office production assistant
Glenn Williamson	....	set production assistant
Dawn Barkan	....	animal trainer (uncredited)
Granville Greene	....	production assistant (uncredited)
Thomas J. Healy IV	....	double: Anthony Michael Hall (uncredited)
Thomas J. Healy IV	....	production assistant (uncredited)
Darin Raney	....	production assistant (uncredited)

Production Companies

• Twentieth Century-Fox Film Corporation (presents) (as Twentieth Century Fox)

Distributors

• Twentieth Century-Fox Film Corporation (1990) (USA) (theatrical)
• CBS/Fox (1991) (USA) (video) (laserdisc)
• Columbia Broadcasting System (CBS) (1995) (USA) (TV)
• Encore Entertainment (1996) (UK) (video) (laserdisc)
• Fox Video (2000) (USA) (DVD)
• 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment (2005) (USA) (DVD)
• 20th Century Fox Italia (????) (Italy) (theatrical)
• 20th Century Fox of Germany (1991) (Germany) (theatrical)
• Finnkino (1991) (Finland) (theatrical)
• Lucernafilm - Beta (1992) (Czechoslovakia) (theatrical)
• Spentzos Films (????) (Greece) (theatrical)
• 20th Century Fox Brazil (2001) (Brazil) (DVD)
• Abril Vídeo (1991) (Brazil) (VHS)
• Audio Visual Enterprises (????) (Greece) (VHS) (videVHS)
• FS Film Oy (2003) (Finland) (DVD)
• Fox Video (????) (USA) (VHS)
• Gativideo (????) (Argentina) (VHS)
• Mainostelevisio (MTV3) (2001) (2004) (2005) (Finland) (TV)
• Oy Europa Vision AB (1992) (Finland) (VHS)
• SubTV (2006) (Finland) (TV)
• Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment Germany (1991) (Germany) (VHS)
• Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment Germany (2001) (Germany) (DVD)
• Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment (2007) (Netherlands) (DVD) (Blu-Ray Disc)
• Yleisradio (YLE) (1995) (Finland) (TV)

Special Effects

• Dreamstate Effects (uncredited)
• Stan Winston Studio (special makeup and scissorhands effects created at)
• Stetson Visual Services Inc. (miniature effects provided by)
• VCE (visual effects)

Other Companies

• Cinema Research  titles composited by (as Cinema Research Corporation)
• Florida Film Commission  special thanks
• I.A.T.S.E. Local 477  special thanks
• MCA Records  original motion picture soundtrack album on
• Panavision  lenses and Panaflex® Cameras by (as Panavision®)
• Production Services and Systems  special thanks
• Sunrise Films  negative cutter
• Tampa Bay Film Commission  special thanks (as Tampa Film Commission)
• Teamsters Local #79  special thanks (as Teamster's Local Union #79)
• Warner Hollywood Studios  rerecorded at

Runtime:

105 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

70 mm 6-Track (analog 70 mm prints) | CDS (digital 70 mm prints) | Dolby SR (35 mm prints) | CDS (digital 35 mm prints)

Certification:

Iceland:12 | Italy:T | Spain:T | Portugal:M/12 | Finland:K-10 (cut) (1991) (theater release) | Finland:K-11 (uncut) (2003) (DVD) | Finland:K-12 (cut) (1991) (video) | Ireland:PG | South Korea:12 | UK:12 (re-rating, uncut) (2007) | Brazil:Livre | Germany:6 (f) | Argentina:13 | Australia:PG | Canada:PG | Chile:14 | France:U | Israel:PG | Netherlands:MG6 | New Zealand:PG | Norway:10 (cut) | Singapore:PG | Sweden:11 | UK:PG (cut) | USA:PG-13 (certificate #30658)

Filming Locations:

Dade City, Florida, USA

Company:

Twentieth Century-Fox Film Corporation

Trivia:

When Edward goes to have his hands sharpened, the storefront was that of an actual hardware store called Crowder Brothers in Southgate Shopping Center. At the time of the filming, they did offer a sharpening service, and they did have a giant motorized Victorinox in the window.

Goofs:

Continuity: When Peg first brings Edward to her house, she clearly parks her vehicle on the left side of the house. When everyone is seen gathering around the corner, the car is no longer there, though Peg has not left the house.

Quotes:

[first lines]
Kim: Snuggle in, sweetie. It's cold out there.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Jarhead (2005)

Soundtrack:

BLUE HAWAII

Burton's Best -- and Most Emotionally Touching.

Tim Burton is a brilliant visual director but with Edward Scissorhands he managed to combine these talents with pure, classic storytelling – Scissorhands is his best overall film, abandoning the slight characterizations and special effects-driven spectacle of the (albeit hugely enjoyable) Batman and serving up a convincingly detailed left-of-center fairytale romance.

The story is fairly basic, being the standard Frankenstein-esque tale of alienation and the empowerment of love. Edward (Johnny Depp) is a lonely man with scissors for hands, crafted by an eccentric inventor (magnificently played by Vincent Price in flashbacks) prior to his death. After Edward witnesses the death of his creator he stays locked away inside his mansion all day, which is located atop the otherwise cheerfully picture-perfect local neighborhood community.

Then one day a nosy neighbor decides to investigate, and ends up bringing Edward to reality. He falls in love with a local girl (Winona Ryder), and is witness first-hand to the joys of life, until accidentally injuring a young boy and becoming the enemy of the overzealous town. Soon everyone is out to get him for no good reason – the climax is beautifully done and, because Burton has allowed his characters to expand so much, it's also very touching.

The movie is decidedly odd but in a good way – the only problem is that it is occasionally quite thin when it comes to actual depth. Burton's never been as good at telling believable stories as he has mythical, exciting fables (see Sleepy Hollow for a similar example). Even Burton's Big Fish – arguably his most story-oriented film of his career – was somewhat shady. The mix of screwball dark comedy, horror, drama, romance and elements and familiar happenings of other genres results in a very different combination. You can literally "feel" the vibe of this picture, its heart pulsing black blood.

The movie was a childhood project of Burton, who drew sketches of Edward as a boy and used to alienate himself from his hostile surroundings by taking refuge in fictional stories involving the scissor-handed hero. As a result Burton's true affinity for the subject is evident – it's clear that he takes this entire project very seriously.

The acting is marvelous – Depp's performance is one of his finest and, arguably, one of the most convincing and fun of all-time. Depp has formed a Scorsese/De Niro-like companionship with Burton over the years, teaming up for various pictures (including Sleepy Hollow and the upcoming Charlie and the Chocolate Factory). He's always had fun relishing his over-the-top and absurdly dark roles, such as Ichabod Crane in particular. In Scissorhands he gives the equivalent of a Travis Bickle – a man who feels shunned by society, only to open his heart and have it feel crushed again. This is possibly one of the reasons the film is able to affect its audience so well to this very day. The tale does not grow old because the values are timeless.

Edward Scissorhands, despite its occasional flaws, finally gave Burton the chance to unleash his talents as a visual filmmaker along with a pretty solid story mold – the result being a sublimely dark rom-com-drama that never conforms to the typical genre clichés and becomes quite a unique film in its own little world.

4.5/5