Greatest Film Scenes
and Moments



Edward Scissorhands (1990)

 



Written by Tim Dirks

Title Screen
Movie Title/Year and Scene Descriptions
Screenshots

Edward Scissorhands (1990)

In Tim Burton's enchanting 'Beauty and the Beast' fantasy:

  • the heart-breaking prologue scene -- a bedtime story about a reclusive and kindly Inventor 'father' (Vincent Price in his last film role), who collapsed of a heart-attack and died before he could install real hands on his inherently-good son Edward Scissorhands (Johnny Depp), with sharp scissor-hands
Death of Edward Scissorhands' Inventor 'Father'
  • the image of the high-on-the-hill Gothic castle/mansion overlooking the pastel-colored suburban neighborhood of tract houses; before being invited to live with a suburban family, Edward lived a lonely and naive existence in a castle overlooking the neighborhood, was pitied, and taken home by Avon lady Peg Boggs (Dianne Wiest); she was shocked when she came upon him, with his black leather punk outfit, pruning shear hands, and wild hairdo
  • the scene of Edward scaring blonde teen cheerleader/daughter Kim Boggs (Winona Ryder) in her bedroom - and in the excitement puncturing her waterbed
  • the dinner meal scene at the house of Bill (Alan Arkin) and Peg with white-faced hedge sculptor/guest Frankenstein-like Edward Scissorhands attempting to eat with his unique scissor-hands, at one point from his POV
  • Edward's ability to groom pets, cut women's hair, and trim gardens and hedges into various shapes
Topiary Creations
Hair-Cutting Skill
  • the scene in which Edward carved beautiful angel ice sculptures to woo Kim as she joyously danced under the wintry rain of chipped, frozen snow flakes - accompanied by Danny Elfman's score
  • the character of Kim's scheming, jealous, bullying and insensitive boyfriend Jim (Anthony Michael Hall), and the stunning ending scene in the castle of Jim's assault of Edward, who retaliated by stabbing Jim in the stomach, and pushing him out of the castle window to his death; and the tearjerking farewell scene between Edward and Kim after Jim's death
  • the explanation by an older Kim at the film's conclusion (the film's entire story was told in flashback) at the bedside of her grand-daughter (Gina Gallagher) about why she didn't visit Edward: ("I'm an old woman now. I would rather he remember me the way I was"); she said she suspected that Edward was still alive and living in the castle above town: ("I don't know, not for sure, but I believe he is"); she explained about where snow came from and how she knew that Edward was still creating ice sculptures and causing snow showers: ("You see, before he came down here, it never snowed. And afterwards, it did. If he weren't up there now, I don't think it would be snowing. Sometimes, you can still catch me dancing in it")
  • the film's final flashback of a younger Kim dancing in the snowflakes


Peg Boggs (Dianne Wiest) Meeting Edward

Edward Scaring Kim In Her Bedroom

Edward's POV at Dinner Table


Edward's Ice-Sculpturing and Kim Dancing in Snow Chips


Edward's Murder of Jim

Kim's Final Goodbye With Edward

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