Edward Scissorhands

In a 200+ post on your blog, write about one of the following question threads:

1. If we consider Edward as an artist, what does the film say about the role of the artist in society? Where does the stand in relationship to the rest of the society? How does the artist benefit from society? How does society benefit from artists?

2. Edward Scissorhands has several references to religion -- angels, pierced hands, Christmas, and one religious neighbor. What is Burton saying about religion? How does the town relate to it? What does it mean that Edward is created by a person rather than born from a mother?

3. Tim Burton has a distinct visual style - oversized and anthropomorphic (looking like people) set pieces, unique camera angles (off eye-level), and "grotesque" looking people. How does this movie illustrate that style.

4. Since Tim Burton's background is in animation, he pays special attention to color. Black and white figure prominently in some of the main characters' wardrobe, but colors are striking in other places as well, such as the exterior of the houses and the wardrobe of the townspeople. What do the colors mean in the movie?

5. Peg is also a bit of an outcast. What are the female gender roles in this town, and how does Peg live outside of them? Since this is supposed to be a modern-day fairy-tale, are these roles accurate? If so, how? If not, then why does Burton show them in this way?

6. Could there have been a happy ending for Edward? Assume that saving Kevin (Kim's brother) made Edward a hero and got rid of Jim. Where does Edward's life go from there? Could he have gotten the girl and had a "normal" life?

7. Helena Bonham-Carter has said that Tim Burton makes movies about Tim Burton. After doing some research into Burton's films and biography, how true do you think that is?

8. Write your own topic.

This post should be completed by 11:59pm 10/26/12.

Remember as you write the post that you are writing for the worldwide web, not just for your class and me. So don't begin the post by copying and pasting the question. Write as though this is really a topic that interests you and you're sharing your thoughts with the world. Begin, perhaps, by giving us a little context. For example:

Tim Burton's Edward Scissorhands, one of his earliest films, already displays some of the distinctive elements that would become his trademark.

Or to put it into less formal terms:

Have you ever noticed that a lot of Tim Burton's movies look alike? I just watched Edward Scissorhands, and I thought, "Whoa! I've seen that before."

Assume that your audience is interested in your topic, and while they might have seen the movie before, they need a little refresher about the plot of the movie or the characters or the scenes or whatever it is you're discussing. Use IMDB to find quotations, character names, or plot refresher points.