Burton’s eye opening film, Edward Scissorhands, showed intense drama through the use of Edward and Kim who expressed great love for each other. Yet it became a tragedy as the couple who were meant to be together were too different from each other. This essay, will illustrate how much Edward loved Kim so much that he was willing to do anything for her, and how much Kim loved Edward so much that she sacrificed her love to let him go. The way Burton used these two characters to show the realistic view of what love is about and how love can be complicated, will also be explained. Burton’s ideas about love through the use of these extraordinary characters were an extreme representation of society which made this film a great and memorable drama with the elements of great love and great tragedy.
The first idea that Burton expressed was the great love Edward had for Kim, but with the influence of others their love became too difficult. Edward fell so deeply in love with Kim, that he was willing to do ANYTHING for her. Edward helped Jim and Kim break into Jim’s home even though he knew it was wrong. When Kim asked Edward why he willingly helped them, Edward replied, “Because you asked me to.” Edward showed how much he loved Kim by the way he considered the consequences if he were to physically be with her. “Hold me,” Kim asked, but Edward knew that if he did, there would be a possibility that he would hurt her with his scissorhands, so he answered, “I can’t.” Edward’s love for Kim was also shown through his actions of wanting to protect Kim. Edward fought to protect Kim from Jim who constantly hurt her physically as he booted her off him with his foot, yanked her away from Edward and had put her life in danger by his reckless actions of wanting to kill Edward. Edward’s only way of stopping Jim from hurting Kim and himself was to kill him. Jim made it impossible for Edward and Kim to be together because of his want to control Kim. Edward Scissorhands explores the idea that some people are unable to be together because of their differences, but can also be caused by the influence of other people round them. The thought of people who love each other and yet cannot be together makes people unsatisfied because of the belief that couples should live happily ever after, and yet Burton has created the opposite.
Another idea presented in this film is the amount of love Kim had for Edward which was so tremendous that she let him go. In the mid-shot of Kim telling Edward to “run”, her facial expressions showed just how much she cared for him. Kim knew that the people of Suburbia would not leave Edward alone and it would cause too much conflict if he continued to stay in Suburbia. The only way Edward would be safe would be to return back to his home where he belonged. Her love for him was also shown in the scene when she told the people of Suburbia that Edward was dead. Her pure white dress gave the impression of an innocent girl which made it easier for the crowd to believe her. Burton demonstrated how difficult it could be to be in love with someone and the sacrifices that will be made for the better of everyone, even if it means to give up love for love. The story of ‘The Beauty and the Beast’ was represented in this film; however it was remade with a twist, as the Beauty and the Beast did not live happily ever after. This interpretation and modification of the ‘Beauty and the Beast’ story did not live up to Hollywood’s expectations of a happily ever after ending, seeing that Edward and Kim did not end up together. The movie is not a ‘Romeo and Juliet’ romance either as they did not die together showing how much they love each other, but let each other go for the better of the other person. Edward and Kim saw that they could not be together so decided on the best plan to keep both of them alive but also happy, knowing that they tried at love.
The most compelling aspect of the film was the idea of a monster falling in love with a human where the audience is set up for an exciting love story. However, Burton changed the typical Hollywood ending into a reality that would make the audience feel irritated. Burton built the audience up for an unlikely love story, yet made the audience root for the couple, knowing that people should be together, could not be together. His plan to make the audience root for the couple to be together is what made the audience engage in the love story and yearn for Kim and Edward to be a pair. Though, in reality the audience knew that Edward and Kim would not work out due to their differences. As Edward said “Goodbye”, Kim kissed him and said “I love you” then fled the scene. Burton showed the reality of love and how some relationships are not meant to be due to society’s thoughts and rules and because some relationships just do not work out. Hollywood would let Kim and Edward be a couple as they always try to find a way to make the characters live happily ever after. However, with Burton he showed the reality of life and that they could not live happily ever after. He showed an extreme example of what the society would do if there was a person like Edward in the world today. He showed that the likelihood of Edward and Kim being together is slim and life goes on. Love does not stop people from living their own lives as long as they are happy. Edward and Kim continued to live their lives separately but are still content with their own lives. They have learnt what it is like to fall for someone they cannot have and took the responsible way of letting their love go, rather than trying to make it possible or dying together like Romeo and Juliet. They resorted to an outcome that will let both of them live satisfied lives without hurting others but themselves.
To summarise the many ideas that Burton has produced through Edward Scissorhands, his extreme representation of society and its rules let the audience reflect on the meaning of life, how people treat others and what great love could do to people. His message about love reflecting the reality of life and how relationships do not always work out reminds the audience that love is not easy. The sacrifices and the pain people go through while they are in love with a person are not like the Hollywood movies, which is what made this film a great and memorable drama.
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