Tim Burton is officially back in the spotlight with Beetlejuice Beetlejuice, his long-awaited follow-up starring Michael Keaton‘s Ghost With the Most and arguably his best film in years. For those looking for more from the one-of-a-kind director’s filmography, however, Hulu is adding one of his best to its catalog for October to continue your Burton binge. Starting on October 1, Edward Scissorhands will be available on the platform, reintroducing viewers to the director’s unique and sincere Gothic romance starring Johnny Depp in the lead role. Their first collaboration helped launch Depp into a new tier of stardom and would pave the way for a long list of future team-ups from Ed Wood to Alice in Wonderland.
Edward Scissorhands follows the titular humanoid, a creation of an eccentric scientist, played by legendary horror icon Vincent Price, who is left with a monstrous appearance emphasized by the scissor blades in place of his hands. With his creator dead, he’s given a new life thanks to the kind Peg (Dianne Wiest) who realizes his gentle nature and welcomes him into her family where he quickly falls in love with their teenage daughter Kim, played by another Burton favorite in Winona Ryder. Despite initially charming the residents of their town with his artistic prowess and kind demeanor, his sharp hands ultimately make him an outcast, especially drawing the ire of Kim’s boyfriend, Jim (Anthony Michael Hall).
All of Burton’s best qualities show through in Edward Scissorhands, which mixes a colorful backdrop with the slightly creepy thanks to its gentle giant protagonist. As the director’s first film coming off his Batman movie and the wildly popular original Beetlejuice, it was another showcase of the creativity that would make him such an identifiable director over the years, making for a modern Frankenstein update that twists the aspects of Mary Shelley‘s classic. It also helps to have a strong cast carried by Depp in his breakout film role, with a supporting cast also featuring Kathy Baker, Alan Arkin, Robert Oliveri, Conchata Ferrell, and Sarah Blommaert among others. Burton co-wrote the screenplay with Caroline Thompson, who would later work with him again on The Corpse Bride.
‘Edward Scissorhands’ Is Still Hailed as One of Burton’s Best
Among both critics and audiences, the gothic romance holiday feature is a genuine gem with stellar 91% and 90% ratings respectively on Rotten Tomatoes. It’s been hailed for a magical, fairytale-like feel with plenty of sincerity that helps it stand out as a more personal and emotional film from Burton’s catalog. The bold choice to cast Depp, then best-known for 21 Jump Street, instead of Hollywood heavyweights like Tom Cruise or Gary Oldman also paid off as he helped humanize the “monster” with a kind heart. Elevating everything is the score by Danny Elfman, who has long been Burton’s go-to composer and delivers some of his best work from his Oscar-nominated career.
Catch Edward Scissorhands on Hulu starting on October 1, though the film is currently streaming on its sister platform Disney+ right now.
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