December 23, 2020
The Beauty of Kitschy Horror in ‘Edward Scissorhands’
On the 30th anniversary of Tim Burton’s Edward Scissorhands, let’s celebrate the amazing genre of this film.
There is no doubt that the world within Edward Scissorhands is a bit off-kilter and a little bizarre. Using a style referred to as Burtonesque, director Tim Burton creates a stylized, hyper-real world that feels just slightly out of line with reality. With its pastel-colored houses, brightly colored clothes, and the Avon lady knocking at lonely housewives’ doors, Burton captures the dullness that is “normalcy” through the underappreciated genre that is kitsch.
Kitsch is a style that appeals to what is popular rather than “high art.” It’s good-bad, like hamburger phones, clown art, or snowglobes. While some films strive to feel more realistic and serious, kitsch strives to have fun with the absurdity that is found in reality.
Think of David Lynch’s Blue Velvet, Pee-wee’s Big Adventure, or pretty much any film made by John Waters.
Source: NoFilmSchool