EDWARD SCISSORHANDS
UK, 2024, 90 minutes, Colour.
Liam Mower, Ashley Shaw.
Directed by Matthew Bourne; screen version, Ross MacGibbon.
Edward Scissorhands, 1990, was one of Tim Burton’s most popular films, starring Johnny Depp and Winona Ryder. It was a fantasy, an inventor and his creature who had no hands but scissors. He goes down from his inventor’s Castle into the contemporary world, kindly people, exploitative people, made a fuss of with his ability to shape edges and hair. But, the people turn against him, persecute him, hound him out of the town.
Ballet choreographer, Matthew Bourne, has created many significant ballets, The Nutcracker, the Car Man and an all-male Swan Lake. He choreographed his version of Edward Scissorhands in 2005. Now his 2022 version has been filmed for theatrical release.
This is contemporary dance theatre rather than ballet. Matthew Bourne has choreographed quite a range of individual dances, ensemble dancing as in music theatre, a range of musical styles, especially from the 1950s and 1960s, and a range of dancing styles participated in by Edward himself, quite a moving performance from Liam Mower.
This production keeps the basic outline of Tim Burton’s film and Caroline Thompson’s screenplay with some variations.
The impact of this kind of production for the theatre audience is its view of the whole stage, the effect of distance from the stage, the audience choosing characters to focus on, individuals, but an ensemble experience.
This screen theatrical experience is quite different. There are many ensemble sequences, the audience viewing the whole stage. However, it is also very cinematic because of the camera work, the editing, the decisions for particular focus on characters, close-ups, some extreme close-ups, especially of Edward, choices made by the director but very effective for communicating the drama, the emotions, the development of the characters. Quite a different experience from that in the theatre.
For many, Tim Burton’s film has been a continuing favourite. So has the musical score by Danny Elfman, the main themes are incorporated into this score. For those not familiar with Edward Scissorhands, a surprising experience. For those familiar, and different reliving of the film.
