History YMMV / EdwardScissorhands

* EsotericHappyEnding: Despite being portrayed as a BittersweetEnding, many viewers felt it came closer to being a downer ending, due to the fact that [[spoiler:Edward is forced to ostracize himself from society and fake his death in order to avoid facing life imprisonment for killing Jim in self defense, while also never being able to see Kim again. The fact that he is more or less immortal and cannot die pushes his situation to that of a FateWorseThanDeath]].

* HarsherInHindsight: This ultimately turned out to be Creator/VincentPrice's last film, making his final scene, where his character dies of a heart attack, pretty difficult to watch.

** Joyce starts a smear campaign that ruins an innocent person's life, accusing Edward of rape in retaliation for his not giving in to her attempts to seduce him. She is one insecure human being.

** The scene where Peg applies makeup on Edward is well-regarded as an UrExample of ASMR.

* ThemePairing: Edward is shipped with Lydia from ''Film/{{Beetlejuice}}'' by virtue of both being the troubled protagonists of Tim Burton films and embodiments of DarkIsNotEvil.

* TooBleakStoppedCaring: ''Edward Scissorhands'' is undeniably one of Burton's best films. Unfortunately, it's also one of his more depressing ones, second only to ''Film/BatmanReturns''. The film is basically about Edward initially being accepted by the outside world, only to be rejected and eventually forced to live all alone. And the amount of torment poor Edward has to go through, from being forced to live with the burden of having scissor-like hands, to being framed for burglary and being falsely slandered as a rapist, resulting in the whole town turning against him and forcing him to isolate himself for the rest of his life can leave a rather bitter taste in many people's mouths. The tearjerking music by Creator/DannyElfman also doesn't help.

* HarsherInHindsight:
** This ultimately turned out to be Creator/VincentPrice's last film, making his final scene, where his character dies of a heart attack, pretty difficult to watch.
** Like Edward in this film, Creator/JohnnyDepp was falsely accused of a crime that damaged his reputation for many years. Including sexual assault, exactly what Joyce accused Edward of.

** Music/DannyElfman has named the whole score as his personal favorite of his work.

* DiagnosedByTheAudience: Edward has been speculated as being a metaphor for autism and related disorders. One particularly notable thing is the way the film portrays people's ''reactions'' to him. While one might see the fascination most of the neighborhood has with him as being parodic of the stereotype of 1970s suburbanites being closed-minded, it's also perfectly apt for the post-''Film/RainMan'' world of the late '80s and early '90s, when there was widespread interest in the savant abilities possessed by some autistics.

** Like Edward in this film, Creator/JohnnyDepp was falsely accused a crime that damaged his reputation for many years. Including sexual assault, exactly what Joyce accused Edward of.

* UncannyValley: Intentionally so with Edward.

* HarsherInHindsight: This ultimately turned out to be Creator/VincentPrice's last film, making his final scene, where his character dies of a heart attack, pretty difficult to watch.

** Many still consider this to be Creator/JohnnyDepp's best performance, but he wasn't nominated for an UsefulNotes/AcademyAward, although he did at least get the UsefulNotes/GoldenGlobe nomination.
** Music/DannyElfman's score wasn't nominated.

** The film has this effect on ''Film/TheBreakfastClub'', as it's a bit jarring to see Creator/AnthonyMichaelHall go from a sweet and picked-on nerd to a slightly more psychotic version of John Bender and/or Andrew Clark.
* MisaimedMarketing: In the mid-'90s, this was repackaged on [=VHS=] as one of Fox's "Family Features", even though it's rated PG-13. Guess that makes [[spoiler:Jim's death at Edward's blades a FamilyUnfriendlyDeath]].

** Edward [[spoiler:ripping apart the Boggs' curtains and tapestry in a fit of jealousy over Kim and Jim]].

* OneSceneWonder: Though he was in a few scenes, but Creator/VincentPrice as the Inventor (in what would end up being his final role) just about steals the film from Creator/JohnnyDepp.
* PeripheryDemographic: The movie has a very large female fan-base, likely because of Creator/JohnnyDepp, and the fact it's a romance movie.

* SignatureScene: The "hold me"/"I can't" scene is definitely one of the film's most iconic, and arguably one of Burton's most iconic as a whole. Though Kim dancing in the snow made from Edward's ice sculptures is also very well-remembered.

* TooBleakStoppedCaring: Edward Scissorhands is undeniably one of Burton's best films. Unfortunately, it's also one of his more depressing ones, second only to ''Film/BatmanReturns''. The film is basically about Edward initially being accepted by the outside world, only to be rejected and eventually forced to live all alone. And the amount of torment poor Edward has to go through, from being forced to live with the burden of having scissor-like hands, to being framed for burglary and being falsely slandered as a rapist, resulting in the whole town turning against him and forcing him to isolate himself for the rest of his life can leave a rather bitter taste in many people's mouths. The tear-jerking music by Creator/DannyElfman also doesn't help.

* UnintentionallyUnsympathetic: Bob Boggs, Kim's father, becomes this because much of the climax of the film could have been avoided if he weren't so oblivious and stupid. He somehow doesn't hear the confrontation between Jim and Edward when Edward accidentally scratches Kim's hand, nor does he hear Jim yelling at Edward to GetOut of the neighbourhood despite being on the roof right above them, but he does notice Edward storming off and acts with a total lack of concern when Kim urges him to go look for Edward. Not to mention Bob invokes a DisappointedInYou reaction when Edward is caught stealing and lectures Edward about ethics despite being well aware that Edward literally doesn't know any better and they didn't attempt to teach him right from wrong before this.

** Creator/JohnnyDepp plays a guy with scissors for hands. When you consider that he was one of [[Franchise/ANightmareOnElmStreet Freddy Krueger's]] victims in his [[Film/ANightmareOnElmStreet1984 first film]], it's kinda funny.
*** It's even funnier when they were casting ''Film/ANightmareOnElmStreet2010''; Depp was one of the original choices to play Freddy.

* DarknessInducedAudienceApathy: Edward Scissorhands is undeniably one of Burton's best films. Unfortunately, it's also one of his more depressing ones, second only to ''Film/BatmanReturns''. The film is basically about Edward initially being accepted by the outside world, only to be rejected and eventually forced to live all alone. And the amount of torment poor Edward has to go through, from being forced to live with the burden of having scissor-like hands, to being framed for burglary and being falsely slandered as a rapist, resulting in the whole town turning against him and forcing him to isolate himself for the rest of his life can leave a rather bitter taste in many people's mouths. The tear-jerking music by Creator/DannyElfman also doesn't help.

* SugarWiki/HeReallyCanAct: At this point in his career, Creator/JohnnyDepp was just regarded as a television hunk, which was ''not'' the image he wanted to make for himself. This was the first film that let him really flex his acting chops and gain a reputation as something more.
** A special mention also goes to Creator/AnthonyMichaelHall. Prior to this movie, he was known for the playing awkward, nerdy type characters, and because of that, many thought he wouldn't be able to pull off playing the macho, JerkJock type, however he proved those people wrong with his performance as Kim's possessive and borderline psychotic ex-boyfriend, Jim.

* TheWoobie: Edward, who also counts as a StoicWoobie and an IronWoobie for the same reasons.

** Many still consider this to be Creator/JohnnyDepp's best performance. He wasn't even nominated (although he did at least get the Globe nomination).

* AwardSnub: Many still consider this to be Creator/JohnnyDepp's best performance. He wasn't even nominated (although he did at least get the Globe nomination).

* CatharsisFactor: With how much of an unrelenting asshole and utter jerk he's been throughout the movie—and now it's at the point where he's vicious and murderous too, Jim getting stabbed and pushed out the window by Edward is sure to be a crowd-pleasing moment.

** A special mention also goes to Creator/MichaelAnthonyHall. Prior to this movie, he was known for the playing awkward, nerdy type characters, and because of that, many thought he wouldn't be able to pull off playing the macho, JerkJock type, however he proved those people wrong with his performance as Kim's possessive and borderline psychotic ex-boyfriend, Jim.

* HarsherInHindsight:
** Edward repeatedly being mistaken for hurting Kim and others, as well as being falsely accused of rape and the entire neighbourhood pretty much turning their backs on him (besides Kim and Peg), is this after Creator/JohnnyDepp was accused of abusing his wife Creator/AmberHeard, which the public initially believed. ''Especially'' as it eventually turned out that Amber was the one abusing Johnny. Just like Edward, Johnny himself was falsely accused of something he didn't do.
** Joyce kicking her own dog in a literal KickTheDog moment becomes this after Creator/JohnnyDepp and Creator/AmberHeard were arrested for illegally smuggling their dogs in Australia. To make matters worse, not only did Johnny took most of the blame but in the midst of evidence coming out that proved Amber was the one abusing Johnny, evidence also came out that it was in fact Amber's idea to smuggle the dogs in Australia which was something Johnny didn't want to do and was ultimately forced to do so. It's safe to say that Joyce is pretty much Amber in a nutshell.
** This ultimately turned out to be Creator/VincentPrice's last film, making his final scene, where his character dies of a heart attack, pretty difficult to watch.

* HeartwarmingInHindsight: Edward and Kim's romance becomes this when you know that Creator/JohnnyDepp and Creator/WinonaRyder were an item for some time. Even after their split, Ryder spoke fondly of him and came to his defense in 2020 during his DomesticAbuse trial and remain close friends.