Music used in Edward Scissorhands – 2000

Director – Tim Burton

Composer – Danny Elfman

Self taught Danny Elfman and his love for sad music worked well in this movie, putting us in the world of fantasy, love and fear giving a dark mystery and quality to the movie contrasting with it’s own snowy purity.

Any fan of Tim Burton will recognise the opening soundtrack to this movie as the credits are being shown and taking you through the mansion where Edward lived. The beautifully mesmerising piece changes as the opening progresses, starting as a more fast paced track giving it mysterious and moving feel, whereas near the middle it slows down, making it more emotional and deep, the whole thing making you feel as though you are in a winter wonderland.

( http://youtu.be/7Uil_moZTQk )

Another famous and recognisable scene is where Winona Ryder’s character is dancing in the ice falling from the ice sculpture Edward is making with his scissors. This particular soundtrack, in my opinion, makes the scene, giving it that extra emotion and meaning to not only the love of the characters but their progression throughout the movie, especially Edward, it truly captures every thing he’s about, loving and sensitive. A deeply moving soundtrack to a modern fairy tale.

( http://youtu.be/VMfs1rlw4tc )

The music shows not only the theme of the movie but the innocence in the main character Edward which makes you feel almost sorry for him and maybe even feel love for him, making you feel emotional at certain points in the movie. Edward mostly reflects Tim Burton, not only the wacky hair but the diversity in personality and his ability to be different with his weird and wonderfully creative mind, whether it’s in the arts or style, making him different and misunderstood by many, “People are afraid of me because i’m different” – Edward.

In the more up-beat scenes, the quirky humour in some of the jazzier, big-band arrangements help the film move along as we are taken to many unusual yet familiar places and meet new and interesting characters.

Tim Burton has used Danny Elfman in many of his films, such as ‘Mars Attack’ and ‘Corpse Bride’. Edward Scissorhands is said to be his most personal and favorite work. Danny Elfman truly brought out Tim Button’s vision.

Midnight in Paris

Taking place in Paris, the film follows Gil Pender, a screenwriter who is forced to confront the shortcomings of his relationship with his fiancee and their divergent goals in life and love which become increasingly exaggerated as he travels back in time each night at midnight. The movie explores themes of nostalgia and modernism. It also includes many mini lessons in literature and art history with the meetings of Ernest Hemingway, Scott Fitzgerald, Pablo Picasso and many more set in the 1920’s.

The contrast of modern day time and period atmosphere, costumes and way of life set the theme and journey of the movie with the great use of its location, Paris.

Director Woody Allen is know for his depth and meaning in films. Midnight in Paris is sweetly sentimental with humorous and charming characters and story line.

Places and Non-Places

This patch of green is just non-place. It is simply in the middle of some houses with a path through the middle to make it quicker and easier for people to get from one side to the other without going around or going through the mud. However, every year on the 5th November (and some new years), many people gather in the bigger part of the grass to set up a bomb fire and maybe even set off fireworks. This non-place then becomes a place of gathering, not necessarily a private party but one of claiming and using for a personal purpose.

This location is a path that connects two roads together. The rails are old bike rails that separated the path so people who were riding a bike through the path slowed down, causing less accidents. The rails are now used by mostly youths to sit on and socialise. As you can see there are multiple pieces of graffiti on the wall showing that this is merely another stop off point that is sometimes claimed by people who want to either vandalise or socialise.