An artificial man with scissors for hands embarks on a new life in this modern fairy tale, the most personal film of Tim Burton’s career.

Edward Scissorhands was inspired by Burton’s coming-of-age as an isolated teenager in suburban Burbank, in which he struggled to start and retain friendships. Burton hired novelist Caroline Thompson to pen the script for the film, which kicked off a decades-long creative partnership across The Nightmare Before Christmas and Corpse Bride.

Having previously struggled to get the project off the ground, Batman instantly turned Burton into an A-list director. With the opportunity to make any film he wanted, Burton elected to make Edward Scissorhands. Stripping back the Gothic fantasia and unconventional structure, the film is a poignant tale of love and acceptance in defiance of societal expectations.