I loved this movie the very first time and only in subsequent viewings did I start to pick it apart.  I agree in theory with all you’ve said, but it hardly got in the way for me.  Obviously you can pick apart any fairytale and say DOESNT RED RIDING HOOD SEE HER GRANDMOTHER IS A FRIGGIN WOLF?

Edward Scissorhands remains a modern classic for me.  Literally just the other day, out of nowhere I started hearing the theme in my head and my mind filled with images of the cookie factory where Edward was created, and the look on Vincent Price’s face when he died (wondering if it were the same face he made for real) and that moment where he falls and edward’s scissors break up the plastic hands his master had created… I’m hard pressed to simply just THINK of movie images out of nowhere and still be moved by them.  And I haven’t seen this movie in over 6 years. 

So in a sense, that’s my review of almost all Burton movies (especially those that are not remakes).  I think Ed Wood obviously had the best story of all, but then again it was written for him by history, and by screenwriters who had done another biopic (Larry Flynt). 

Fair review, but to me Burton transcends these things in favor of simply making you dream while awake.