A visual, all-Burton feast for the eyes. From the 50's-era middle America suburbs ('wholesomised' to cartoonish proportions - the houses painted pleasant stripes, the husbands all driving home from work at the same instant) to the gargoyle-covered Dracula's-castle home of the inventor (Price) and his Frankenstein creation Edward (Depp).

A modern parable of individuality, Burton's influences were both Frankenstein and the 19th century German book Struwwelpieter (designed to frighten children into behaving nicely through horrific tales of dismemberment). Before the kindly professor can finish his human boy by fitting hands on him, he dies suddenly, and sugary Avon lady (Weist) brings him home to the burbs where he gradually creates awe, havoc and terror trying (and failing) to fit in.

An allegory as much as a story all the way through, and one of Depp's early determined moves to break away from the pretty boy mould 21 Jump Street created for him and be the actor he's long proven himself to be. Also a surprising appearance by the all-grown-up Hall, the first we've seen of him since his Breakfast Club days.