Summary
- Edward Scissorhands, Kevin McCallister, and Neo are all iconic characters who reflect the essence of the 1990s.
- The decade's defining characters embody gothic, rebellious, and end-of-the-world themes, blending style with attitude.
- Rose DeWitt Bukater, Kat Stratford, and Tyler Durden are emblematic of the shifting cultural and cinematic landscape in the 90s.
A handful of movie characters defined the 1990s with their attitude, sense of style, and impact on pop culture. They are not characteristic of the decade because they are the stars of any one of the highest-grossing movies of the 90s but because they exemplify all the trends and sensibilities of the time. They possibly helped make some of these trends popular, depending on when the movie came out and how popular it was.
The 90s saw the rise of grunge and gothic fashion, sarcastic and referential humor, teenage rebellion at its max, and an undercurrent fear about the end of the world. Yet it wasn't so completely bleak — there were still plenty of rom-coms, fun adventure movies, or save-the-world hits that promised humanity would pull through. Movie characters who embody the 1990s are defiant but ironically hopeful, as they will often endure anything that comes their way.
20 Best Movies of the 1990s
The 90s were a vital time for American cinema, and we've collected what we think are the twenty very best films of the decade.
10 Edward Scissorhands (Johnny Depp)
Edward Scissorhands (1990)
Edward Scissorhands
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From director Tim Burton, Edward Scissorhands follows the titular character, an artificial human created by an inventor, who has scissor blades instead of fingers. After his creator's death, Edward is taken in by a normal suburban family and becomes attracted to the family's teenage daughter, Kim Boggs. Johnny Depp and Winona Ryder star as Edward and Kim.
- Director
- Tim Burton
- Release Date
- December 14, 1990
- Cast
- Vincent Price , Dianne Wiest , Anthony Michael Hall , Johnny Depp , Winona Ryder , Kathy Baker
- Runtime
- 105 minutes
Tim Burton’s place as a cinematic giant was cemented in the 90s, after his several hit movies in the latter half of the previous decade. While Burton was busy with other projects, his idea for The Nightmare Before Christmas was handed off to his collaborator Henry Selick. Meanwhile, the strangely intriguing drama Edward Scissorhands kicked off the decade with one of the most famous titles featuring multiple actors who often star in Burton’s movies.
Edward Scissorhands made Burton’s candy-coated gothic aesthetic a staple of the decade. Johnny Depp’s Edward is a Frankenstein-reminiscent character who intrudes upon a setting that is reminiscent of properties from an earlier time — very symbolically representing the darker (both literal and metaphorical) style that defines the 90s. Edward's gothic fashion, with just a touch of incredulity, makes him one of the earliest characters who exemplifies his time.
9 Kevin McCallister (Macaulay Culkin)
Home Alone (1990)
Home Alone
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Home Alone tells the story of Kevin McAllister, an eight-year-old who is left behind in his Chicago home when his family flies to Paris for the holidays. Not only must Kevin keep himself safe while his mother flies back across the world, but he must protect his home from the Wet Bandits - serial burglars who are targeting the McAllister House. Kevin must use every trick in the book to keep the Wet Bandits from stealing Christmas before his mother returns.
- Director
- Chris Columbus
- Release Date
- November 16, 1990
- Cast
- Macaulay Culkin , Joe Pesci , Daniel Stern , John Heard , Roberts Blossom , Catherine O'Hara
- Runtime
- 103 minutes
The same year that Edward had his star-crossed romance with Winona Ryder, eight-year-old Kevin came to represent an idealized independence from a young age. Kevin is remarkably clever and vicious for a child, setting some very painful traps for the two burglars who attempt to invade his home while his family is abroad. However, despite its darker aspects that lean into the edginess of the 90s, Home Alone is still a heartwarming Christmas tale.
Kevin gets into some typical fights with his parents because he feels overshadowed by his siblings. However, the movie positions Kevin as the wise one when he can hold his own after his parents forget him and go to Paris; he also encourages a lonely neighbor to reconnect with his son, something the man would have apparently never attempted on his own. In the end, all is right because of Kevin: His parents come home and apologize, and the neighbor reunites with his son and granddaughter.