Music

The music in the opening titles, composed by Danny Elfman, contributes greatly to the overall tone of the opening. The score is very cinematic and also includes a choir. The slow, sweeping movement of the score helps to create the mood of sadness and loneliness present throughout the opening.

The use of a glockenspiel at the very beginning brings the score in gently and quietly. It creates a soft, ethereal tone which is carried through into the rest of the opening. The sound of the glockenspiel resembles a music box which helps to create the fairytale feel seen in the opening, and in the rest of the film. This is an effective opening to the film as it introduces the viewer to the themes and emotions of the film, such as Edward's isolation and exile from society after he is rejected for his differences. The beginning of the opening track also has a very innocent, childlike tone to it, representing Edward's innocence at the beginning of the film.

The synchronization of the music with the images on-screen is also effective in tying the music to the rest of the film. This is seen especially near the end, in the final buildup of the scene's music, when the musical notes coincide with the appearance of cookies on screen. This visually enhances the buildup in the music and when the score reaches its peak, this is reflected onscreen by a sudden cascade of cookies, as opposed to the isolated ones appearing previously.

These different uses of music are effective in creating meaning in the opening titles because they heighten the emotion portrayed through the opening, and connect the viewer emotionally to the movie and its characters before the beginning of the narrative. The simple glockenspiel at the beginning gives the viewer a childlike sense of wonder, like Edward. As the music swells and grows, the emotion felt by the viewer also deepens, helping to set the emotional tone of the film and introduce the viewer to the key moods and themes of the film.