THE words “Edward Scissorhands” instantly conjure up that iconic image of a deathly-white, scar-faced, crazy-haired Johnny Depp wearing a suit of leather armour and melancholic expression.

Mention “Pirates of the Caribbean” and you immediately picture Depp as Jack Sparrow, with beaded braids, dark eyeliner and the mother of all swaggers.

Depp is arguably one of the most versatile actors of his generation, a master at bringing depth and humanity to oddball outsiders, yet able to nail the likes of mainstream, mass market-friendly roles like Sparrow with equal ease.

Through a series of well-chosen, unique film roles, often in collaboration with his buddy, left-field director and equally successful Tim Burton, Depp has achieved the status of Hollywood big hitters, those whose names alone guarantee that a film gets made or opens to big box office, such as Leonardo Di Caprio, George Clooney and Brad Pitt.

Yet he has still maintained an air of cool his peers can only dream of.

One minute he’s starring in the latest Pirates film franchise making millions for Disney, the next he’s popping up in a walk-on part in The Fast Show or playing eccentric madmen like Hunter S Thompson or Ed Wood in low-budget but critically adored movies.

So it’s hardly surprising that he has been named this year’s Screen Icon at the Purbeck Film Festival, the county’s annual, two-week celebration of fantastic films, past and present.

Both of Burton/Depp’s lauded Eds, Wood and Scissorhands, are major highlights of the unmissable line-up of cinema classics. Plus there’s a showing of the charmingly thought-provoking Finding Neverland, where Depp plays J M Barrie, creator of Peter Pan.

Running alongside these modern gems in a selection of great venues, such as the vintage Rex Cinema at Wareham, Poole’s Lighthouse, The Mowlem at Swanage and a host of village halls and the like, is a feast of film fabulousness from various decades, including Fred C Newmayer’s landmark 1923 silent comedy, Safety Last, starring Harry Lloyd in that now legendary scene where he hangs precariously off a giant clock high above the teeming streets of Los Angeles.

Not forgetting The Red Shoes, a beautiful, British masterpiece of impressionistic colour and dance, which uber-director Martin Scorsese lists as one of his all-time favourite films.

Then there’s the glorious Les Parapluies De Cherbourg, made in 1964, and one of cinema’s most inventive and enchanting films; and the 1962 Jules et Jim, set during the First World War and telling the engrossing tale of two men in love with the same woman. An innovative movie, with an amazing score, it’s idolised by all serious film fans.

The organisers have come up with some truly clever ways to further enhance your movie-going experience with loads of special events to tie-in with various screenings.

Chococco, Swanage’s world-renowned luxury chocolate makers, will hold a fun workshop prior to the showing of the original Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory. And at Stoborough Village Hall, where they will be showing cult comedy The 3 Idiots, Bollywood’s most popular film ever made, about two graduates searching for their uni friend, Indian snacks will be served to add to the flavour during the intermission.

More recent must-see award winners include An Education, Julie and Julia, The Hurt Locker and Morris: A Life With Bells On, a hugely acclaimed observational comedy about Morris dancing, much of which was filmed here in Dorset.

Classics to catch include On The Waterfront, starring a young and blistering Marlon Brando; It Happened One Night, the first film to win five major Oscars; and The Black Swan, with a swashbuckling performance by Tyrone Power, supported by the mighty Anthony Quinn.

Factfile

• The Purbeck Film Festival is the largest rural film festival in the UK and has been running for more than a decade. Each year it selects films it believes audiences will love to watch, resulting in about 100 performances over the last two weeks of October in venues throughout Purbeck, as well as at Lighthouse in Poole and Bournemouth University.

• Although the main cinemas are the Rex and the Mowlem, screenings also take place at local village halls and unusual venues all over the place – in fact wherever they can find a 13amp plug and an enthusiastic local organiser!

• Each film is personally introduced with printed Film Notes, and where possible, film makers are invited to give talks and answer questions from the audience.

The festival runs from October 15 to 30. For more information and a full listing of screenings and events, visit purbeckfilm.com