Ed Wood

In 1980 , two years after Ed Wood`s alcohol related death at 54, film critic Michael Medved and his brother published "The Golden Turkey Awards" and gave Wood the award of being "The Worst Director of All Time" and naming his film Plan 9 From Outer Space "The Worst Film of All Time." The forever constipated Mr. Medved must had the biggest bowel movement of his life when he discovered that he and his brother unintentionally put the wheels in motion for the cult celebrity status of Wood who, to Medved, was little more than an object of derision.Quite simply, Ed Wood was an outsider artist, whose medium was film. He managed to create two highly personalized "masterpieces" of naive surrealism; Glen or Glenda (1953) and Plan 9 From Outer Space (1959) with "star" Bela Lugosi, who was clearly at the end of his tether.In between these two films Wood made Bride of the Monster (1955) , also starring Lugosi (the only one of the three Wood films in which Lugosi actually `starred'), but that film was more of a concession to the genre and lacked the pronounced Woodian weirdness found in either Glen or Glenda or Plan 9 From Outer Space.Fourteen years after Wood's cult status rocketed out of the pages of Medved's book, Tim Burton produced his valentine to Eddie. Clearly, Ed Wood was as personal a film for Burton as Glen and Plan 9 had been for Wood. Burton faced immense difficulty in mounting the project and was given what, for him, was a small budget. Artistically, the endeavor paid off and even did so financially, in time, although it took Touchstone years to realize the film's cult potential for the DVD market.In 1994 Tim Burton was the perfect artist to bring Ed's story to the screen. Burton, recognizing a fellow auteur and genuine oddball, treated Wood, not with derision, but with the respect he deserved. Before Ed Wood, Burton, although trained at Disney, was still an outsider with Hollywood backing, which makes him (in that regard) a kindred spirit to Stanley Kubrick. Burton's first big budget feature effort had been Pee Wee's Big Adventure (1985), a zany Caligari-esque journey in craoyla colors. The success of that film lead to bigger successes. Beetlejuice (1988) and the epic Batman (1989) followed. Both of those films starred Burton's greatest collaborator, Michael Keaton. Edward Sissorhands (1990) was a beautifully elegiac, quirky, flawed film. It was also Burton's first film with future collaborator Johnny Depp. Batman Returns (1992) was a more personal vision of the Dark Knight in which Charles Dickens yuletide season goes straight to a superhero burlesque hell. That film remains, to this day, the greatest film incarnation of a comic book character.Of course, Ed Wood followed, but something happened to Burton after this film. Mars Attacks (1996) was Burton's attempt to make an Ed Wood-like film, but he didn't learn the George Stevens lesson. Steven had made his Greatest Story Ever Told (1965) and it is one the most frustrating misfires in cinema history, featuring a sublime performance from Max Von Sydow as Christ and a damned fine one from the much put upon Charlton Heston as the Baptist. These performances and the cinematography (Lloyd Griggs and William Mellor) are sabotaged by Stevens decision to insert cameos from a plethora of big named stars, such as John Wayne as a roman soldier. Stevens defended this marketing decision by claiming that "no one will notice in twenty years." It's been over forty years and it is still a blatantly distracting example in which marketing trumps art. Burton repeated this mistake, treated Woodian weirdness like the Bible, and it was a major distraction. Audiences and critics responded coolly.After that, Burton's genuine penchant for weirdness was sacrificed for tinseled weirdness, not only apparent in all the films which have followed, but also in his personal and aesthetic preferences. Helena Bonham Carter and Johnny Depp are hopelessly polished when compared to the likes of genuine, internalized eccentrics such as Paul Reubens, Lisa Marie and Michael Keaton. Depp's current, most popular work may well be with Burton, but his best work remains with other directors, such as Jim Jarmusch in Dead Man (1995) and Sally Potter in The Man Who Cried (2000). Those two directors were able to draw much more wistful, more nuanced, fully fleshed out performances from Depp. Under Burton, Depp has become far too grandiose and obvious.This was not yet the case when the two collaborated for Ed Wood. The renegade spirit was still in full force and Burton had the cast, crew and enthusiasm to do it justice. Much has been written about Martin Landau's performance, and the accolades are deserving. Landau had done prior excellent character work in Francis Ford Coppola's Tucker (1988) and Woody Allen`s Crimes and Misdemeanors (1989), both of which garnered him Academy Award nominations. Landau would top both of these films, giving the performance of his life, as Lugosi in Ed Wood. Even the Academy realized it and finally honored Landau's work.Bill Murray as Bunny Breckenridge, Patricia Arquette as Kathy Wood, Jeffrey Jones as Criswell, Mike Starr as Georgie Weiss, Lisa Marie as Vampira, George Steele as Tor Johnson, and Juliette Landau as Loretta King are equally superb and followed Burton, Depp and Landau's lead in giving the freaks full dignity due. Even the casting of Sarah Jessica Parker works since the actress proved to be just as witless, over-inflated and annoying as her character, Delores Fuller.The film itself is, naturally, a mix of fact and fiction. Wisely, Burton does not cover Wood's films preceeding and following Lugosi, because Ed Wood is about Ed's relationships with his fellow misfits. The world they share together is as unique and special to them as the island of misfit toys is to a Charlie in the Box. Even Parker, as Delores, realizes it and tells Eddie, "This is not the real world. You have surrounded yourself with a gang of misfits and dope addicts." She is right, of course and, thankfully, banishes herself from the Woodian universe to forever disappear in that thick as peanut butter fog of deserved suburban obscurity.Wood and the Plan 9 company did get baptized in a Baptist church to pacify Wood's religious backers, they did steal the rubber octopus for Bride of the Monster, and they did forget to steal the motor. However, Ed's with meeting Orson Welles, his idol, never happened, but it is a hilarious, well done scene. Unlike the movie, Lugosi's funeral was actually well attended ( secretly paid for by Frank Sinatra), but these are really inconsequential points. With Ed Wood, Tim Burton cemented the legend of a fellow misfit and only Burton, in that time and place, could do it.Half a century has passed since the premiere of Plan 9 From Outer Space and we are still discussing it and its creator. That is for a reason. Countless bad movies have come, gone, and remain forgotten. There is nothing special about a bad movie, unless it is full of personality. Ed Wood briefly was able to inject himself into a few special films, before he began to drown in his rejection. With Plan 9 From outer Space and Glen or Glenda, Ed Wood and his art are totally inseparable. Ed Wood's films are art. Attempted descriptions such as "bad", "good", " camp", "unintentional" are rendered superfluous, and this is how it should be, because Ed Wood forces his audience into a completely subjective experience. Tim Burton pays Wood the highest compliment by following suit. Ed Wood Jr. will be remembered long after the successful and bland Ron Howards of this world are forgotten.Tim Burton will be remembered, as well, for that period--the time of Burton's most honest and individual films--in which he still was able to connect with the misfits and had the ability and clout to make Hollywood and audiences connect as well. Later, he dropped the Ed Wood ball forever. Tim Burton is no longer a misfit, a renegade spirit, or a visionary. Today, he would not recognize or bond with Edward D. Wood, Jr. Ed Wood was Tim Burton's actual swansong and, although a box office disappointment, it too will be remembered long after Burton's "more successful" films have vanished. Undoubtedly, Burton will continue to make a plethora of commercial successes; and even if it seems he shot his final wad with Ed Wood, that is still is far more than many ever get the opportunity to do.* MY REVIEW WAS ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED AT 366 WEIRD MOVIES

Pull the string and watch this film!

Ed Wood is definitely one of Tim Burtons best. Worth the venture into Ed Woods strange world. Homage to Bele Lugosi was key to this film.

If you're a fan of Ed Wood or his movies, you absolutely want to give this one a look. I love Johnny Depp too, so I was inclined to purchase this mainly for that reason, and it was a good movie, however, overall, I'd rather watch an Ed Wood movie, than this movie "about" him.

Whatever deficiencies Burton's biopic may have as a film are readily compensated for by a subject matter, script, and style so cinematically evocative that the viewer is apt to sense he's seeing many other films at the same time. Burton captures the fanaticism in every true movie fan, the sheer exhilaration experienced by the lover of movies of every artistic level, the driven exhuberance and enthusiasm that unite the best directors and their audiences.The posters in Woods' office--of "Kane," "Dracula," and numerous grade B movies--range from the sublime to the ridiculous, each betraying their owner's undiscriminating passion for films and his compulsive need to complete his projects. At one point he meets the great Orson Welles (an uncanny impersonation by Vincent D'Onofrio) who, like Wood, is struggling to finance his latest project--"Don Quixote," of all things!"All visions are worth fighting for," Welles counsels Wood, who takes the advice to heart. Sharp enough to know the greatness of "Kane" even in the fifties and smart enough to quote Coleridge's definition of imaginative art as "the willing suspension of disbelief," Wood remains oblivious to the fact that his movies are fooling no one--except himself. He watches them repeatedly and uncritically, mouthing each word of atrocious dialogue, shedding tears of pathos and joy, and always shaking his head in disbelief at the wonder of his own illusions.It's easy to see why Tim Burton would be drawn to a project such as this, and Burton's own attraction to the surfaces of the medium, to the light and shadow of the projected image, and his eye for the off-beat make him a creative and spiritual descendant of Ed Wood. And Ed, like every great director from Eisenstein to Burton himself, understands the very essence of cinema. It's not about the "reality" documented by the camera: it's about the creative, imaginative, inventive mixing and matching of strips of celluloid. Early in the film he makes the claim, "I could make an entire movie of stock footage."Many directors could, and have. But Ed is represented by Burton as being uncritical and fanatical about his projects to the point of being utterly and fatally careless as well. He's energetic, relentless, generous, but never exacting. The "details" don't matter, he tells his crew and producers on "Plan 9 from Outer Space." And so his failures, though no less resounding, are at least free of cynicism and are fueled by a vision of cinema in which the viewer's imagination can be counted on to replace verisimilitude. Wood brings to film-making a kind of free-spirited, carefree vision that disciplined film-makers like Burton know can never succeed with a public insisting that film simulate, and not merely symbolize, reality.My only reservation about Burton's impressive tribute is the casting of Johnny Depp as Ed Wood. Depp is a skilled, off-center actor and somewhat of a cult Hollywood figure himself. But Depp's adolescent voice and youthful appearance almost suggest a star-struck, recent teenager going for broke against all odds--a common, familiar theme throughout our culture. Wood, on the other hand, was an innocent, enchanted child-creature in a grown man's body. He's the amateur in us all, including those of us who might fit the description of a middle-aged yuppie in possession of nothing more than a camcorder, an iMac movie editing program, and a dream.

Edward D Wood Jr is easily Hollywood's worst writer, producer, director by some considerable margin. Even by the terrible standards of fifties B movies, Mr Wood stands out as a paragon for making cheap exploitation trash. However his total lack of any talent whatsoever is made up for with boundless enthusiasm, an unshakeable faith in his own genius and his love for ladies Angora sweaters.When Ed meets, by sheer chance, a depressed and angry down on his luck Bela Lugosi, he over time befriends the old man and woos him into appearing in his latest “epic”. Lugosi's ill health and obvious drug addiction together with a lack of investors makes for a troubled and difficult production. Can he complete the picture, can Lugosi still act, will his very small crew rebel, can he get it distributed, will he be rightly hailed by his peers as a genius like his hero Orson Wells, will anyone even care? You'll have to watch to find out.Tim Burton's beautifully crafted and affectionate biopic of the incomparable Edward D Wood Jr, played by Depp, is a wonder of character development over style. Although shot in stunning high contrast black and white film stock the piece still feels warm and genuinely intimate somehow. Although the “Burton style” is pushed into the background, his directorial flair and authority is still there in abundance, even if the cartoonish mayhem generally associated with Burton is missing entirely. The principal players like Depp, Landau, Parker, Jones, Arquette and Bill Murray commit totally to their roles and are extremely funny and engaging. Although all six shine throughout the acting honours have to go to Martin Landau who won an Oscar, a Golden Globe and other awards for his magnificent portrayal of the bitter and drug addled former A list Hollywood star. All departments came up trumps in this fabulously entertaining tribute to fifties Hollywood film-makers.Made early in Burton's career after such triumphs as Pee-wee's Big Adventure, Beetlejuice, Edward Scissorhands, Batman and Batman Returns, Ed Wood is perhaps Burton's last truly great film. Winning two Oscars and garnering generally very good notices it still proved to offbeat for American audiences and did not do well at the box office.Short but fascinating bio's of the real people are included in the end credits, s s don't miss them. It's films like Ed Wood that make me love the movies.

A thoroughly romanticised telling of cult 'worst director in the world' Ed Wood and his merry band of misfits as they create the worst film ever made.This is probably Tim Burton's best film, a flop on initial release, despite being made fairly cheaply. Depp was still thoroughly likeable and engaging at this point in his career, and make his Ed Wood such a plucky underdog it's impossible not to feel for him. Martin Landau deservedly won an Oscar for his performance as Bela Lugosi, and the relationship between he an Ed is genuinely warm and mirrors Burton and Vincent Price's working together.Beautifully shot in black and white, beautifully scored, with a terrific cast. It may help to be familiar with Ed Wood and his oeuvre (externalised in the documentary Look Back in Angora) but it's certainly not essential as the story is relatable just as that of the eternal underdog chasing after success ever just out of reach. The film certainly glosses over the more lugubrious parts of Ed Wood's life and leaves out his descent into alcoholism and nudie features, preferring instead to end on a relative high.Strongly recommended, and a reminder of how great Burton could be when not on autopilot. The Blu-ray is very strong A/V wise and while a 4k UHD would be a nice upgrade, the film's following is probably too niche to warrant one, unless taken on by a boutique label, which will never happen as it's a Disney property.

As a lover of of Ed Wood's " Plan 9 from Outer Space", which is possibly the only gloriously bad film that I feel has attained the cult status of a thing of beauty, packed with inadvertent comedy and exerting a weird charm , I was delighted with this film, which has some marvellous performances and conveys a great feeling of authenticity.Be warned, unless you know " Plan 9" well you may find Tim Burton's affectionate homage to Hollywood's worst director somewhat confusing. This can easily be solved by buying " Plan 9 " thus ensuring you can have a marvellous film evening over the festive period running it and "Ed Wood" back to back. I recommend these as a diverting amusement for a quiet evening at home.

If you are gonna make a movie about a failure you should make a movie about one of the biggest movie failures of all time. Ironically after Ed Wood passed, leaving his movies behind! He started to fail upward as his classic movies like 'Plan 9' turned out to be fan favourites and classics. This movie is Johhny Depp's portrayal of this wonderful, colourful, misunderstood character known as Ed wood. What a great, charming, funny way to spend 90 minutes. Beautiful picture and sound on Blu-ray.

It's like most films Johnny Depp does ,the unexpected as only he can do , I compare him to James Cagney , another great actor who was versatile with a great raged of enjoyable character's. I believe there are few actors that can delivered such a range . Everyone of the cast were entertaining , especially Martin Landau as Bela Lugosi . Johnny is hilarious , eccentric and fully loveable , but so are all the cast .