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Rating: 4.25 out of 5
If you don’t know about Ed Wood, you are NOT alone. Before watching this film, I didn’t know anything about this filmmaker, and I still feel like I don’t want to know anything about him. Let’s go to the wonderful world of Wikipedia and give you a quick lowdown.
Edward Davis Wood Jr. was an American filmmaker, actor, and pulp novel author. In the 1950s, Wood directed his calling of low-budget science fiction, crime and horror films. Some noteworthy examples were Glen or Glenda (1953), Jail Bait (1954), Bride of the Monster (1955), and Plan 9 from Outer Space (1957). Wood was noteworthy for his campy aesthetics, technical errors, unsophisticated special effects, etc. Named the worst director ever, Wood’s films became cult classics. Homeboy literally created the “so bad, it’s good” genre. Even though he dreamed of being a big-budgeted director, it never happened. What does a might director do? In the 1960s and 70s, homeboy moved towards making sexploitation and pornographic films while writing over 80 pulp crime and sex novels. Hey, you gotta do what you gotta do.
Ed Wood, directed by the strange Tim Burton and starring his homeboy, Johnny Depp, concerns the period in Wood’s life when he made his best-known films and his relationship with actor Bela Lugosi. The film starts off in 1952. Ed Wood (Depp) is struggling to enter the film industry. When hearing of an announcement that George Weiss is trying to purchase Christine Jorgensen’s life story, Wood meets with Weiss to direct a fictionalized film titled I Changed My Sex! Wood believes he is ideal for directing the movie because he is a transvestite. He is turned down, and, in his disappointment, he meets his horror movie idol, actor Bela Lugosi (Landau), and they become friends. Wood again goes to Weiss, convinces him to direct a film, and states that Bela would star in it. After the film is made, the film is a COLOSSAL failure. Even though the film failed, Wood and his ragtag group didn’t give up hope and continued his quest to direct films.
One of the aspects you will notice the most is that this movie is filmed in black and white. This adds to the film’s overall effect and fits perfectly with Burton’s vision, the cast of characters in this film, and the overall creepiness. Since Wood seemed to like horror films and Bela Lugosi being one of the OG in the horror genre with being a vampire, might as well do it in black and white. Plus, many films in the 50s and 60s are made in black and white. To be honest, it adds to many of the character’s strengths, like Vampira, Bela, and even Wood.
Wood seemed like an eccentric character, along with also not having a clue about how to direct. One of the items pointed out was that Wood was a transvestite, and he would put it out in the community. His ex-girlfriend had a major problem with it, but whatever made you comfortable, go with it. As my mom says, “you do you.” Now on to the directing, Wood seemed to have crazy concepts of his vision, and convincing people never went as planned. He always seemed to have zero funds. Even with his awful films, Burton showed that this man never gave up on his dream.
Regarding the acting, there are only two people to talk about. Johnny Depp as Ed Wood was fantastic in this role and was extra strange. I don’t know if it was the way he acted or Wood’s mannerisms. He always was happy-go-lucky and had a smile on his face. At times, it was pretty creepy to watch. Depp has done a lot of roles in his life, and this one somewhat creeped me out the most. It almost looked like he took the Joker’s smiling gas and could never have his smile waver.
Martin Landau as Bela Lugosi was even better than Depp. As Bela, he was that washed-up but old famous horror film actor whom Ed helps. Landau made sure he embodied Bela and sometimes was creepy in his own way. There were scenes where he looked old, and in other scenes, he looked like he could be Dracula’s great, great grandfather. Yet, you had to feel for him because it seemed like the world had forgotten about him, and he was a morphine addict.
Tim Burton gives the eccentric director Ed Wood a film fit for himself. Burton must have seen himself in Wood’s earlier film career. Depp and Landau really carry this film in their own strange but exciting way. When you make terrible films and have a genre where you make movies that are so bad, they are good, you deserve your own film.
