ED WOOD (1994) – Tim Burton
Tim Burton’s biopic of the man alleged to be the worst film director of all time is a loving tribute, if a somewhat lukewarm film. Covering the man’s career from his second outing as director, of the cross-dresser saga ‘Glen or Glenda’ (in which Wood himself played the lead, and apparently drawing from his own experience as a transvestite), up to what is regarded as his magnum crapus ‘Plan 9 from Outer Space’ (which IMO is too boring to be even regarded as camp entertainment), Burton takes quite a few liberties with reality to present us with a goofy but utterly likeable and full-of-ideas-and-good-cheer fellow. There are many references and sly comparisons to Orson Welles, who going by this film, Wood admired greatly, even a tongue-in-cheek alleged conversation between the two in a bar, sympathizing with each other about interference in creativity.
Undoubtedly the best part of the film is its depiction of the odd friendship between Wood and Bela Lugosi, who by then was a washed-out star and a morphine addict to boot. Although the picture appears somewhat glossier than what one suspects would have been the real-life rapport between them, it is nonetheless an often touching experience when the onscreen Wood gives encouragement and solace to a lonely and broke Lugosi, even trying to protect him in rehab from a sleaze-hungry press (ironic, given how he exploits Bela in his own productions). Martin Landau, aided by the genius of make-up expert Rick Baker, delivers a performance far ahead of what the real Lugosi could have ever come up with. It is also in the scenes with Wood and Bela that the film’s best lighting and camerawork (Stefan Czapsky, who also did the honors for ‘Edward Scissorhands’ and ‘Batman Returns’) is showcased. Compared to this most of the other portions of the film are rather pale and uninvolving.
Johnny Depp’s performance, like in most of his non-somnabulistic roles, is rather agreeable and fun to watch, although I suspect his version of Wood is far more likeable than the real thing, who in the latter part of his career was making cruddy porn. The supporting cast is decent although other than Bela Lugosi none of the characters are particularly well-etched or interesting. Another plus in this movie is Howard Shore’s background score which comes up with some arresting B-movie style refrains, especially in the brilliant opening credits sequence of the film. Give me this any day in lieu of the overripe orchestral yawns of LoTR.
On the whole, Ed Wood is definitely recommended as an interesting character portrait even if not a entirely gratifying film experience in itself.
Tim Burton’s biopic of the man alleged to be the worst film director of all time is a loving tribute, if a somewhat lukewarm film. Covering the man’s career from his second outing as director, of the cross-dresser saga ‘Glen or Glenda’ (in which Wood himself played the lead, and apparently drawing from his own experience as a transvestite), up to what is regarded as his magnum crapus ‘Plan 9 from Outer Space’ (which IMO is too boring to be even regarded as camp entertainment), Burton takes quite a few liberties with reality to present us with a goofy but utterly likeable and full-of-ideas-and-good-cheer fellow. There are many references and sly comparisons to Orson Welles, who going by this film, Wood admired greatly, even a tongue-in-cheek alleged conversation between the two in a bar, sympathizing with each other about interference in creativity.
Undoubtedly the best part of the film is its depiction of the odd friendship between Wood and Bela Lugosi, who by then was a washed-out star and a morphine addict to boot. Although the picture appears somewhat glossier than what one suspects would have been the real-life rapport between them, it is nonetheless an often touching experience when the onscreen Wood gives encouragement and solace to a lonely and broke Lugosi, even trying to protect him in rehab from a sleaze-hungry press (ironic, given how he exploits Bela in his own productions). Martin Landau, aided by the genius of make-up expert Rick Baker, delivers a performance far ahead of what the real Lugosi could have ever come up with. It is also in the scenes with Wood and Bela that the film’s best lighting and camerawork (Stefan Czapsky, who also did the honors for ‘Edward Scissorhands’ and ‘Batman Returns’) is showcased. Compared to this most of the other portions of the film are rather pale and uninvolving.
Johnny Depp’s performance, like in most of his non-somnabulistic roles, is rather agreeable and fun to watch, although I suspect his version of Wood is far more likeable than the real thing, who in the latter part of his career was making cruddy porn. The supporting cast is decent although other than Bela Lugosi none of the characters are particularly well-etched or interesting. Another plus in this movie is Howard Shore’s background score which comes up with some arresting B-movie style refrains, especially in the brilliant opening credits sequence of the film. Give me this any day in lieu of the overripe orchestral yawns of LoTR.
On the whole, Ed Wood is definitely recommended as an interesting character portrait even if not a entirely gratifying film experience in itself.
