Review of Ed Wood (1994) by Alexander C — 07 Dec 2012

''Why if I had half a chance, I could make an entire movie using this stock footage. The story opens on these mysterious explosions. Nobody knows what's causing them, but it's upsetting all the buffalo. So, the military are called in to solve the mystery.''.

''You forgot the octopus.''.

''No, no, I'm saving that for my big underwater climax.''.

The mostly true story of the legendary director of awful movies and his strange group of friends and actors.

Johnny Depp: Ed Wood.

Martin Landau: Bela Lugosi.

Ed Wood is based on the bizarre and quirky cross-dressing filmmaker Ed Wood, played with boyish grinning enthusiasm of the talented Johnny Depp in one of his more offbeat of roles. He's the anchor who anchors the film in all its believable foolishness.

Reminds me of Charlie & The Choc in some areas, look out for the WOW!

Skillful are all the supporting cast as well, including Martin Landau, who won a Supporting Role Oscar, Bill Murray, who does amazing things with an underwritten role as a man eager to change his gender, Jeffrey Jones as Criswell, the Magician, and Vincent D'Onofrio as Orson Welles.

But it's the caring bond between Depp and Landau that defines the comic genius of the film and gives it heart. Both are extremely moving and adept at showing the respect and regard they had for each other when their world seemed to be falling apart. The story doesn't deter in showing Lugosi's fall from grace with his addiction to morphine and other drugs that eventually took his life.

A above par recreation and execution of the 50's Hollywood scene with its low budget studio settings, wisely photographed in the B&W manner of most of the Lugosi thrillers.

Entertaining yet a tad dull in area's and genuinely funny overall, Ed Wood is moving and absorbing which I would watch again.