Review of Ed Wood (1994) by Hunter M — 13 Nov 2010

Tim Burton made a name for himself after directing Batman, Beeltejuice, Batman Begins, and A Nightmare Before Christmas in which he served as producer. In 1994 however, he made the film which I believe by far is the best one he has ever done, Ed Wood. I cannot even begin to do this film justice in a single review. Many film goers often overlook this film in comparison to other Tim Burton and Johnny Depp collaborations, which is a real shame.

Ed Wood was a film director, actor, and writer who made films in Hollywood, but outside the Hollywood scene. He meets one of his favourite actors, Bela Lugosi of Dracula fame, and quickly befriends the aging Hungarian who has clearly seen better days. Wood then casts Lugosi as the lead role in his directorial debut, 'Glen or Glenda.' After failing to impress any studios with the film, Wood then begins making the rest of his films through raising the funds himself. Another note is that Wood is a transvestite, which causing a schism between himself and his girlfriend, Dolores Fuller. During his endeavors, Wood befriends Swedish wrestler Tor Johnson, the faux psychic Criswell, the thin Finnish actress Vampira, and drag queen Bunny Breckinridge. After Lugosi's death, Wood shoots the film which society will remember him for the ages for, 'Plan 9 from Outer Space.'.

Ed Wood is a film that both celebrates and makes humor at the real Edward D. Wood, Jr. It is a tribute to a director who had been labeled as the Worst Director of All Time, which in my opinion is not true. Ed Wood was simply too early in time for his visions. Unfortunately, for this film, it was a box office bomb, did not even make back half of the budget. At the Academy Awards, the film was nominated for two awards and won both. Martin Landau received the Oscar for Best Supporting Actor for his role as Bela Lugosi, and rightfully so. Johnny Depp, Sarah Jessica Parker, Bill Murray, Patricia Arquette, George Steel, Lisa Marie, and Jeffrey Jones all deliver memorable performances. This film is a must see for anyone looking to have a career in film.