Ed Wood (1994)

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nTitle: Ed Wood (1994)

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nDirector: Tim Burton

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nCast: Johnny Depp, Martin Landau, Bill Murray, PatricianArquette, Sarah Jessica Parker, Jeffrey Jones, Lisa Marie

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nI appreciate Ed Wood’s films because as I mentionednin my review for Wood’s Plan 9 from Outer Space (1959), I think his films hadnas much heart to them as they had bloopers. Plan 9 From Outer Space might seemnsilly to some (and they’d be right) but at at the same time, at its core it had a pacifist message, criticizing mans ownntendency to self destruct. The aliens in that movie seem to think eventuallynwe’ll end up destroying not only ourselves, but the rest of the universe! Evennthough Ed Wood is considered “the worst director in history” Plan 9 from OuternSpace is a film that will go on forever, but why? Why has the film endured fornso long? Well, there’s the fact that the film is incredibly funny, even whennit’s not trying to be. The dialog alone, which seems to have been written inndays, and probably was, is something to relish if you’re in the mood for somencheese. But who was the man behind these goofy movies? What kind of strugglesndid he endure in order to make these timeless sci-fi, b-movie classics? These arenthe questions that Tim Burton’s Ed Wood attempts to answer, albeit from an extremelynpositive and lighthearted angle.

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nIn Burton’s film we meet Edward Wood Jr. a man struggling tonget his films made. He starts very small by first organizing small plays in communityntheaters. Though not a whole lot of people go to see them and he gets terriblenreviews, he remains optimistic, always seeing the positive side of things. Butnwhen he is in his bed, sleeping next to his wife, pondering where his life isngoing he is suddenly a man afraid that where he is in life is “as good as it’snever going to get”. Fortunately, he doesn’t let negativity bring him down so hencalls small movie studios to see if they’ll produce his movies. Luckily enoughnhe convinces a studio to make a film called Glen or Glenda (1953) which wasnsupposed to be a film about a guy who gets a sex change, but ends up beingnabout a guy who confesses to his wife that he enjoys “dressing up in woman’snclothing”. Later, a chance encounter brings Wood to meet Bela Lugosi, thenfamous actor behind Dracula (1931). They develop a great friendship and Lugosinends up acting in many of Wood’s films. But struggles continue to emerge:nLugosi is a heroin addict, Wood’s wife wants to leave him because she thinks he’sna freak and to top things off, he has no money to finish his movies! Will Woodnever get to make the one that he’ll be remembered by?

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nThe impression you get after watching Ed Wood is that Woodnwas a man with lots of creativity and imagination; he had that drive to work innfilms, a medium that can, if you don’t have what it takes,  literally wipe you out. I know, because I’venmade a few films myself, and boy, organizing that small army of people isn’t anneasy task! Selling your idea to a possible investor ain’t no easy task. Gettingnthe actors…shooting the thing, getting the permits to shoot in a given location…finishingnthat script…editing, music, so many things to do, so many chores to delegate.nThis is the reason why cinema is such a collaborative effort; you have to worknwell with others. And that’s what I love about this film; it shows you thenwhole creative process behind making a movie, it is one of those films that isnabout film. You get to see Wood beging investors for completion funds to hisnmovie. You get to see Wood beg producers to let him direct. You get to see Woodnfilming without a permit! You get to see Wood finally see his finished filmnwith an audience. If you love the process of making films, then you will lovenEd Wood.

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nDirector Tim Burton has always had great admiration for EdnWood’s films. He recognizes their b-level quality and the fact that they arennot what one would call “great films” but Burton also sees past that and appreciatesnthe love that Wood put into his films, the sincerity. The tone of this filmnitself is one of sympathy and admiration for Wood and those who worked with himnon his films. Burton stated that he didn’t want to ridicule the filmmakersnbecause they’d probably already had enough ridicule throughout their whole lifenfor working on these films. This is probably why Wood and his crew arenportrayed in such an optimistic way; the whole film plays out like a lightheartedncomedy. Burton stated in an interview that he recognized that Wood could benredundant in some of his scripts but that they had a sincerity to them thatnmade them heartfelt. I have to say I totally agree. In order to pay even more homagento Wood’s films Burton decided to shoot the whole film in Black and White.nBurton really fought for this and I have to say it was the best choice he couldnhave made. Most of Wood’s films were made in Black and White, so it makesnperfect sense that a film about him was also shot that way. To be honest, thenBlack and White adds to the whole spooky /weird vibe that Wood infused hisnmovies with. I love how Burton opens the film with a black and white, spookyngrave yard, with lighting flashing, and people coming out of coffins telling usnabout how we’re about to witness the “shocking facts of the true story ofnEdward Wood Jr.” Burton really set the perfect tone in which to tell the storynof this offbeat filmmaker.

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nThe icing on the cake is the spectacular cast that Burtonngathered for this film. Depp as Wood was a genius choice, true, Depp is one ofnBurton’s favorite actors to work with (I’ve lost count on just how many filmsnthey’ve made together) but I doubt there was a better actor to portray thatnenthusiasm, zaniness and energy that Ed Wood was known for. Hell, if you looknat a picture of Ed Wood, you’ll see that Depp even looked the part. Then wenhave Martin Landau as an aging Bela Lugosi on his last days on this earth.nLandau’s performance is both touching and hilarious. Lugosi was an actor whongave his life to Hollywood, but as Lugosi puts it in the film, Hollywood “chewsnyou up and then spits you out”. The film also takes its time to analyze thenlife of an aging actor, how sometimes they struggle after their fame has faded,napparently, Lugosi had it really rough during his last days. The film is alsonincredibly honest when it comes to Lugosi’s heroin addiction, it doesn’t shynaway from showing the ugly bits, like when Lugosi hits rock bottom, almostncommits suicide and ends up committing himself to a rehab clinic. Thenrelationship that Bela and Wood develop is one of the most touching thingsnabout the film; they truly end up becoming great friends. It should be notednthat Landau actually won an Oscar for his performance here. The loves in Wood’snlife are played by Sarah Jessica Parker, who plays Dolores Fuller a woman whonbacks Wood in many of his crazy filmmaking ideas until she can’t stand thenfreakiness no more and dumps Ed and Patricia Arquette as Kathy O’Hara, a morenunderstanding and loving soul. Rounding things off is Bill Murray as one ofnWood’s gay friends. Murray plays a small role here, yet whenever he is on, henis truly funny. Jeffrey Jones plays Criswell, a television persona who was alsonone of Wood’s staunch supporters. We also get Burton’s then wife Lisa Marie playingn‘Vampira’, yet another television personality who backed Wood’s films. As youncan see, this is an amazing cast, which just makes this film all the richer,neveryone here brought their a-game as they say. 

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nInteresting thing about this project is that it was notnoriginally a Tim Burton project, this film was written by Scott Alexander andnLarry Karaszewski; two college buddies who at the time had only written twonfilms the highly successful Problem Child (1990) and Problem Child 2 (1991). Butnthey didn’t want to be known only for writing family films, so they wrote EdnWood together, to try and break with that stigma. They originally wanted thendirector behind Heathers (1988), Michael Lehmann to direct, but he wasncommitted to directing Airheads (1994) and so Burton, who was originally onlyngoing to serve as producer on the project ended up directing the film. To benhonest, no other director could have done a better job than Burton; this film justnfit his profile so perfectly. Burton has always loved science fiction andnhorror, some of his films are as goofy and offbeat as something that Wood mightnhave directed. This is why say that It makes perfect sense that Burton ended upndirecting Mars Attacks! (1996) after he made Ed Wood. It almost feels as if afterndirecting a film about Ed Wood, Ed Wood’s spirit possessed Burton for a spellnthere… because Mars Attacks! feels like a film that Wood might have directed hadnhe all the millions that Burton had at his disposal. To me, Mars Attacks! was simplynBurton making a film to pay his respects to Wood, to make the film that Woodnnever could. So to bring this review to an end I say if you are interested innthe in and outs of filmmaking, and how fun, exciting and exhausting it can be,nthen give Ed Wood a spin. The whole experience of watching Ed Wood is enhancednwhen you have seen some of Wood’s films. I recommend you treat yourself to antriple feature. See Plan 9 from Outer Space, then follow that one with Ed Woodnand end the whole shebang with Mars Attacks! (1996), trust me, it it’ll allnmake sense in the end.

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nRating: 5 out of 5 

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