The true story of Edward D. Wood Jr., the filmmaker
who is widely considered the worst director of all time. BIOPIC/DRAMA
|
Ed Wood (1994)Directed by Tim Burton
Written by Scott Alexander and Larry Karaszewski Starring Johnny Depp, Martin Landau, Sarah Jessica Parker, Patricia Arquette, Bill Murray, Jeffrey Jones, Lisa Marie, Juliet Landau, Vincent D'Onofrio, Mike Starr Based on the book Nightmare of Ecstasy by Rudolph Grey Oscar Wins - Best Supporting Actor (Martin Landau), Best Makeup |
Ed Wood is a bizarre film about a man who is even more bizarre. The real Ed Wood is a strange character. He was a man who refused to abandon his dream of making movies, leading him to create some of the absolute worst films ever made. In this biopic, he is viewed as sympathetic and possibly a little unhinged.
Johnny Depp delivers one hell of a performance as Ed Wood, delivering his trademark brand of zaniness but without the usually unnecessary British accent. The ensemble cast is very fun to watch, especially since they are all trying to play bad actors. Of course, the show-stealer is Martin Landau, who does a near perfect job portraying the legendary Bela Lugosi in his twilight years. Lugosi's tragic drug addiction and blacklist from Hollywood in the 50's is such a sad story and a terrible ending to the man who brought Dracula to life, and Landau does a terrific job portraying him. Ed Wood does a tremendous job of showing Wood's tenacity and his enlarged sense of self-importance. He truly believed all of his films, including Glen or Glenda, Bride of the Monster, and the now cult favorite Plan 9 from Outer Space were the cream of the crop and deserved immense praise. This film shines a light on everything that went into making those films, including an investment from the Catholic Church. It's definitely a great character piece and is one of Tim Burton's best and mildest films. |