Ed Wood (Special Edition)
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Movie Reviews of Ed Wood (Special Edition)
Movie Review: A hilarious film and an amazing time warp into the 1950s
Summary: 5 Stars
In a wacky B-movie Hollywood of the mid 1950's, Johnny Depp is Ed Wood, a young, goofy optimist who dreams of directing movies. Despite his fondness for wacky horror and sci-fi stories (and having NO talent whatsoever), Wood wiggles his way into Hollywood, and cranks out one cheesy horror/sci-fi movie after another. Ed sees his meal-ticket when he has a chance encounter with horror film legend Bela Lugosi; now an elderly, desperate morphine addict. Quick for his next fix, Lugosi goes to work for Wood, and the two begin an actor-director partnership together. A sweet, gentle (and probably fictionalized) bond forms between Wood and Lugosi.
Johnny Depp is so brilliant in this role, he really captures Wood's naive optimism. This may also be the only film where you actually see him smile! However, it's Martin Landau (as Lugosi) that gives the story its biggest jolts of energy (or perhaps it's just hearing old people swear that always make me laugh). Landau easily steals the movie, having won a Best Supporting Actor Oscar for this role. What ultimately makes this film a masterpiece is the impeccable reproduction and costume design of the 1950s, as well as the crisp black-and-white cinematography. It really transports you back to those clean-cut, wide-eyed days.
The entire cast is incredible. The music score by Howard Shore is perfect for its period, making much use of the theremin. The detail to which this movie goes in re-creating Wood's movies are amazing, but you'll also be laughing at how awful they were. If you love 1950s B-movies, this film will double as a documentary of how those silly films were made back then, the film functions quite well as a time warp. "Ed Wood" may be trying to tell a story of how it FEELS to be in the middle of the 1950s more than anything else, and that's what draws so many to the film over and over again. Like "American Graffiti," "Stand By Me," and "Peggy Sue Got Married," this film perfectly captures the images, sounds and attitudes of the era it idealizes.
If you have high expectations whenever you purchase a DVD that's labeled "Collector's Edition," you may be mildly disappointed here. There are some behind-the-scenes goodies on the disc, but they are all short in length. The film transfer and sound quality are exceptional, though. There are also commentary tracks as well.
Movie Review: The dark addictions of "Ed Wood"
Summary: 5 Stars
"Ed Wood" is such a gloriously brilliant film. It's the perfect meshing of the unique talents of director Tim Burton and an almost surreal Hollywood story that probably needed to be told. Fact is indeed stranger than fiction, and "Ed Wood" embraces this lovable (and seedy) story of the underbelly of 1950s filmmaking.
Most of what you see in "Ed Wood" is true, and if Burton bends the tale for his own sensibilities, well, I doubt Mr. Wood is turning in his grave. Edward D. Wood, Jr. has long been considered the worst filmmaker in history. His resume is stocked with horror/sci-fi films from the late 50s so inept they cause unstoppable laughing fits. Churning out "Glen or Glenda," "Bride of the Monster" and "Plan 9 From Outer Space," Ed Wood created Drive-In turkeys replete with staggeringly horrid dialog, cardboard sets and atrocious acting. These outrageous films are applauded today by bad-movie connoisseurs.
Burton, whose love of old horror films is well documented, was the perfect man to make this movie. The casting choices, most notably Johnny Depp as Mr. Wood, Martin Landau as a decrepit Bela Lugosi and Bill Murray as John Breckinridge, are inspired. There's some bittersweet elements in "Ed Wood," as our obsessively positive protagonist recruits one Hollywood castoff after another, forming the most unlikely repertory company in history. A drug-addicted Lugosi, wrestler Tor Johnson, a recently fired Vampira and other misfits attempt to create films from shoestring budgets, bonding due to their own failures in life.
Burton, filming in black and white with a great eye for detail, has produced a heartfelt anthem to not only the wonder of filmmaking, but to lost souls wishing to create but lacking the gift to do so. This odd troupe may be a gang of talentless hacks, but for a brief moment their club breeds kinship.
"Ed Wood" is a tribute to sad failures within an unforgiving industry. As we see Landau's Lugosi standing in filthy water preparing to battle a rubber octopus, we realize how tragic his life has become. This one-time superstar has reached a surreal low, sinking into a Gothic Norma Desmond mire. It's a haunting snapshot, as profound as a Shakespeare tragedy. The souls of "Ed Wood" died struggling with dark addictions, as forgotten as paupers. Burton has given them their fairy tale of glory.
Movie Review: Every artist's professional nightmare
Summary: 5 Stars
Anyone who considers himself/herself to be a creator of any kind - inventor, musician, artist, writer - will consider this movie to be their worst professional nightmare. Imagine yourself dedicated to your craft, day after day and year after year putting out what you consider to be your best work in a field that you love only to find, at the end of your life, that you have failed in every way measurable and imaginable. This is essentially the story of director Edward D. Wood, Jr. 1924-1978, who was voted the worst director in the history of film in 1980, and as a result saw a renewed interest in his films that persists even today.
Johnny Depp gives a great performance as Ed Wood as he was in the 1950's, starting with his friendship with Bela Lugosi and ending with the premiere of his best remembered film "Plan Nine from Outer Space" and his elopement with Kathy, who remained his wife for twenty years until his death. At this point in his life Ed's enthusiasm for his work is irrepressible. Fortunately the film ends before he descends into frustration, alcoholism, and a series of skin flicks in the 60's. The genuine friendship between Lugosi (Martin Landau) and Wood is one of the more touching parts of the film. The men settle into almost a father/son relationship with a real mutual professional admiration. Lugosi supplies Ed with a star with which he can attract investors in his films, and Wood supplies Lugosi with work and a reason to go on living. Landau's portrayal of Lugosi is phenomenal. At times you forget that you really are not watching Lugosi himself.
The extra features on this tenth anniversary edition are really pretty good. They include:
Audio commentary with director Tim Burton, actor Martin Landau, co-writers Scott Alexander and Larry Karaszewski, director of photography Stefan Czapsky, and costume designer Colleen Atwood;
Deleted scenes;
"Let's Shoot This!" behind-the-scenes featurette, hosted by Johnny Depp;
"Making Bela" featurette about the creation of the Bela Lugosi character in the film, with actor Martin Landau and makeup designer Rick Baker;
"Pie Plates Over Hollywood" featurette on the look of the film, with production designer Tom Duffield;
Featurette on the creation of the music for the film;
Music video;
Theatrical trailer
Movie Review: A great tribute to Ed Wood
Summary: 5 Stars
I only just saw this film for the first time just a few days ago (11/7/04). I've been a long time fan of "Plan 9 From Outer Space," but I never got the chance to see this film. So when it was finally being released on DVD (without being recalled), I was looking forward to it.
I'm not familiar with the rest of Ed Wood's films that much. But when this film showed Ed Wood (played by Johnny Depp)filming those other films, it wasn't boring. It was entertaining to just see how out of his mind Ed Wood really was - especially when he directs Bela Lugosi (played wonderfully by Martin Landau) to start pulling the Octopus' legs over himself, making it supposedly look like he is being attacked by it. Of course it looks ridiculous, and that's what's great about it.
I also liked how this film was not only Ed Wood's life story, but also Bela Lugosi's. I'm a big fan of him too, and it was cool to see the friendship between Wood and Lugosi develop and to see that Ed Wood generally cared for him.
The only thing I wish they did more of was the Plan 9 stuff. It kind of seemed like they took their time with 3/4 of the movie, and sort of rushed through the point in Ed Wood's life where he films Plan 9. To me, while they did an excellent job at recreating what the original film looked like, I wish they would've given us more because Plan 9 was Ed Wood's most remembered film. Perhaps if they took out some of the plot that focuses on Ed Wood's fetish with woman's clothing, they'd have more room for the story of how Plan 9 came to be.
I loved the atmosphere created in this film. It totally reflected the time period that Ed Wood's films came out in. And they really got the whole "feel" of his films down perfectly when we saw him filming them in the movie. And of course the fact that the whole movie was filmed in black and white helps a great deal.
The movie was very entertaining overall. I think any audience can enjoy it. But ultimately, it's only the people who've seen Ed Wood's original films that will really get a kick out of it.
The special features are ok. I enjoyed the one on how they made the music. I'm not too fond of the music video. It was just outright weird. But it did fit in with the style of Ed Wood. Everything else is fairly interesting, and worth a look.
Movie Review: Tragicomic
Summary: 5 Stars
This is a sensitive film about human fallibility amazingly done up in the guise of a comedy. Johnny Depp's Ed Wood's is terrific. He plays a miserably flawed and totally deluded man...He plays him with sympathy and some understanding. It would have been easier, no doubt, to have played him as a vainglorious fool, but the director and producer decided on a more complex character. Woods is a man totally, and mistakenly, convinced of his artistic excellence. He is so convinced in himself that he is able to convince others to invest in his ideas of cinematic art. He produces junk, but what junk it is. I have just finished watching 'Plan 9 from Outer Space', Wood's masterpiece. It is too easy to say that it is 'so bad it's good.' The fact is, with all it's funky sets, ridiculous special effects, miserable acting and over-the-top jokes, it actually is good...especially if you've had half a dozen beers. I have very little doubt that, in 'Plan 9', Woods deliberately produced a satire on science fiction films and, more importantly, on foolish public attitudes that cause people to BELIEVE in flying saucers.
As such, 'Plan 9' is a down-at-the-mouth 'Rocky Horror Picture Show' and I have little doubt that the producers of 'Rocky' drew on this film for weird inspiration.
All the characters in "Ed Woods' are great, especially Martin Landau as the pitiful, heroin abusing Bela Lugosi. Landau is Lugosi. Seldom has an actor owned a role as thoroughly as this one. Woods, who in the movie, establishes a genuine relationship with Lugosi, tries to help him by giving him parts in ridiculous films [except that Woods doesn't know they're ridiculous]. Lugosi, as a 'big' name actor becomes Woods major playing card in his eternal search for investors and viewers. Unfortunately, it's late in the game and Lugosi dies during the filming of Wood's Magnum Opus 'Plan 9'. Not to worry. Woods substitutes him with a double who hides his false identity by slouching around the set with his black cape held up to his eyes. No kidding, I just watched 'Plan 9' and Woods really did this.
Ron Braithwaite author of novels--'Skull Rack' and 'Hummingbird God'--on the Conquest of Mexico