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Tim Burton month: Ed Wood



A review by Brooks Rich

This is it. The film I consider to be Tim Burton's masterpiece. I get the criticism Burton receives now — he’s all style and his visual eye gets in the way of story. I am not arguing against that. But I will always defend him to a degree because of two films. We're talking about one of those films today. 

Burton brings his style and love for B-movies together to make a fitting tribute to the man considered to be the worst director of all time. The film chronicles the period in Wood's life between the making of his movie Glen or Glenda to the night of the premiere of his most notorious film, Plan 9 from Outer Space.

 Wood's haphazard filmmaking is highlighted as well as his struggles with being a crossdresser back then. Burton smartly doesn't downplay the crossdressing or regard it with judgmental eyes. He just shows us how it defined Wood as a person.  And he spends the time to really explore the friendship between Wood and Bela Lugosi, who Wood had a close relationship with at the end of his life. Lugosi's last film appearance is at the start of Plan 9 from Outer Space. 

This is my favorite Johnny Depp performance. As much as I enjoy him as Ichabod Crane in Sleepy Hollow, he's doing a fantastic job here as Wood — who despite everything, always felt like he was doing good work. All Ed Wood wanted to do was make movies. And he did that, even though they're not good and some are downright unwatchable. Everyone calls Plan 9 from Outer Space the worst film ever made but I would give that award to Glen or Glenda which is almost impossible to sit through in one sitting. Plan 9 from Outer Space is goofy, but there's something charming about it. 

The MVP of Ed Wood is Martin Landau as Bela Lugosi, who won an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor for his work here. Landau's performance is both charming and melancholy. He conveys Lugosi's love for returning to making movies, but also the pathos of knowing that his star is fading. The scenes with him and Depp are truly touching. But sadness aside, Landau also makes it into the funniest scene in the movie where they shoot the famous octopus scene from Bride of the Monster. Find a link to that scene below. You'll be able to see the humor and sadness of Landau's performance in just a little over two minutes. 


Even if you think that Burton is not what he used to be, and I understand and agree with you —  watch this film. It is one of my all-time favorite movies. And if you're a cinephile, check out Plan 9 or Bride of the Monster. I think you’ll get what Tim Burton sees in Ed Wood.

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