Ed Wood (1994) - Starring Johnny Depp, Martin Landau, Sarah Jessica Parker, Patricia Arquette, Jeffrey Jones, G.D. Spradlin, Vincent D'Onofrio, Bill Murray, Lisa Marie, George "The Animal" Steele. Written by Scott Alexander and Larry Karaszewski. Based on the book Nightmares of Ecstasy by Rudolph Grey. Directed by Tim Burton. Rated R. Available on DVD.
Ed Wood tells the story of the famous B-movie, and Z-movie, director Ed Wood and his life as he struggled in the film industry and went on to make what are considered some of the worst films ever made, such as Plan 9 from Outer Space. It's one of the many collaborations of director Tim Burton and Johnny Depp and arguably one of their best (but to be fair, I've only seen 3 of their 8 collaborations). I'm a big fan of movies made about movies and this one captures the story of a hopeful guy who want give up in the movie business quite well. Depp portrays Ed Wood as someone filled with exuberance and optimism, who even in the darkest moments of his life chooses to keep going.
Biopics can be a tricky business. They can be either overtly positive or negative of their subject. And while this one does show its subject in a positive light, it doesn't have any delusions about Ed Wood or the quality of the movies. I think this biopic is also set apart because it so effectively captures the spirit and style of Wood.
The acting is great. The script is funny and well-written. This is Tim Burton at his best. I also find the decision that Burton made to shoot this film in black and white (which one production company dropped the film because of) completely brilliant. I highly recommend this film.
Rating: 4 out of 5.
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