Ed Wood Movie
Storyline
TAGLINES
Movies were his passion. Women were his inspiration. Angora sweaters were his weakness.
When it came to making bad movies, Ed Wood was the best.
The life of Edward D. Wood,Jr, hailed as the worst director (of 'Plan 9 From Outer Space', 'Glen or Glenda?' and 'Bride of the Monster') of all time.
| Johnny Depp | Ed Wood |
| Martin Landau | Bela Lugosi |
| Sarah Jessica Parker | Dolores Fuller |
| Patricia Arquette | Kathy O'Hara |
| Jeffrey Jones | Criswell |
| G.D. Spradlin | Reverend Lemon |
| Vincent D'Onofrio | Orson Welles |
| Bill Murray | Bunny Breckinridge |
| Mike Starr | Georgie Weiss |
| Max Casella | Paul Marco |
| Brent Hinkley | Conrad Brooks |
| Lisa Marie | Vampira |
| George 'The Animal' Steele | Tor Johnson |
| Juliet Landau | Loretta King |
| Clive Rosengren | Ed Reynolds |
| Tim Burton |
8.10 out of 10 (50456 votes)
Visitor Reviews
A must-see for Ed Wood fans although others might not get it
posted on 03 Aug 2009This is probably my favorite Tim Burton film because I love the incredibly wretched films of Ed Wood and appreciate a bio-pic of this king of dreck! Having seen BRIDE OF THE MONSTER, GLEN OR GLENDA, PLAN 9, NIGHT OF THE GHOULS AND JAIL BAIT, I was absolutely thrilled that the stories behind these films was finally brought to the screen. Plus, it was a great thrill to see the behind the scenes work that crazy of Ed did to get his horrible films made. It also helped that Johnny Depp played the character with so much energy and sincerity. It helped even more that the producers took such great pains to replicate the weird group of stock characters from the Wood films. Of course Martin Landau got a lot of attention (and an Oscar) for his portrayal of Bela Lugosi, but the rest of the characters were so close it was spooky. Plus, I admired that even the clothing and sets were dead on as well. Instead of simply making fun of Wood's horrible career, the film is more of a loving homage to a man who made rotten films that were still somehow very appealing--leading his films to be regarded as trash film cult classics. Perfect and enjoyable throughout and a truly wonderful time capsule.
Tim Burton's best film may be his most subtle film
posted on 19 Jul 2009Ed Wood, Tim Burton's biopic of the `worst film director ever' is a masterpiece. Not only does it feature an amazing cast, headed by Johnny Depp (doing a dead-on impersonation of Wood), but it more importantly does not mock the filmmaker himself. Burton obviously has a deep respect for Wood, because he is portrayed as what I personally have concluded him to be after much research about the man – an earnest filmmaker who would do whatever he needed to in order to have his films made. No, he was not a technically proficient director, but he had more heart than a lot of directors who are much more commercially successful and reputable than he.Burton's stylish direction and gorgeous black and white cinematography perfectly compliment the subject matter. Minor touches, from Elfman's Theremin-laced score to his end credits (`Filmed in Hollywood, U.S.A.' – something that Ed Wood added to every one of his pictures) make this film a true tribute to its subject. Having seen this film a minimum of 45-50 times, there is one scene in particular that is directed so beautifully by Burton that it bears mentioning. After a particularly stressful day of filming, Wood suddenly stomps off the set and goes to a local bar. What makes this scenario different from most is that he is also wearing an angora sweater, skirt, heels and a wig. Wood then runs into his film idol, Orson Welles who proceeds to actually give him a pep talk and essentially say that in a basic sense, there are not that many differences between the two men. This scene could have been humorous, getting a laugh at Wood's expense, but Burton makes it so touching that it affects me every time I see it. The supporting cast is nothing short of brilliant, especially Bill Murray as Bunny Breckinridge. It was this film that really opened my eyes to what he could do, before he was awarded accolades for his roles in Rushmore and The Royal Tennenbaums. But the real jaw-dropping character was the much-deserved Oscar winning performance by Martin Landau as Bela Lugosi.
Barely recognizable under the makeup, he is both humorous and heartbreaking as the washed-up, heroin-addicted horror film icon that everyone assumes is already dead, or they mistake him for Boris Karloff. His friendship with Wood is absolutely touching and very and sincerely portrayed. Ed Wood is by far my personal favorite among Burton's repertoire, which is relevant since I am a fan of most of his films. It is a technical masterpiece and a masterfully told story of one of the most bizarre and earnest filmmakers of the last five decades.--Shelly
Truly amazing!
posted on 04 Jul 2009I am getting this movie for Christmas and I am so excited. This film is just gorgeous and you are either laughing or crying all the way through. In particular Ed's relationship with Bela is very touching. The first time I saw it was when my brother and some of our friends and I had a passion for making extraordinarily bad horror films using an extremely old camcorder and alot of ketchup and girls called Cassandra and guys called Bradley. This movie inspired us to make "House of the Damned" and after each scene was finished we would all utter the immortal phrase "Perfect, lets move on!"
An odd thing.
posted on 22 Jun 2009What an enigma of a film. It wasn't as funny as it could have been. It wasn't as interesting as it could have been. And yet it held the attention. I think the film itself was supposed to be as tacky and ephemeral as the dreadful Ed Wood productions themselves. That's a dull concept but Depp made it watchable despite his annoying grimace and unconvincing angora fetish. His character needed to be fleshed out a little more. He came across as just a bit mad whereas he must have had some substance to his life. They could have had much more slapstick fun with the hopeless actors and hangers-on! The big bald guy was a natch for laughs and Bill Murray was sparingly used.
I watched this horrible piece of trash because....
posted on 07 Jun 2009I am a huge fan of a wonderful actress, Patricia Arquette but, even her great talent cannot redeem this ugly bit of cinematic trash. Not wishing to bad-mouth the work of those I formerly considered greatly talented I will simply state that this bit of rot can most properly be described by the word "BOMB!"
Burton & Depp: Perfect For This Story
posted on 07 Jun 2009It's appropriate that Tim Burton would direct this and even more appropriate that Johnny Depp would play the lead character as this story profiles an unusual subject: the worst director of films, perhaps, in Hollywood history....and one of its strangest characters.As interesting as the story is, I found the black-and-white photography to be the best aspect of the film, but that's no surprise since Burton usually excels in making great visual films. Depp was hilarious as "Ed Wood." The eternal optimistic attitude and silly smile on his face in this film always makes me laugh and actually is inspiring in parts. You can't help but like poor Ed.The most dramatic figure is Bela Lugosi, played memorably by Martin Landau, who deservedly won many awards for this performance. What a tragic figure.To no surprise, there is a cheap shot against Baptists, who are made to look like meddling fools, something Hollywood loves to portray when it comes to any Christian character. Other than that, it's a fascinating film and portrait of a weirdo that only real-life weirdo Johnny Depp could do justice!
Enjoyable, but not terribly accurate
posted on 04 Jun 2009As a big fan of Ed Wood's work, (more specifically: as a BAD movie buff), I must say it is great to see Edward D Wood, Jr. get some recognition for his hard (bad) work. The movie has many inaccuracies, things such as the sequence of Wood's films, and other details of the movies. But in my mind the real life of Wood would not have made for a very good movie, so Tim Burton took some liberties. For a change this does not destroy a historical representation, but rather makes it easier to follow. Last of all, the cast was excellent. Johnny Depp is one of the finest character actors in Hollywood today, and he managed to bring a warmth to a man who was, in real life, deeply, deeply disturbed. Depp was surrounded by many other fine actors, and the cameos by some of Wood's real life friends were a delight!
***** out of 5
posted on 17 May 2009Director Tim Burton has weaven a film here that is nothing short of a masterpiece. Every serious film buff should see this film, as it cronicles the life of "the worst director in history". Johnny Depp is superb as Edward D. Wood Jr. an up and coming director whos dream is to be the next Orsen Wells and make the next Citizen Kane, just to bad everything he makes is hated my critics world wide, he is even seen as a practical joke when he hands his movie Glen or Glenda over to the people at Warner Bros. Studios. Matrin Landau plays longtime friend and once great horror movie actor Bela Lugosi who is best known for his work as Dracula, who is portrayed here in his years where he was seen as a washed up drug addict who no one cares about anymore. Next came Bride of the Atom who's name was later changed to Bride of the Monster. But the movie flopped, people were even rioting in the theater at the movies premire and Ed and his cast had to leave because they were being attacked. Og course by that time Wood was out of money, Lugosi was in a rebhabilitation center and things were looking down. But after the death of Lugosi Ed got the opertunity to make another film through the funding of a baptist church, that he promised to be a huge blockbuster and make lots of money. That film was PLan 9 From Outer Space and it is funny because even though Lugosi is billed as the top actor he only appears in footage that was shot earlier by Wood and for the rest of the movie is a body double who wasn't allowed to show his face in the movie. It's very ironic because in the theater at the premire of Plan 9 Wood said "This is it, this is the one I'm going to be remembered for." That statement couldn't have been more true just to bad not the way Wood wanted. See it was the one he was remembered for but he was remembered for it because it was penned one of the worst movies ever made. Burton shot the film in black and white and does a fantastic job of making the movie feel like it is actually from the days of Ed Wood. Depp is great as Wood himself but it is Landau as Lugosi who steal every scene he is in, whether it be him expressing his hate for Boris Karloff (Frankenstien) or to him shooting the final scene in Bride of the Atom where he must be attacked by a giant octopus but he has to wave they tenticles around himself because someone forgot to get the motor to run the prop. The film is often times very hilarious in seeing that Wood thought he was making brillent works and mostly only did one take for each scene and in the beginning seeing how the film crew would have to run away everytime the police came around because they were filming without a permit. The mvie also has several scenes that scream satire, like whenever Wood says he has a big star to be in his movies and he tells people it is Bela Lugosi eveything thinks he is already dead and a scene where Wood asks a crew member which dress he likes and he says well I'm colour blind I can't tell the difference but I like the dark grey one. This film is nothing short of genious and even though it will not grab the attention of everyone who sees it there is no denying Burton has carved himself yet another winner.
Tribute to a legend, or not
posted on 11 May 2009Pros: Cinematography, script, characters, humor.Cons: Not entirely accurate.Ed Wood is Tim Burton's tribute to the worst director of all time. This is probably Burton's most personal and best film. The film stars Johnny Depp as Ed wood, a cross dressing director whose hero is Orson Welles. Martin Landau plays Bela Lugosi, who befriends Wood in his last years. Most of the exploits are true but I am not sure that's the way Ed Wood acted. The script is spot on and never falters under its own silliness. The cinematography of black and white gives an authentic feel to the movie as that was the way the real wood filmed his films. Most of the characters the real Ed wood hung around in real life are all present here. Initially a box-office failure, Ed wood is often very funny and a delight to watch. It shows Tim Burton at his best.Premise: Ed wood tries to make Plan 9 from outer space.Ed wood won two Academy awards. One for Landau's portrayal as Bela Lugosi and another for the makeup.Grade: 10/10 (Classic Burton)
Burton's Best
posted on 08 May 2009I have just seen this film and I think that it is Tim Burton's best film. Ed Wood is a bio-pic about the worst film director in Hollywood, Edward D. Wood. It is mostly a comedy, but is serious at times and is a perfect project for Burton and Johnny Depp. The film shows that Ed Wood was a struggling director who had to work at a studio as a stage hand to make ends meat. He get an opportunity to write, direct and star in movie about someone getting a sex change and able to get his hero, Bela Lugosi, to be in it. He makes a terrible film and can't find a studio to hire him. He decides to finance and produce his own films and makes a load of B-movies, which are not very good. Ed Wood is portrayed as a nice man who loves what he does and wants to be like Orson Wells. Unforuately his isn't very good at what he does. As well as the comedy in the film, there is dramatic aspects, such as Ed's transvestitism, his relationships and Bela's drug problems. The characters in this film are over-the-top but I think that it works for this film.The film was well written, has a good cast and I liked the fact that it was filmed in 1950s style and shows how the film industry works. I also liked how Ed Wood was portrayed a man that was too positive for his own good. I admit that I don't know much about the man but he most be better then Uwe Boll who is considered the worst director at the moment is just arrogant about his work and considers himself as a misunderstood man and he will never gain a cult following.Ed Wood is a good film, and if you like Tim Burton and Johnny Depp then you will like this film.
An inspiration for anyone who wants to keep on fighting for their goals.
posted on 05 May 2009Tim Burton and Johnny Depp hit this perfectly. Ed Wood is an inspiration to anyone who has a goal and wants to achieve it. In brief, the movie is about a movie director who is a complete failure. And despite it all, he keeps finding a way to finance and make his next movie (again and again) despite the fact that they're all horrible. We could all take a lesson from this movie. Never give up, keep on looking for a way to accomplish your goals. Excellent movie. Well done Tim Burton and Johnny Depp!!!
That Johnny Depp ... he make-a-me laugh!!
posted on 14 Apr 2009ED WOOD (1994) ***1/2 Johnny Depp, Martin Landau, Sarah Jessica Parker, Bill Murray, Jeffrey Jones, Patricia Arquette, G.D. Spradlin, Lisa Marie, George "The Animal" Steele, Vincent D'Onofrio. Tim Burton's hilarious kitschy valentine to the worst director of all time Ed Wood (Depp in an off-beat interpretation), a transvestite hack with no talent but plenty of passion.
Superb acting by Landau (Best Supporting Actor) as pathetic, has-been horror legend Bela Lugosi who manages pathos and dignity without resorting to campy sentimentality. Wonderful support especially by Murray as transsexual wannabe Bunny Breckinridge. Superior production design noteworthy for its recreation of "Plan 9 From Outer Space", glimmering black and white cinematography thanks to Stefan Czapsky and Rick Baker's Academy Award-winning and uncanny Lugosi make up.
The Cult of Wood
posted on 11 Apr 2009I was so excited when I first read that Tim Burton would be making a film about the legendary Ed Wood. When I saw the film for the first of many times, I was beyond delighted. This movie is perfect. Even if you have never heard of Wood, you will find plenty to enjoy in this film ;however, if you are already a Wood devotee, you are going to be in heaven. This film wonderfully chronicles Wood's attempts to make memorable motion pictures. Not only did Ed Wood succeed, Tim Burton succeeds. The cast is marvelous. Johnny Depp is wonderful as Wood. Sarah Jessica Parker is perfect as Dolores Fuller. But surpassing them all is Martin Landau as my childhood favorite Bela Lugosi. I was so afraid when I first went to see the film that Landau would merely impersonate Bela or worse, kid the character. He does neither. Landau turns in a performance of beauty. See this film at once if you have not already seen it multiple times as I have.
Decisive
posted on 15 Mar 2009I love the way Tim Burton turned this loser into a passionate film maker. Ed Wood now appears as an inspired but money-lacking story-teller. He's quite touching and actually makes me feel like it's better to try and film some idea than just slandering other's films. Ed Wood has appeared on my DVD shelf a few weeks ago, it has become a permanent part of my top 10.
Pull the string! Pull the string!
posted on 28 Feb 2009This is probably the finest film to come out of Hollywood. It is also about the worst films to come out of Hollywood.Who can forget Glen or Glenda? Who can forget Bride of the Atom? Who can forget Plan 9 from Outer Space? Well, just about everybody.Ed Wood is an hilarious and often moving experience about a man who thought he was destined for greatness, when really he was destined for ridicule. Tim Burton recreates superbly the tackiness of Ed Wood's efforts to make an impression.Jonny Depp excels as the ever keen Ed Wood and Martin Landau turns in a virtuoso performance as drug addicted Bela Lugosi, who finds himself relying on a loser for support in his time of crisis.Ironically,Tim Burton found himself in Ed Wood's shoes when this film was released, as it was generally overlooked, which is surely the ultimate tribute to the film's inspiration!A masterpiece.
A Great Film
posted on 13 Feb 2009A great flick, a must see for any Tim Burton or Ed Wood fan. Johnny Depp gives an Oscar worthy performance as the eccentric Ed Wood (he is the most underrated and talented actor in Hollywood today). Martin Landau is equally good as the ageing and bitter Bela Lugosi. A great supporting cast of Murray,Parker,Jones,and a great cameo by Vincent D'Onofrio as Orson Welles. I love the b&w,great cinematography,great music,what else is there to say? Tim Burton's best film to date.
Masterpiece
posted on 01 Feb 2009Ed Wood (1994) **** (out of 4) Burton's masterpiece is a loving tribute to "B" monster movie maker Edward D. Wood, Jr. played perfectly by Johnny Depp. The film covers Ed's life up to the release of Plan 9 From Outer Space but the true heart of the movie centers on Wood's relationship with a washed up Bela Lugosi (Martin Landau). To me this is perhaps the greatest film about the making of movies because of how it shows the ups and downs even though the majority of Wood's life were full of downs. The movie is about a lot of things and includes many great jabs at Hollywood but the true brilliance of the film is in its relationship between Wood and Lugosi. This here is where the movie really jumps off the screen because the love story between these two struggling men is where the heart is at and it's these scenes that are going to make the movie last for a very long time. The beautiful B&W cinematography also stands out and Burton has no trouble at building up a realistic setting. I know Burton will always be best known for his big budget action pictures but there's no question this here is his greatest work. The amount of time and detail in every shot jumps off the screen for various reasons but one is the performance from Depp. The way Depp brings Wood to life is something incredible to watch as his always joyful personality jumps out at the viewer and grabs ahold of them making him impossible not to love. As great as Depp is though the film still belongs to Landau who rightfully won an Oscar for his role as Bela Lugosi. Having seen nearly every Lugosi film available, I'm still shocked at how well Landau does him to this day. After numerous viewings of this film I still can't believe at how well Landau got his accent as well as certain gestures and moves. Depp and Landau together make for one of the most beloved duos in film history. Sarah Jessica Parker, Patricia Arquette, Jeffrey JOnes, Vincent D'Onofrio, Juliet Landau and Bill Murray all turns in strong supporting performances as well. Mike Starr, as producer Georgie Weiss, also sticks out in a great comedic performance. I can't think of too many film's that contain a bigger heart than this one. Not only showing the love between Wood and Lugosi but also being able to show respect and love for this type of movie. Burton was a big fan of these "B" and "C" movies so it was nice seeing him pay them respect and this really comes true when the premiere of Plan 9 From Outer Space where the cast and director get cheers for what joy they've brought many fans.
The best film of 1994
posted on 23 Jan 2009A funny and surprisingly affectionate homage to the "Worst Director of All-Time" Edward D. Wood, Jr., "Ed Wood" is easily one of the best films of the 1990's and, despite major success with acclaimed films like "Batman" and "Beetlejuice," remains director Tim Burton's masterstroke.Considering the subject matter, "Ed Wood" could have easily been a mean-spirited parody of a man who craved significance and success, but Tim Burton has always had a soft spot for misunderstood oddballs ("Edward Scissorhands" immediately comes to mind.) Once again working with "Scissorhands" star Johnny Depp, Burton not only shows Ed Wood as a likable human being, he also displays warmth and genuine admiration for the cult hero who wasn't fully appreciated until years after his death.Depp truly shines here in the title role. An actor usually known for his brooding performances in such films as "What's Eating Gilbert Grape" and the aforementioned "Edward Scissorhands," Depp is all-smiles and charm as Ed Wood. An eternal optimist with more determination than talent, Ed Wood was also well-known for being a crossdresser..."Ed Wood," the film, addresses his transvestism with amusing matter-of-factness and spends a great deal of time on the making of Wood's laughably-bad cross-dressing opus "Glen or Glenda." The cross-dressing, of course, causes a strain in Wood's relationship with his usually supportive girlfriend Dolores Fuller (played to the hilt by Sarah Jessica Parker; the real Dolores Fuller reportedly hated Parker's portrayal of her). Wood, of course, only wants to be accepted as is; oddly enough, Dolores is the only person close to him who can't accept his passion for wigs and soft angora sweaters.Despite being set back by uncooperative girlfriends, disillusioned studio execs, and a constant lack of money, Wood keeps working (the film covers the making of three of Ed Wood's features, including the classic "Plan 9 from Outer Space"), with his loyal troupe of amazingly amateurish actors and crew members following his every whim. The film captures quite nicely how Wood's optimism and sweet nature allows him to maintain an assortment of odd, but extremely loyal, disciples. But together they all share a common goal...movie stardom. (One interesting note...like Ed Wood, Tim Burton often uses the same actors in different films; Johnny Depp, Jeffery Jones and Lisa Marie are just a few of the actors who have appeared in several Burton films.)Most of the film, however, details Ed Wood's friendship and working relationship with aging horror legend Bela Lugosi (played by Oscar-winner Martin Landau in an amazing performance). By the time he began working with Ed Wood, Lugosi was a washed-up drug addict who couldn't even pay his bills, let alone get parts in movies. Although Wood and Lugosi initially use each other (Wood wanted a marquee name in his films, Lugosi just wanted to work), they eventually learn to respect and even love one another. Once again, Landau's performance is truly astonishing, and his on-screen chemistry with Depp is a sight to behold. They make a great team.Filmed in glorious black-and-white, "Ed Wood," like all biographies, takes liberties with the real-life story of Edward D. Wood, Jr. (Lugosi was actually married when he began starring in Wood's films, for example....one interesting note, however, is the original script for "Ed Wood" covers Wood's brief marriage after his break up with Dolores Fuller; this storyline was cut for the film). Stellar performances abound...Patricia Arquette is sweet as Kathy, former pro-wrestler George "The Animal" Steele is uncanny as former pro-wrestler Tor Johnson, Jeffery Jones is positively brilliant and hysterical as would-be psychic Criswell, Lisa Marie (Tim Burton's real-life mate) gives an appropriately dour performance as Vampira, and Vincent D'Onofrio has an effective cameo as Orson Welles. But the real scene-stealer here is Bill Murray, who gives one of the best performances of his career in a small role as the flamboyant Bunny Breckinridge.Even if you aren't familiar with Ed Wood, and even if you have never heard of Ed Wood before in your life, "Ed Wood" is still marvelously entertaining. Alternating between hysterically funny moments and depictions of true sadness and alienation, this movie has something for everybody. An absolute must-see.
brilliant biopic
posted on 20 Jan 2009Anyone familiar with Ed Wood's story, and I think that takes in most movie buffs, will be nodding his or her head in knowing amusement several times during 'Ed Wood.' It is the masterfully told tale of the legendarily not-so-masterful director of the same name. In fact, that may be its biggest transgression: it's too well made to fit the subject. Be that as it may, Tim Burton has crafted a loving but unsparing look at Ed Wood and friends. Wood himself is overshadowed at times by Martin Landau's uncanny portrayal of Bela Lugosi, which not only won an Oscar but is quite simply one of the greatest performances by any actor in any movie, period. It is at once sad, funny, poignant and even poetic. Johnny Depp plays Ed Wood, and while he doesn't really look like him, he certainly conveys Wood's boundless enthusiasm for film-making convincingly. He also invests the character with Wood's small-town naiveté, and makes his cross-dressing seem almost, well, normal. It makes sense to Ed Wood anyway. The film succeeds on many levels, for instance in its depiction of how low-budget movies were made in the 1950's. Any student of the cinema will find that part of the film fascinating. Burton wisely shot 'Ed Wood' in high-contrast black and white (the only way to go for this material) and his recreations of Wood's movies are very convincing, even when they are matched with the actual original footage. It's a shame 'Ed Wood' was such a flop at the box office though it is understandable as well. Audiences for the most part had no idea what it was about, and were not inclined to see a movie about the worst director of all time. Sometimes original or unique stories are simply proclaimed 'wrong' by mainstream film-goers and that is the fate that met 'Ed Wood' in its initial release, though critics loved it. This is a film that bears repeated viewings, as there's something new to be seen every time and a host of wonderful performances by everyone involved. I think even Ed Wood would have loved 'Ed Wood.'
Tim Burton should be ashamed!
posted on 09 Aug 2009As a Bela Lugosi film collector, I HAD to see this film...... and what I saw angered me to NO END!!!!! I have every Lugosi film except for 5 (the rarest of the rare!) and know quite a LOT about his life.Tim Burton depicted him as a bumbling simpleton, which really got me angry! Lugosi's latter years were NOTHING like Burton depicts them, and he should be ashamed for his treatment of this Great Actor!I'm told that Bela Lugosi, Jr. didn't like it very much, either, and attempted to sue Burton.....it's a shame he didn't win his lawsuit.Mr. Burton, you will be forgotten in 5-10 years from now -- but Bela Lugosi will Live FOREVER!!!!!