Ed Wood (Special Edition)

It's taken me a while, but I can finally agree that Johnny Depp is one of our finest working actors. Now that I've been able to explore his earlier work I can truly understand why the world in general loves him so much. I just remember back in 2003 when `Pirates of the Caribbean: Curse of the Black Pearl' was released and everyone started praising Johnny Depp as the greatest actor on the planet and he finally received his first Oscar nomination, and then the following year he did `Finding Neverland' and yet again the world went crazy and he got yet another nomination, and then he did `Sweeney Todd: the Demon Barber of Fleet Street' and regardless of the fact that his singing voice is below standard he garnered himself yet another Oscar nomination. Looking at it all I thought to myself `really, this is who they love'? Up until that point the only other films I had seen from Depp were some of Burton's less successful films like `Sleepy Hollow', none ever sporting a necessarily grand or impressive performance from Depp. Yes, his creation of Jack Sparrow was iconic and deserved of the praise and admiration, and maybe even that Oscar nomination, but it alone should not have garnered him instant idolization.

Then a few months ago I saw `Edward Scissorhands' and I was smitten with Johnny's performance. There was this rawness about him, this genuine charm and appeal. Then about a week ago I saw `Benny and Joon' and was blown away by Depp's depth of character. Intrigued and stimulated I sought out more Depp, like `What's Eating Gilbert Grape' and yet again was left speechless at Depp's precision and grace. Why was he not embraced for his earlier, grander performances?

This brings me to `Ed Wood', the most recent Depp film I was able to get my hands on. Quite honestly I feel that this may be not only Depp's grandest performance, but it may be his best film (and Burton's best respectively). Telling the story of the most famous `bad' director in Tinseltown, `Ed Wood' chronicles the working life of Edward D. Wood Jr.; a cross-dressing director longing to follow in the footsteps of Orson Welles. Wood longs to create films but he lacks the financial support. His plays are critical flops and his ideas and methods are a bit strange and unconventional, but after a chance meeting with famed actor Bela Lugosi, Wood finally has an edge.

Edward D. Wood Jr. has reached cult fame for his productions of `Plan 9 from Outer Space' and `Glen or Glenda' and both of those films are explored and recreated in this Burton classic. Tim Burton and his cast really capture the spirit of 50's film; the finished product itself plays out almost like a 50's sitcom. The performances by the entire cast are rich with charisma and charm, especially that of Depp and Landau. Johnny Depp embodies Wood's deep-seated naivety and drive to succeed regardless of the costs. He had a vision, and even if it was diluted with incompetence it was his vision and he was going to see it come to cultivation. His character reminded me of a restrained version of his Willy Wonka character, or should I saw that Willy Wonka is a less controlled version of Ed Wood. Landau blows everyone away here though, even Depp. His portrayal of a washed up actor longing to be as loved as he once was is as heartbreaking as it is amusing. Landau won that well deserved Oscar (I personally would have went with Samuel L. Jackson, but Landau is a very close second for me) and truly shines brightly in this very impressive film.

The rest of the cast is magic as well, everyone from Sarah Jessica Parker to the always amazing Bill Murray to Jeffrey Jones and Patricia Arquette making an impression on the viewer. There's even a neat little cameo by Vincent D'Onofrio (vocally dubbed of course) as Orson Welles towards the end of the film.

Like Edward D. Wood Jr., Tim Burton has a vision, and what I appreciate about Burton is that he always stays true to his vision. Sure, his gothic type roots are not as prevalent in this picture as in `Edward Scissorhands' or `Sweeney Todd' but the air and spirit, his soul and drive are seen throughout this film. This is Burton at his finest, for instead of relying on props and visuals he draws deeply from within himself to pay tribute to not only the worst director of all time but quite possibly of one the greatest inspirations for aspiring directors today. Sure he was no Welles (one of the greatest cinematic minds of all time) but his story is inspiring, intriguing and extremely entertaining.

It was a good movie that I loved. Tim Burton's style of directing is great.

Poor Ed Wood. Commonly acknowledged as the worst director ever, he is now immortalized forever in a biopic as...quite possibly the worst director ever. Yeah. And he liked to wear women's clothes. Even parachuted during WW2 wearing women's underwear. Pretty bad situation to be in if your bra begins to chafe. Think about it.

Depp plays Wood with a wide-eyed desperate earnestness. A free spirit, an unfailing optimist and a merry leader of a band of misfits. He even directs in drag. He's just fabulous. I don't wonder what he was thinking, I wonder what his wife was thinking. Talk about being a good sport. Imagine having a transvestite and an incompetent director who surrounded himself with Hollywood fringers for a hubby. Sara Jessica Parker plays his wife with just the right balance of naive devotion and exasperation.

One of those misfit fringers was rejected, embittered and addicted Bela Lugosi. Martin Landau is wonderful as the proud, angry, desperate has-been trying to get a little work in crummy movies by trading in on his mostly forgotten Dracula fame. A man who tried on coffins for size like Imelda Marcos tried on shoes. He was even buried in one in his Dracula cape. A coffin, not a shoe, I mean.

The movie plows cheerfully through the wreckage of Wood's sort of sad but mostly just plain weird life. You can't write this stuff but two scriptwriters did. Go figure. And Hollywood's resident free-spirit- director Tim Burton directed it. In black and white, which makes it really hard to see what color all the clothes and sets and other stuff is but it works perfect for a movie about a low budget 1950's director.

I'd like to read a biography of Wood someday, maybe. If its a quick read. Just to see how faithful the movie is and whether the movie actually tones things down a little. Wouldn't be surprised. Transvesticism doesn't play too well in the Southern Baptist Convention states or the flyover states or the North East of the Northwest. But here in California, we love that offbeat stuff, so keep it coming, Tim.

Interestingly, I've read a lot of message boards and opinions that agree this is one of Tim Burton's worst movies. Yet it is getting an 8.1 rating on IMDb and is currently ranked #193 on their Top 250 (his highest ranked movie as far as I can tell; higher than Beetlejuice, Edward Scissorhands, Batman, and Big Fish).

I tend to agree with the IMDb contingent. Martin Landau's performance (as Bela Lugosi) alone makes this movie great and worth repeat viewings. If any Oscar was more deserved than his performance (in a supporting role), I can't think of it. Add to this Johnny Depp, who is always fantastic, and tons of minor characters played by a collection of colorful actors and actresses, and you get an entertaining, never dull film. The movie is in black and white which turned out to be a perfect choice. The monochrome gives it the atmosphere and feel necessary for the engaging story of the oft-called worst director of all time: Ed Wood Jr. Tim Burton's love for Ed Wood is evident and Johnny Depp's performance makes the viewer love him as well. This movie may not be for everyone, but I recommend that you at least rent it (everyone should see Martin Landau as Bela Lugosi). If you are a huge Tim Burton or Johnny Depp fan just buy it now.

I love Johnny Depp. But I should have known a movie about the world's worst movie maker couldn't be anything but equally as bad.