Ed Wood (1994)

Featured Audience Ratings

• Tim S

  
  Most people would say that Ed Wood is Tim Burton's finest film and I would have to agree. This is the filmmaker that I fell in love with running on all cylinders. Martin Landua's performance of Bela Lugosi is a thing of magic (of course, with the help of Rick Baker's… More
  Most people would say that Ed Wood is Tim Burton's finest film and I would have to agree. This is the filmmaker that I fell in love with running on all cylinders. Martin Landua's performance of Bela Lugosi is a thing of magic (of course, with the help of Rick Baker's fantastic make-up effects). Besides the fantastic main cast, there's also a variety of low key character actors and various cameos. The story may not be one hundred percent accurate to the true life events, but I don't think it could have been done any other way and been half as entertaining as it is. It's just a shame that Tim Burton can't seem to make something as creative and ingenious as this anymore. Nevertheless, I still hold it in high esteem.

• First L

  
  Arguably Tim Burton's best film, it's also his least distinctively "Burton-esqe" (although it is about quite an unusual character who doesn't fit into normal society). The title character, Edward D. Wood Jr. was a transvestite filmmaker in the 1950s whose… More
  Arguably Tim Burton's best film, it's also his least distinctively "Burton-esqe" (although it is about quite an unusual character who doesn't fit into normal society). The title character, Edward D. Wood Jr. was a transvestite filmmaker in the 1950s whose films (like "Plan 9 From Outer Space") are characterized as some of the worst ever made. Burton's "Ed Wood" (as played by Johnny Depp) is eternally optimistic and upbeat, although there's an impression that not all is okay under the shiny surface. His girlfriend, Dolores (Sarah Jessica Parker), is at first supportive of all his various proclivities, until Wood's semi-autobiographical film script "Glen or Glenda" (a film he wrote, starred in and directed) sends her life into darker areas she'd rather not venture into. Wood finds a true friend when he by chance meets legendary film star Bela Lugosi (Martin Landau in an oscar-winning performance). Lugosi is a sad figure, a washed up junkie whose career is over and whose wife has left him. It's Wood's optimism and wide-eyed wonder at the movie industry that give Lugosi a newfound inspiration to perform again. Wood's cast of loony characters includes psychic "Criswell" (Jeffrey Jones), pseudo hermaphrodite Bunny Breckinridge (the hilarious Bill Murray), wrestler Tor Johnson (George "The Animal" Steele), and tv vampire host Vampira (Lisa Marie). What I guess is so endearing about Eddie is his complete lack of self-awareness. He invisions himself as another Orson Welles, a multi-talented artist who can write and direct masterworks of great vision and artistry. His oeuvre suffers from a complete lack of critical thinking and the notion that every first take is "perfect". Wood at one point, even boldly declares himself to be only concerned with the big picture, and that no one notices the "little details" (this, after being told some of the tombstones in the graveyard set had toppled over as the carpeting beneath them had shifted). Ed Wood the film treats Ed Wood the man's flaws as endearing traits, and gives his films the kind of respect they never received in his lifetime. This while giving us a wonderfully comedic look into the world of 1950s Hollywood.

• Melvin W

  
  Edward D. Wood, Jr.: Cut! That was perfect!  "When it came to making bad movies, Ed Wood was the best." My new favorite Tim Burton film. Ed Wood is a superb biography of the Worst Director of All-time. The film is hilarious because of how Burton and Depp approach Ed Wood.… More
  Edward D. Wood, Jr.: Cut! That was perfect!  "When it came to making bad movies, Ed Wood was the best." My new favorite Tim Burton film. Ed Wood is a superb biography of the Worst Director of All-time. The film is hilarious because of how Burton and Depp approach Ed Wood. They don't completely make an ass out of him, but show him in a pretty likable light. He is shown as a hardworking and dedicated filmmaker who would go to any lengths in order to make his vision come alive. Yeah, maybe his vision was fucking horrible, but at least he tried his damnedest to do the thing he loved. All that trying payed off because now he is famous; sure it is as the worst director ever, but famous none the less. Throughout the movie Wood was always comparing himself to Orson Welles. He said that the only two people who were writing, directing producing and acting in their movies, were Welles and himself. That's quite an accomplishment, except Welles was doing Citizen Kane and Wood was doing movies like Glenn or Glenda and Plan 9 From Outerspace. Most of his movies are widely revered as some of the worst ever made. I haven't had the pleasure of watching some of his movies and this biography didn't really make me want to run out and watch one. The film is shot in black and white and has the signature Burton/Depp quirkiness about it. There are no two people in the world who were more qualified to make this film. When you think of a movie about a horrible director, you think it can't be all that great. This film is picture perfect in how it handles the material and Burton makes it a joyful and funny look at a talentless man. It's kind of funny that Burton would first direct this and then direct a movie like Mars Attacks directly afterwards. I liked Mars Attacks, but it's ironic that he would first make a movie about Ed Wood and then one that was inspired by all the sci-fi garbage of Wood's time. Either way, Burton is a genius and this is one of the best, if not the best, movies of his career.

• Graham J

  
  Burton and Depp show why they are a perfect match in this fantastic film.

• Spencer S

  
  This film walks a very thin tightrope between dramatic biopic with serious character development and a detailed storyline, and pure fantasist glory. Director Tim Burton, who's influence is drenched in this film, has already stated that this was meant to be more of a reimagining… More
  This film walks a very thin tightrope between dramatic biopic with serious character development and a detailed storyline, and pure fantasist glory. Director Tim Burton, who's influence is drenched in this film, has already stated that this was meant to be more of a reimagining of Wood's life than a point by point timeline of the real people of Wood, Lugosi, and Fuller. It's easy to see why this route was taken, with the perennial advantage of Burton and Depp's pairing, source material that could work in any decade, and the amazing acting of Martin Landau as the incomparable Bela Lugosi, his heavy Hungarian accent just one of the amazing trickeries he produces to lend to the imaginative presence that his character undoubtedly had. Though these are real people, their spirit is what if truly represented. Wood is portrayed as an optimist Hollywood go-getter with a heart of gold and a goofy grin to boot. He doesn't believe in more than one take per scene, and hopes the audience will keep up with suspense of disbelief and his backers won't mind him directing his films wearing a white faux fur sweater and black skirt. Oh yes, this film pulls no punches when it comes to Wood's cross dressing, Lugosi's extensive morphine addiction, and the baffling association with Vampira, Bunny Breckenridge, and Tor Johnston, a cavalcade of excruciatingly awkward characters that both mesmerize and intrigue. There is an element of dream, fantasy, or as the strange Orson Welles persona puts it, "a vision" that makes this film otherworldly and yet believable. Certainly one of Burton's better efforts, if not the more substantial in his zany repertoire.

• Lorenzo v

  
  <i>"Movies were his passion. Women were his inspiration. Angora sweaters were his weakness."</i> The mostly true story of the legendary director of awful movies and his strange group of friends and actors. <center><font size=+2 face="Century… More
  <i>"Movies were his passion. Women were his inspiration. Angora sweaters were his weakness."</i> The mostly true story of the legendary director of awful movies and his strange group of friends and actors. <center><font size=+2 face="Century Schoolbook"><b><u>REVIEW</u></b></font></center> "Ed Wood" is a film, shot entirely in black and white, about the infamous film director who is frequently credited as being the worst director ever. Of course the film is quirky and funny, but also very serious and dramatic in some areas. The film takes place in the 1950s when Wood is trying to make his name in Hollywood by comparing himself to Orson Welles (both being writers-producers-directors). The fact that they have the same career is about the only real similarity. Wood is trying to make it big and enlists the help of the aged, washed-up Bela Lugosi (played to the paramount by Oscar-winning Martin Landau). In spite of the failures Lugosi stays behind Wood and they develop a very close friendship. Wood's strangeness is depicted in the fact that he rarely takes more than one take on a scene, regardless of what happens during that scene. He is also odd because he likes to dress in women's clothes. In a funny yet sad scene near the end Wood declares that "Plan 9 From Outer Space" will be the film that he is remembered for. He is right. However, it is an awful film from a man who may have been too ambitious to make it in Hollywood. In many respects, "Ed Wood" is a modern day masterpiece, a poor man's "Citizen Kane" or "Raging Bull". All deal with men who want to be great but always seem to miss the mark somehow. Tim Burton's direction is gloomy and you can see how much he feels for this man who never accomplished his goals in the cinema. The screenplay is sharp and Johnny Depp is unforgettable in the title role. The supporting cast is also a real joy to behold. Patricia Arquette, Sarah Jessica Parker, Jeffrey Jones, and Bill Murray all add great elements of comedy and drama to this fine motion picture.

• xGary X

  
  Tim Burton was the perfect choice to create this biopic of the undisputed worst ever movie director, Edward Wood Jr., and his affection for and admiration for the man shine through. He is not portrayed as a boob or incompetent, but an ever enthusiastic and infectious amateur who would… More
  Tim Burton was the perfect choice to create this biopic of the undisputed worst ever movie director, Edward Wood Jr., and his affection for and admiration for the man shine through. He is not portrayed as a boob or incompetent, but an ever enthusiastic and infectious amateur who would make any compromise or suffer any indignity just to make his dream of making movies come true. There's a lot of humour to be found in the story with many laugh out loud moments, mostly involving the brilliant Martin Landau who portrays screen legend Bela Lugosi as a kind of foul-mouthed Norma Desmond with a sense of humour. The cast are all wonderful in fact, making a kind of Addams family of misfits and it's very difficult not to warm to them in their struggle to attain the American dream. This heart warming story is embellished with some fantastic cinematography that echoes the atmosphere of old style horror movies perfectly, especially during the scenes when Burton lovingly recreates scenes from Wood's "masterpiece" Plan 9 From Outer Space. Typically Tim Burton in its approach, but the story beneath is a much more human one making for a fine biopic as well as valentine for the Hollywood B Movie of old.

• AJ V

  
  Film fans like me are grateful to Burton for making this film, as it introduced people to one of the greatest worst directors ever, Ed Wood. This movie about him is more than a mere documentary, it's got just as much dark comedy, charm, and style as his other films. It's… More
  Film fans like me are grateful to Burton for making this film, as it introduced people to one of the greatest worst directors ever, Ed Wood. This movie about him is more than a mere documentary, it's got just as much dark comedy, charm, and style as his other films. It's brilliant and beautiful, and I highly recommend it, along with Ed Wood's films.

• Megan S

  
  It was okay, it's crazy to think that a lot of it was true.

• Michael E

  
  this movie is by far the best biopic ive ever seen, it payed homage to all of Eds films and it really is an unforgettable film. But the character who stole the show was Bela Lugosi (MArtin Landau) Martin pulled off every moment in the film perfectly, he acted in the film… More
  this movie is by far the best biopic ive ever seen, it payed homage to all of Eds films and it really is an unforgettable film. But the character who stole the show was Bela Lugosi (MArtin Landau) Martin pulled off every moment in the film perfectly, he acted in the film fantastically, every time that Lugosi cried i cried, it was pulled off perfectly in the whole film. Tim Burton truly knew what he was doing, it makes fun of Ed wood just as much as celebrates him, and Johnny Depp did by far his best performance in this movie.

• Jeff "

  
  Who knew that one day Ed Wood's career would make for a perfect film idea? Ed Wood has carved a niche as the "worst director" in Hollywood history. However his story has been a perfect idea for a film. Ed Wood may appeal to fans of Horror as much as Sci Fi and Comedy.… More
  Who knew that one day Ed Wood's career would make for a perfect film idea? Ed Wood has carved a niche as the "worst director" in Hollywood history. However his story has been a perfect idea for a film. Ed Wood may appeal to fans of Horror as much as Sci Fi and Comedy. However this is a must see Comedy for Horror fans because Ed Wood was a Sci Fi-Horror director. The film is very funny, as we see director Ed Wood's intempt directorial talents. Marvelously played on screen by actor Johnny Depp, Depp gives one of his greatest performances here. Master of Eccentric cinema Tim Burton brings Ed Wood to life. Both Depp and Burton are able to convey asense of surrealism to the screen, and in a story like Ed Wood's, you need a surreal atmosphere to be able to tell such a story. Filmed, in glorious Black & White, Ed Wood is simply a great film. Not only is the film great, but the cast that accompanies Johnny Depp is very enjoyable and amusing to watch on screen. The film chronicles Ed Wood's career from his beginings from Glen or Glenda to Plan 9 From Outer space. This is a fun comedy that mixes elements of cheap sci fi and horror films of the 1950's, just so you get that feel of B movie fare. Tim Burton's technique works, and it makes d Wood more amusing as you watch it. This is one of Tim Burton's best films. Simply a fun film about a misunderstood filmmaker. This is a terrific film, and plays out as an hommage to Ed Wood's intemptitude, and this is a film that no Horror fan should pass on. One might enjoy Tim Burton's flair for having filmed this film in the style of Ed Wood's cheap monster films. That adds flavor to the overal film. An almost perfect film, and one helluva funny film.

• Jake .

  
  God, this movie is amazing! I really, really regret having procrastinated about watching it for so long. Johnny Depp and Martin Landau are incredible. I adore Tim Burton, but it is still encouraging to see that he can branch out a bit. This is so much better than his endeaviors like… More
  God, this movie is amazing! I really, really regret having procrastinated about watching it for so long. Johnny Depp and Martin Landau are incredible. I adore Tim Burton, but it is still encouraging to see that he can branch out a bit. This is so much better than his endeaviors like Alice in Wonderland or Planet of the Apes. One thing that really struck me is that Ed Wood does not seem dated at all. It could be realized right now and not seem out of date. It really has a timeless quality to it. Amazing, amazing film from start to finish. Don't miss it!

• Sarah G

  
  One of my favourite Tim Burton films and one of the best films of the 1990s. Ed Wood tells the tale of the upcoming director Ed Wood Jr and the problems he encounters on the way, which is just brilliantly told. We also get to see an unrecognisable Martin Landau in his Oscar-Winning… More
  One of my favourite Tim Burton films and one of the best films of the 1990s. Ed Wood tells the tale of the upcoming director Ed Wood Jr and the problems he encounters on the way, which is just brilliantly told. We also get to see an unrecognisable Martin Landau in his Oscar-Winning role as Bela Logosi. Definatly one to check out! Highly recomended!

• Jason S

  
  After having watched Plan 9 from Outer Space for the first time a couple months ago I was really interested in seeing this flick and getting a look into the mind of the man who made that film. This flick does not disappoint. Tim Burton did a great job telling the story of what some… More
  After having watched Plan 9 from Outer Space for the first time a couple months ago I was really interested in seeing this flick and getting a look into the mind of the man who made that film. This flick does not disappoint. Tim Burton did a great job telling the story of what some call the Worst director in the history of film. All of the actors own their roles and seeing the creation and filming of Plan 9 was fun. Martin Landau was excellent as Lugosi. He captured the role to perfectly that he was lost in the role. I think a trip to the book store to get the book this film was based on is in order.

• Conner R

  
  A great original piece from Tim Burton. It is extremely different from his usual style, but handled with just as much care and passion. Johnny Depp plays a priceless Ed Wood and really makes the character quite sympathetic and naive. It has a great feel to it, as if you're not… More
  A great original piece from Tim Burton. It is extremely different from his usual style, but handled with just as much care and passion. Johnny Depp plays a priceless Ed Wood and really makes the character quite sympathetic and naive. It has a great feel to it, as if you're not even watching a biopic, but something else entirely.

• Thomas B

  
  Great film. Full review later.

• Wahida K

  
  Movies were his passion. Women were his inspiration. Angora sweaters were his weakness.

• Daniel M

  
  Film biopics are almost impossible to get right, because they require the uneasy marriage of so-called ?objective? history and the ?subjective? art of filmmaking. Many films never get the mix right, tipping in one of two directions. Either they become incredibly hagiographic, in the… More
  Film biopics are almost impossible to get right, because they require the uneasy marriage of so-called ?objective? history and the ?subjective? art of filmmaking. Many films never get the mix right, tipping in one of two directions. Either they become incredibly hagiographic, in the case of Good Night and Good Luck, or they become a means to heckle historical characters, like JFK and Nixon. In both cases the director?s viewpoint triumphs over any historical ?truth?: the story the director is putting on screen overshadows any given ?reality?, so that the film becomes either a sycophancy convention or an iconoclast?s lecture. The reason that Ed Wood is such a success is that we know from the start what the director?s intentions are. Tim Burton makes it clear from the opening ten minutes that his film is a tribute to Wood, rather than a sweeping biography. The Hammer-style opening credits, in which Jeffrey Jones rises out of the coffin and gives a deliberately hammy speech, show Burton?s admiration for a kindred spirit. Hence there are never moments where you feel cheated or insulted by the images he puts on screen or the liberties he takes. You know it?s an admirer?s tribute, and so you invest with the characters as characters rather than worrying about whether it?s ?true?. The look of the film is absolutely superb: from the opening credits in the graveyard to the ending at the premier of Plan 9 from Outer Space, you feel like you?re actually in one of Ed Wood?s films (only it?s good). The aesthetic is seamless to support the idea that Wood?s films and ideas came from his own life experience; his transvestism serves as the inspiration for Glen or Glenda, and his admiration for Béla Lugosi leads Wood to cast him as God. The black-and-white cinematography not only captures the look of 1950s Hollywood very well, but it serves as a warm and nostalgic reminder of a bygone age, albeit one with similarities to our own. Central to this film is the idea of artistic creativity struggling against the commercial pressure and legal might of studios. It?s clear that Burton sees something of himself in Wood, and wanted to offer an alternative viewpoint to counter the common image of him as ?the worst director of all time.? The Wood he puts on screen is eternally optimistic, excitable, childlike and full of creativity; all he lacks is the ability to keep his feet on the ground and realise what works and what doesn?t. For all this Burton doesn?t paint him as a saint: his optimism and love for Orson Welles escalate throughout the film to the point at which it becomes delusional. But you still find yourself rooting for the character no matter how often or how badly he fails. Part of this likeability is down to Johnny Depp?s performance, which is one of his very best. Burton?s background in animation means that he understands composition and physical shapes; when you marry that with Depp, great physical actor, the result is always impeccable. Depp?s every tic, twitch and vocal mannerism draw the audience in, staying on the right side of disturbing without being overtly creepy. Even the strangest of these, where Depp shakes his head while grinning and then blurts out ?Yes!?, leads you to laugh with the character rather than at him. It?s a master-class in immersing oneself into a role. Many of the other performances are also of a high quality. Martin Landau is superb as Béla Lugosi, balancing decrepitude with a strange vigour. It doesn?t matter that Lugosi didn?t curse like a sailor in real life; his rants about Boris Karlof fit with the character on screen, and he more than deserved his Oscar for Best Supporting Actor. Bill Murray is wonderfully droll as the openly gay Bunny Breckenridge, and the film even manages to get a good performance from Sarah Jessica Parker. There?s also a fine cameo by Vincent D?Onofrio playing Orson Welles (although his voice is dubbed by Maurice LaMarche). In fact, this scene is central to the film. In real life Wood never met his hero Welles; they never had a conversation about Citizen Kane or their struggles against studios. It doesn?t matter, because that scene is not meant to be historically accurate or realistic. The scene, and the film as a whole, is a microcosm about the struggles of filmmaking. It?s a reminder that bad things can happen to the best of people, and that no matter what the result is, perseverance will win the day. Both Wood?s and Welles? work was trashed when it came out ? now most of it is held in high regard. Ed Wood is easily Tim Burton?s best film before Sweeney Todd. It?s a film which manages to be bold and beautiful while never selling out either to sycophancy or sentimentality. The pacing is perfect, with no sequence in the whole two hours being any less than the ideal length, and most importantly it features a whole cast of developed characters which depart from the stereotypes and in whom we all invest. It?s a wonderful piece of work, beautifully crafted, brilliantly acted and helmed by one of the best directors of the last 20 years. A true masterpiece.

• Anthony L

  
  An affectionate tribute to a fellow director unfortunately regarded as the worst in the business. The cast deliver excellent performances, especially the leads, Depp and Landau, in what is Burton's best and most unappreciated film of his career.

• Phil H

  
  Very moving and sensitive, I like old black and white monster flicks and Mr Wood was great at it..in a sense haha. This is still dark with Burton's style but still very strong and gets the story across beautifully, by the end of the film you will feel very close to all members… More
  Very moving and sensitive, I like old black and white monster flicks and Mr Wood was great at it..in a sense haha. This is still dark with Burton's style but still very strong and gets the story across beautifully, by the end of the film you will feel very close to all members involved and you wont want the story to end. A good cast of the usual Burton suspects really helps as they are all pretty kooky themselves hehe its a film of character actors and outcasts which suits Burton to a tee. The 'classic' feel of a proper black and white film isn't really there I must admit, Burton isn't a great director in that sense, this film isn't an epic for sure, its more of a TV movie really. Plenty of little Burton touches throughout add charm and actually do assist in the films content and there's a lovely undercurrent of humour during the film which adds a very pleasant appeal to the whole thing.

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