Edward D. Wood Jr. might have been in love with the medium of cinema and the very act of filmmaking, yet he has also been voted as the worst filmmaker of all time. This apparent irony and much more, have been captured and portrayed in utterly compelling and entertaining fashion by Tim Burton in Ed Wood. This quirky, deliciously idiosyncratic and darkly comic voyage into the life of the cross-dressing Wood, who directed one turkey after another despite being an ardent admirer of Orson Welles, is certainly a one of a kind journey. But what stands out most in the film is the fascinating friendship that Wood forms with his idol – a veteran, drug-addicted, cash-stripped former star called Bela Lugosi. That, along with the bizarre acquaintances that he surrounded himself with, and the atrocious films that he made believing all the while he’s creating great art, help us in knowing this sadly marginal and critically-panned auteur. Johnny Depp gave a sterling performance as the protagonist, while Martin Landau was terrific as Lugosi, the washed out actor who once gained tremendous repute for his portrayal of Dracula, among others. Despite its comic tone, the film has been given a noirish feel thanks to exceptional, B/W, expressionistic photography. And the thumping soundtrack, along with the decidedly offbeat screenplay, played its part in making this a unique and eminently watchable biopic.
Director: Tim Burton
Genre: Comedy/Satire/Biopic
Language: English
Country: US
