“Ed Wood” (1994)

Ed Wood

Grade: A-

In a way, Ed Wood is Tim Burton’s most personal film: a gonzo director directing a biopic about a gonzo director. Shot in lush black-and-white and driven by a great Johnny Depp performance, the movie is a funny, loving, evocative portrait of cinema’s least talented cult hero.

Directing:

Because Ed Wood is based on a true story, Burton reins in his signature campy-goth mise en scène — after all, Ed Wood’s entire life is camp personified, so there’s no need for visual embellishment. It’s also an opportunity for Burton to show off his technical abilities: via 1940s-inspired black-and-white cinematography, he perfectly recreates the B-movie back-lots of Hollywood’s Golden Age. The setting is remarkably drab, which — when bolstered by the lack of color — amplifies Wood’s general strangeness.

Somewhat inspired by the small-town surrealism of David Lynch and the Coen brothers, Burton proves that he’s a talented auteur capable of stepping away from his own idiosyncratic universe every now and then. It’s somewhat unfortunate that Burton didn’t continue down this “prestige” path, as Ed Wood proves him to be a first-rate directing talent.

Acting:

Likewise, Depp — who was hot off the success of Burton’s Edward Scissorhands and Lasse Hallström’s What’s Eating Gilbert Grape? — advances to the prestige rank of first-rate actors thanks to his portrayal of the titular weirdo. He fully inhabits the role, and never for a second does Depp or Burton treat the subject with derision or disrespect. We sympathize with Wood’s misguided sensibilities, even as we laugh at them.

The film’s other great performance belongs to Martin Landau as an aged Bela Lugosi. He, too, plays the character faithfully, without satire: the comedy is derived from Lugosi’s natural over-the-top personality rather than any affectation by Landau. Likewise, the rest of the cast — from Bill Murray to Sarah Jessica Parker to Patricia Arquette to Jeffrey Jones — plays the ensemble of misfits with the loving absurdity they deserve.

Writing:

Like any good biopic, Ed Wood treats its principal character with respect, which is entirely necessary when you consider Mr. Wood has faced endless ridicule ever since he released Glen or Glenda back in 1953. The man was just a harmless freak who had fun making movies, even if those movies happened to be the worst ever made. The script by Scott Alexander and Larry Karaszewski is filled with hilarious one-liners, though the jokes are never at anyone’s expense. The comedy works so well because it relies on dry humor and subtle timing rather than outright mockery.

However, as always with Burton, I find that the emotional and psychological aspects are somewhat lacking — the storyline doesn’t bother to explain why Ed Wood is the way he is. In fact, you’ll learn more about Lugosi than Wood. The film is more of a B-movie homage than a character study, which somewhat lessens the overall poignancy.

Music:

Occasionally, Howard Shore uses cheesy theremin music to emphasize Wood’s artistic ineptitude, a sound perfectly befitting of Plan 9 from Outer Space. Elsewhere, Shore’s orchestral score is touching, with lush Hollywood strings embellishing the tragedy of Wood’s utter artlessness. For Burton’s most “serious” film, Shore was the right man for the job — usual Burton-collaborator Danny Elfman might’ve made things too campy.

Ending (SPOILERS):

A chance meeting with Orson Welles (portrayed by Vincent D’Onoforio) allows Wood — and therefore Burton — to profess an aesthetic credo that guides his entire career: “Why spend your life making someone else’s dreams?” Wood and Burton had fun making their movies and that’s all that matters, negative reviews be damned.

It’s a warm ending, as the oblivious Mr. Wood proposes to his girlfriend, Kathy O’Hara. However, the critical call-out gives me some pause. I admire the film’s “follow your vision” message, but it also feels like Burton is arming himself with a built-in excuse for future misfires like Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, Alice in Wonderland and Dumbo. Even if Burton had fun making those terrible movies, I did not have fun watching them. But that’s a discussion for a different review.

“Filmmaking is not about the tiny details. It’s about the big picture.” — Ed Wood

Why Ed Wood gets an A-

Driven by a hilarious script, fine craftsmanship and terrific performances by Johnny Depp and Martin Landau, Ed Wood is one of director Tim Burton’s greatest films — even though it doesn’t feel like a traditional Tim Burton film.

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