Being a filmmaker is an extremely hard venture for many. Not only does it require plenty of creativity and dedication, but the biggest obstacle that any wanna-be filmmaker struggles with is of course funding and production. It's hard enough trying to be a filmmaker today, but imagine trying to be one in the 1950's with the independent market not fully realized and a very judgemental industry that won't give these people a chance. "Ed Wood" follows the titular filmmaker who struggles to finance and complete various passion projects. Although he has the spirit and probably the potential to be a good director, budget and time is really the factor that makes him be viewed as one of the worst working in the industry. However, he refuses to back down thanks to the support from his friends, cast and crew, and his lifelong idol and washed-up actor, Bela Lugosi. The two hour film mainly goes over Ed's turbulent troubles making three of his most infamous productions, "Glen or Glenda?", "Bride of the Monster" and of course, "Plan 9 From Outer Space". It's by no means the most accurate biopic in regards to some fictional events, altered personalities to Lugosi, and having Ed be seen as more sympathetic. Despite the laughable and almost embarrassing films and production, the film is by no means a straightforward comedy. It can be both quite emotional in regards to seeing this troubled filmmaker be laughed and ridiculed upon while also offering some inspirational moments and words of advice that inspiring filmmakers would love to hear, particularly in that you must fight for your vision, regardless of what others would think.
Johnny Depp as Edd is one of his best performances in his lengthy career. It seems fairly standard for the charismatic actor as the character offers both heart and zaniness to the real-life filmmaker, but it's really the more dramatic moments that makes Depp shine. However, as much as Depp is great as the lead, the late Martin Landau as Bela Lugosi is even better. While the portrayal of Lugosi has been debated as inaccurate in regards to his overall financial state and profanity, Landau puts so much talent and heart into the once-beloved actor who has been reduced to an angry, desperate, yet sincere companion to the young Ed. It was this sincere and heartbreaking performance that earned the actor his only Oscar for Best Supporting Actor. Aside of Depp and Landau, the rest of the cast is very enjoyable and fit in the various people they were based off of for the most part. From the late George "The Animal" Steele as Swedish wrestler/monster actor, Tor Johnson, Bill Murray as Ed's transvestite friend, Bunny, Lisa Marie as the iconic personality known as "Vampira", Jeffery Jones as the phoney psychic known as "The Amazing Criswell", Max Casella as the happy-go-lucky assistant, Paul Marco, Patricia Arquette as Ed's future wife, Kathy O'Hara, amongst many others. The only character and performance that is the most questionable is Sarah Jessica Parker as Dolores Fuller, Ed's former girlfriend and co-star. While Parker is doing just as good of a job on par with the cast, the portrayal of Dolores is perhaps the most inaccurate as the film makes her out to be a horrible and selfish partner in regards to her thoughts on Ed's cross-dressing fetish. In real life, it's mainly due to Ed being an alcoholic and it's clear that the film just altered her personality to play to the conventions of the film. Regardless, all of the cast members are great in their performances and giving these real-life people enjoyable quirks, although Depp and Landau as Ed and Lugosi are fantastic and one of the best on-screen friendships I've seen in a movie.
Tim Burton is widely known for his distinct visual flair, gothic atmospheres, and protagonists who are outsiders in their own world. Burton not only continues to add his three trademark aesthetics to this biopic, but tones it down enough to almost mask that he's directing this film. The black-and-white look is an obvious give-away and done mainly to mirror the look of Ed's films with nice use of contrast and shadows. It's both a smart aesthetic choice as well as a thematic one as it can be viewed as a world Ed lives in, where the colour is muted and sucked out to match the brutal reality of being a filmmaker in the 50's. Speaking of the 50's, Burton also manages to have the film feel like it's set in the time period, while also not exaggerating or forcing the culture and aesthetic. This is done to make the story and struggles of Ed as a filmmaker much more relevant no matter the time period. Burton also managed to make the film feel like it was made in that era, so not only does it fit said setting, but it doesn't allow the more over-the-top visual design and gothic aesthetic that is accustomed to Burton. The cinematography by Stefan Czapsky is really good in making the film appear like it was filmed in the 1950's in regards to the zoom-ins, close-ups, and tracking shots. The score by Howard Shore is one of his more underrated works. He incorporates both the music one would expect to hear in B-movies during the 1950's while also having his trademark orchestrated tracks be powerful in how booming and emotional it can be. Shore also uses pieces of music from "Swan Lake" and "Glen or Glenda" that tie into sad and happy moments with Lugosi and Ed respectively. Despite being one of the more traditionally-shot films in his resume, Burton has stated that this is his personal best he has ever made, to which I respectively agree.
"Ed Wood" is amongst one of the best biopics to date and one of my favourite films of all time. Although the inaccuracies of certain portrayals and events can be fairly criticized, myself included, what biopic doesn't have inaccuracies? From the unique story of one of the most infamous filmmakers in the industry, a unique tone that blends comedy, drama and inspiration in the otherwise serious and gloom genre, Depp as Ed is such a charming and innocent performance for the esteemed actor, Landau as Lugosi is simply a marvel to watch in how much you get wrapped in him and Ed's friendship, the various side characters are all nicely performed and uniquely portrayed by their respective actors and actresses, Czapsky's camerawork nicely feels in spirit to the filmmaking of the 1950's, Shore's musical score plays both into the campiness of Ed while offering his emotional beats, Burton's direction has the black-and-white aesthetic both in nature to the setting and low-budget filmmaking while also tying it in with both his and Ed's own thematic traits, and the moral that is constantly lifted up from the film by Depp and Burton's talents that the filmmaker should always fight for their vision and that any inspired filmmaker should pursue their dreams, no matter the obstacle. Regardless whether or not Ed was a talented filmmaker or not, he as well as any filmmaker in the business would love a film that speaks to their dreams and passion.
Verdict: 9.5/10. Aside of a few questionable inaccuracies, this is practically a masterpiece. Anyone who wishes to be a part of the film industry should watch and grow from it!
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