Ed Wood
Directed by Tim Burton

Cast:
Johnny Depp
Martin Landau
Sarah Jessica Parker
Patricia Arquette
Jeffrey Jones
Bill Murray

Written by Scott Alexander and Larry Karaszewski
Music by Howard Shore

Ed Wood is a humorous and tender portrayal of a man considered to have been one of the worst directors in Hollywood history. Burton utilizes his gift of enlightening an audience to the anguish and charm of people who live behind masks on a daily basis with awe-inspiring results. The film concentrates on Ed Woods hey day, the 1950's before his descent.

Ed Wood was a man who had a secret passion for angora sweaters and ladies lingerie, he made movies such as "Plan 9 from Outer Space" with flying saucers that looked like plates hanging from string.

Ed Wood was given his first opportunity to direct in 1954 with the movie "Glen or Glenda", a documentary style film depicting the struggles of being a transvestite. Ed Wood however turned the entire venture into something bizarre producing a film containing footage of Bela Lugosi screaming "pull the strings, pull the strings". Ed wrote, directed and was the star of "Glen or Glenda". In Burton's movie we see extracts of this film re-made with Johnny Depp playing Ed Wood's role. Johnny Depp's powerful skill of becoming totally immersed in the character is a delight to see - he really does become Ed Wood!

Burton's film illustrates that although a poor filmmaker there was something uniquely special about Ed Wood. The fact that he actually directed these films full of enthusiasm and passion is extraordinary; Ed Wood actually saw his films as great works, which is exceptionally strange and amusing.

In Burton's movie we see Ed Wood with an optimism that almost defies belief, always seeing the positive even if it is only one word in the worst review you could imagine. His quirky and unusual mindsets are fascinating, funny and poignant. His determination has to be admired; you cannot watch this film without liking Ed.

We also witness the friendship between Ed and Bela Lugosi played by Martin Landau. Bela is at the end of his life, a morphine addict cast out by the Hollywood system, we see how it must feel to meet one of your heroes, there are some harrowing scenes in the movie with these two men, it is especially daunting to see an old star left in such a terrible state, bankrupt and in poor health.

The masterful expertise of the cinematography by Stefan Czapsky cannot be faulted with the shifting black and white tones adding to the atmosphere of the film.

The rest of the cast including Patricia Arquette, Martin Landau and Bill Murray add great strength to the movie, Martin Landau in particular is outstanding in his role as the frail old Bela Lugosi.

This film has so many funny moments but it doesn't make Ed Wood the joke he became in life, instead the film gives him a gentleness, we see the world through Ed Woods eyes for a while and it is a wonderful voyage of discovery, filled with fascinating insights into the mentality of a peculiar yet wonderful man.

Ed Wood is one of Tim Burton's greatest achievements, but I think the really remarkable thing is that Tim Burton made one of Ed Woods's dreams come true, even if he did not live to see it, Tim Burton gave Ed something he always wanted.