A Fun And Endearing Movie To Watch

Rating: 10/10 (16 May 2000)

Great story, endearing characters, and hilarious tacky moments shines brilliantly upon this movie from the beginning until the end. While I don't have a clue about the true real-life story of Edward D. Wood Jr, one thing I know for sure is that I'm having heaps of fun.
This biopic is basically about Ed Wood himself, the so-called "Worst Director of All Time" and how he is determined to make it in Hollywood. Although many considered his movies to be awful and regard him as a director with no sense whatsoever about the art of filmmaking, Ed Wood is portrayed as a director of immense passion for storytelling, yet who is so in love with every shot being taken and felt there is no need to take a second one.
In Hollywood, Ed Wood has a bunch of strange and colorful associates from Tor Johnson the Swedish Wrestler to Vampira the Night TV Hostess which are all very amusing to watch. But beneath all this, the movie's strongest and best aspect is about Ed Wood's friendship with the legendary and ailing Bela Lugosi. Herein lies the heart of the movie's storyline; the fact that both are ridiculed by their Hollywood contemporaries yet still recognizing greatness in each other is just endearing. They helped out each other, and I really felt a pang in my heart when Ed Wood sadly watched the last film reel of Lugosi ever filmed while "The Swan Lake" plays in the background. Credit is to Martin Landau; he truly deserved those many awards that were heaped upon him for his most AMAZING role as Lugosi. As for Johnny Depp, he is great for playing Ed Wood with a fresh enthusiasm.
Tim Burton is to be commended for his portrayals of all the characters in the movie. To make us laugh, he clearly pokes fun at them and the whole B-movie culture in the 60's but it's obvious that those portrayals were done with sincere affection. One of the funniest scenes is when Lugosi were asked for a glass of wine and said "I don't drink ... wine." It was a pleasant surprise for Dracula fans. Another hilarious scene is when Lugosi gave the performance of his life wrestling a puppet Octopus in a cold lake.
Ed Wood is a great movie that pays proper homage to its characters and the culture that they lived in. It can be enjoyed again and again, and still makes me grin and laugh. Most definitely one of my favorite films of all time.