The second best film of 1994, but still one of the best of the 90's

Rating: 10/10 (24 February 2001)

Highly enjoyable and very amusing biopic of the "worst director of all-time", Edward D. Wood Jr. He made the'classics' "Glen or Glenda", one man's struggle to cope with his transvestite tendencies, and his masterpiece, the supernatural thriller "Plan 9 From Outer Space". Of course, the film glosses over some of the more unpleasant aspects of Wood's life and takes some creative licence but the finished result is fantastic. Johnny Depp gives a career best performance as the charismatic Wood, making the character very believable and endearing, this being one of the reasons the film works so well. A great deal of praise must surely be given to Oscar-winner Martin Landau, who plays the frail Bela Lugosi with great aplomb; the likeness is quite uncanny. There is also able support from the likes of Sarah Jessica Parker, Patricia Arquette, George "The Animal" Steele, Mike Starr and the brilliant Bill Murray in one of his best roles, as the effeminate Bunny Breckinridge.
There isn't really much of a plot (who needs one when you're having so much fun?), the film focuses on the Ed's dream of being the next Orson Welles ("He was twenty-six when he made Citizen Kane - and I'm already thirty!"), and there is a truly memorable scene in which he meets his hero, probably my favourite scene in the film, in fact.
I can't praise the film enough, one of the most enjoyable films ever made, and this is still director Tim Burton's second best film, behind the outstanding "Edward Scissorhands", which also starred Johnny Depp in the title role. Bettered in 1994 only by "The Shawshank Redemption", I heartily recommend this film to anyone and everyone. Sheer brilliance.