Perfect

Rating: Null/10 (6 September 2003)

It says a lot about the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences that the sole honours they accorded this film were those related to Martin Landau's -- admittedly phenomenal -- recreation of Bela Lugosi. Best Supporting Actor and Best Makeup. That's it.
One must wonder how many of those people have seen Plan 9 From Outer Space, and if so, how many enjoyed it. My guess would be not many. Mercifully, Tim Burton seems of a different mind. Like me, he evidently saw Plan 9 as perhaps the most tragically hilarious film ever made -- a shining beacon of how such a total failure can ultimately be something of a success.
So, proceeding in that frame of mind, this movie is a spectacular success. The script doesn't try to bite off too much; simply showcasing three of Wood's "best" movies, delving into his penchant for cross-dressing, and rooting itself in his friendship with Bela Lugosi. Johnny Depp is superb as the infamous Edward D. Wood Jr., embodying the desire to follow your dreams no matter what stands in your way. He never asks the audience for sympathy, no matter how bad things get. He wants only to continue his quest to make movies. This makes his ultimate fate, revealed to us in text at the end, more effective.
As I said before, Martin Landau's Bela Lugosi is miraculous. He disappears totally into the character of the cripplingly drug-addicted fallen celebrity, and irresistably conveys his pain. The affection he feels for Wood for easing his pain becomes our own. Other bio-pics/comedies can only dream of this type of power.