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Ed Wood

Ed Wood (1994)

September. 28,1994
|
7.8
|
R
| Drama Comedy History

The mostly true story of the legendary "worst director of all time", who, with the help of his strange friends, filmed countless B-movies without ever becoming famous or successful.

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Lawbolisted
1994/09/28

Powerful

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GrimPrecise
1994/09/29

I'll tell you why so serious

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InformationRap
1994/09/30

This is one of the few movies I've ever seen where the whole audience broke into spontaneous, loud applause a third of the way in.

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Sameer Callahan
1994/10/01

It really made me laugh, but for some moments I was tearing up because I could relate so much.

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slightlymad22
1994/10/02

Continuing my plan to watch every Johnny Depp movie in order, I come to Ed Wood (1994) This is one of the best movies of 1994 for me. Depp's performance of the title character is so enthusiastic, you can't help but like him. His enthusiasm is contagious. He should have received his second Oscar nomination here, as it was, he was ignored again, and remained without a single nomination for several more years. Depp is superbly backed up by a ridiculously talented cast. Martin Landau is simply superb as Bella Lagousi, Bill Murray was also deserving of an Oscar nod, but like Depp he was ignored. Sarah Jessica Parker, Mike Starr, Patricia Arquette, Jeffrey Jones and Lisa Marie all stand out too. There is not a weak link in the cast.The heart of the movie is not between Ed Wood and one of his women but his relationship with Bella Lagousi. A man he truly adores.The movie won two Oscars. One for Martin Landau in the Best Supporting Actor category and one for Best Make Up and opened to great reviews but was a box office bomb. Grossing only $6 million against an $18 million budget. Was it the fact it was released in black and white?? Was it that it was released one week after Don Juan Demarco, the subject matter??? Whatever it was that turned audiences off, it's a real shame, as it's a great movie filled with great performances.

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oOoBarracuda
1994/10/03

Tim Burton was two strikes deep on my cinematic experience with him. After seeing, and not caring for, Edward Scissorhands and Sweeney Todd, I was ready to give Burton one last chance before writing him off, completely. Good thing I used Ed Wood for his third strike. An engrossing, thoroughly engaging biopic, Ed Wood tells the story of the famously horrible, yet passionate, film director, Edward D. Wood Jr. Edward D. Wood Jr. has famously been named the worst director of all time, responsible for such films as Plan 9 From Outer Space. Somehow, Burton took a genre, known for its tedious approach and formulaic output, and made an interesting film about a largely unexplored figure. Ed Wood, made in 1994 stars Johnny Depp, as most Tim Burton films do, as well as Sarah Jessica Parker and Patricia Arquette. Burton and Depp put in career best output in a film that was clearly close to Burton's heart.Edward D. Wood Jr (Johnny Depp) is a Hollywood eccentric who enjoys wearing women's clothing and has even admitted to wearing women's undergarments under his uniform when he served in the military. Ed has a passion for 'telling stories" and wants to follow in the massive footsteps of his idol, Orson Welles. Through extreme passion, Wood is able to carve a place for himself in Hollywood, backed by a loyal crew and accompanied by a star who has dimmed, Bela Lugosi (Martin Landau). The problem with the story-telling of Ed Wood, is that his dreams are too great for what can reasonably be placed on celluloid, especially given the small budget Wood had to work with. Despite ever gaining any commercial or critical success, Wood held tight to his dream, creating film after film that few audiences ever saw. His personal relationships were important to Wood, always remaining loyal to his friends and loved ones, despite their troubles, as his friends and loved ones remained loyal to him. An interesting life, worthy of delving into for film fans, Ed Wood is a good vehicle with which to begin the journey into Ed Wood Jr.I love black and white films, I instantly enjoy a film more when I see that it is in black and white. When a film is in black and white that doesn't have to be, I appreciate it all the more. It only makes sense for Ed Wood to be shot in black and white, covering a man who began his work in filmmaking career in the 1950's, but the fact that Burton was able to pull it off in 1994, speaks volumes to his commitment to the project. Burton also used fantastic classic cinema film techniques with the great iris in/pit shots. Burton clearly wanted to make a film that was as period-accurate as he could, and I appreciate his adherence to classic cinema. Burton also used low angle shots to an effective degree, much as he did in Edward Scissorhands, which are always nice to see. After seeing four Johnny Depp films this month, I am nearly certain that I don't care for him as an actor, but he was at a career-best in this film. Burton was also at the top of his game, possibly due to his passion for the project, giving audiences an engaging look into an ignored director largely lost like the films in his career.

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marko161
1994/10/04

Ed Wood was the worst director of all time, but you must admit, his love for film was unbounded, and that counts for a lot. I sometimes think that some directors today are missing the affection that Wood showed, and are quite willing to put out something that may not be as bad as e.g. Plan 9, but is certainly in cases unwatchable, as though they don't particularly care about the product that they have unleashed upon us. Ed Wood believed in the films he released, and loved everything about the business. If he had the talent to match his enthusiasm, he would have been one of the best writer-producer- directors who ever lived.

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Mr-Fusion
1994/10/05

I've seen the train wreck that is "Plan 9 from Outer Space", which makes "Ed Wood" feel like an eye-opener. Is this true to life? Clearly not, but it's all shot up with so much whimsy and biting dialogue that you honestly don't care. Johnny Depp plays Wood with a cock-eyed optimism, and that positive spirit is what brings out the humor in his many failures. That, and a zest for angora sweaters.It's a modest movie, even with such a strong cast (particularly Martin Landau) and I love that it's uncharacteristic of Tim Burton. But of his collaborations with Depp, this is easily my favorite and never fails to leave me with a smile.A fine movie indeed.9/10

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