Subject: REVIEW: ED WOOD

From: [email-masked] (Ben Hoffman)
Date: Mon, 3 Oct 1994 13:09:05 GMT

[Followups directed to rec.arts.movies.  -Moderator]

				 ED WOOD
		       A film review by Ben Hoffman
			Copyright 1994 Ben Hoffman

     Edward D. Wood, Jr. was in love with filmmaking.  He flourished,
if that is the word, in the 1950s through 1961.

     Wood, unfortunately, had no talent for directing,  Too bad he was
unaware of it, making one miserably inept film after another.  These
are the titles: BRIDE OF THE MONSTER, GLEN OR GLENDA, JAIL BAIT, THE
SINISTER URGE, NIGHT OF THE GHOULS, and the one he thought would bring
him fame, PLAN 9 FROM OUTER SPACE.

     Three of his films starred Bela Lugosi who himself had begun to
confuse his real life with that of his film roles as the eerie,
sinister Dracula.  Eventually, Lugosi died of drug addiction. The one
reason to see the film is Martin Landau's interpretation of Lugosi.
Beautiful.

     Director Tim Burton says of Ed Wood, "There's something beautiful
about somebody who does what they love to do, no matter how misguided,
and remains optimistic and upbeat against the odds." I would argue that
it is far from beautiful and that insane asylums are filled with people
who cannot face reality.

     Burton adds, "We're not making fun of Wood (a cross-dresser) nor
of his transvestitism.  I really care about these people."  All well
and good but just showing Wood's utter ineptness in making films and
walking around in women's clothes is making him the subject of
ridicule.  I do not think that making fun of someone, who is already a
pathetic figure, is tasteful, despite the protestations.

     The film surprisingly ends up-beat, omitting that Wood eventually
ended up making porno films and becoming an alcoholic.  Johnny Depp
(WHAT'S EATING GILBERT GRAPE. BENNY AND JOON) does well enough as Wood
though he could have been a bit more quirky.

     Bill Murray has a small part as Bunny Breckenridge who is thinking
of getting a sex change.  We could have done without Murray.  Again, it
is Martin Landau's performance that stands out.  Sara Jessica Parker is
Wood's girlfriend.

2 bytes
4 Bytes = Absolutely must see.
3 Bytes = Too good to be missed.
2 Bytes = So so.
1 Byte  = Save your money.

Ben Hoffman