Subject: REVIEW: ED WOOD

From: [email-masked] (Eric Grossman)
Date: Wed, 5 Oct 1994 14:23:41 GMT

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

				  ED WOOD
		       A film review by Eric Grossman
		   Copyright 1994 LOS ANGELES INDEPENDENT

     Transvestites, flying-saucers, and alien grave-robbers, how could
anyone ask for more?  Director Tim Burton's latest effort, ED WOOD
offers all of this and yes, far, far more.  Burton (BATMAN, EDWARD
SCISSORHANDS) has always been a director who is long on mood and
atmosphere but short on story skills.  For ED WOOD, Burton comes in
swinging not only with his usual arsenal of visuals but also with a
strong narrative to tell this story of a cross-dressing B, or make that
C-movie filmmaker.

     Johnny Depp, a good actor who does not mind risky roles, plays Ed
Wood, the director who is remembered for making one of the best, worst
films of all time, PLAN 9 FROM OUTER SPACE.  Depp's performance is a
caricature but he is successful in bringing out a deeper emotionalism
that makes us genuinely like Ed.  Struggling to make it in Hollywood as
an actor/writer and director, just like his idol Orson Wells, Ed is
able to convince a B-movie producer to allow him  to make a film about
a man who becomes a woman.  Ed believes he is the best for the job
because he himself likes to wear women's clothing, especially angora
sweaters.  Ed makes his first film, GLEN OR GLENDA?, in which he
stars with his girlfriend Dolores Fuller (Sara Jessica Parker).  After
giving Dolores the script, Ed confesses to her that he has an affinity
for wearing women's garments.  Shocked and confused, Dolores is at
least comforted when she learns why her angora sweaters always seemed
to be mysteriously stretched out.  As much as she tries, Dolores can
never accept Ed's non-conformist behavior and ultimately their
relationship does not survive.  However, Ed does meet Kathy O'Hara
(Patricia Arquette), a quiet, sweet woman who understands that Ed's
desire to cross-dress is not a perversion, but is instead a way for him
to express his deep love for women.

     The true treat of the film is Martin Landau who plays famous
DRACULA star, Bela Lugosi.  Delivering a performance full of warmth,
humor and sorrow, Landau once again proves that he is one of the best
character actors working today.  Long forgotten by the Hollywood
machine that "chews you up and spits you out," Lugosi's career and life
is on the rocks.  In a chance encounter, Ed meets Lugosi and a deep
friendship begins.  Their relationship is the backbone of the story as
they inspire and aid each other in times of need.  In addition to his
charm and other endearing qualities, screenwriters Scott Alexander and
Larry Karaszewski do not gloss over the fact that Lugosi was hooked on
morphine.  It is more than once that he calls Ed up in the middle of
the night, in a semi-conscious voice, begging for help.  For Ed, Lugosi
validates his "art" as well as being an important element in getting
his pictures made.  The friendship is a father/son relationship where
they each take turns being the father and the son.

     As we watch Ed try desperately to get his films made, we find
ourselves both laughing at him and admiring him for his courage.
It takes guts to make "your" film, especially when everyone thinks
it is garbage.  As bizarre and funny as it is, it takes guts to
admit you like to wear women's clothing and then walk out on the
set in a skirt, heels, and a wig while yelling "okay, everyone,
let's make this movie."  Finally, Ed is a portrait of pure
determination.  He is able to get PLAN 9 made by promising a Beverly
Hills Baptist church that their investment in a sci-fi/horror film
would bring enough profits to finance religious films.  As Bill
Murray's silly Bunny Beckinridge asks Ed, "How do you do it?  How do
you convince all your friends to get baptized just so you can make a
monster movie?"  The answer, charm and persistence.

     Like all of Burton's films, ED WOOD is pure eye-candy.  The
black-and-white cinematography is by Stefan Czapsky and the atmospheric
production design was created by Tom Duffield.  The serio-comic score
was composed by Howard Shore and the film was edited by Chris
Lebenzon.  Ed's angora sweaters and pumps as well as the other
character's outfits were put together by costume designer Colleen
Atwood.  Other cast members include Jeffrey Jones and Vincent D'Onofrio
in a small part as Orson Wells.

     As endearing as it is bizarre, ED WOOD is a very entertaining
movie that achieves what it aspires to be, an unconventional film about
an unconventional man.