Ed Wood (Special Edition)

Rating:
Summary: Maybe not the best, but not the best worst
Review: Other than the way it unfairly portrays minorities in the media, this film makes me think crazy about the way rehearsals are conducted in this country, i.e. THE GLASS CEILING and all other boundaries to minorities and genders, etc. I did like this movie because of its stylized, nerve-pounding drama workshops and his friends. I've been to Greece, but I've never seen the kind of AMAZING cinematography ;) like I've seen in this movie and NOT in this movie but I want to. If you like lawnmowers and movies starring George Peppard, then you'll love this movie, but I don't like it much. BEST MOVIE EVER!!! :)

Rating:
Summary: A Movie to Revel In
Review: Get out your angorra sweaters! "Ed Wood" is finally out on DVD!

In what has to be one of the most uncannily cast movies, Tim Burton has struck just the right chord with "Ed Wood." His biopic of the worst director who ever lived (not really: MST 3000 viewers know Coleman Francis is really the worst) captures the period of feel of the 1950s with Stefan Czapsky's moody and crisp cinematography and Howard Shore's excellent tongue-in-cheek score.

Actually, "Ed Wood" is the film that Ed Wood himself would have made if he were more talented. Basically, the story is a "making of" and "behind the scenes" movie that follows Wood's Z-movie Hollywood career, from "Glenn or Glenda?" to "Plan 9 From Outer Space." Burton portrays Wood very sympathetically through Johnny Depp's earnest acting: His message is that Wood was an unrecognized genius. Well, sub-genius, at least.

What really grabs the viewer though, is that the characters in this movie are so perfectly cast, that the actors actually *become* their characters: Jeffrey Jones is an eerily creepy Criswell; Bill Murray shows us the Myra side of John "Bunny" Breckinridge; George Steele is rotund, hairy, bald and inarticulate as Tor Johnson; and, Lisa Marie has just that anorexic Lillian Munster quality as Vampira.

But, Martin Landau as the aging, dying, addicted Bela Lugosi steals the show. Not just the facial mannerisms, the accent, the bombastic acting, are right on, but so is the spirit. Landau literally pours every bit of himself into the role. It's one of the few times the Academy gave the Oscar to the right guy, and Landau deserved it not just for this sterling performance, but for decades of impeccable acting, from "North by Northwest," to "Tucker" and "Crimes and Misdemeanors."

"Ed Wood" has just the right light touch for most of its subject matter, which makes it a bonafide popcorn flick. The scenes dealing with Lugosi's heroin addiction, though, show a darker side that -- fortunately -- doesn't wallow too far into total doom and gloom. Burton's portrayal of the friendship between Wood and Lugosi was very touching without being sappy. Upbeat Wood really believed that he could bring Lugosi out of depression and addiction. He literally was the last true friend Lugosi had on Earth.

The best part of this movie is that while it is the very embodiment of camp, it's a movie, through and through, never a film.

Ed himself wouldn't have had it any other way.

Rating:
Summary: Mediocre comedy,Not Burton's Best nor Worst
Review: When this film was released theatrically, a friend and I went to see it because the television ads made it look like a funny film. And while it does have it's funny moments, this isn't really a comedy, and it was nothing like we expected it to be. I'm not sure what my friend thought of the film, but I loved it. It tells the true story (with at least one exception) of Ed Wood -- a writer/director/producer/actor -- of what are widely regarded as some of Hollywood's worst films. But he comes across as an endearing character due to his enthusiasm and likable persona.

This is a great film, especially for Halloween (due to Wood's monster/alien themes). Oh, and the exception mentioned above: in real life, Ed Wood did not meet Orson Welles.

Rating:
Summary: Arguably Burton's Best
Review: "Ed Wood," with the possible exception of "Batman," is Tim Burton's best film. It's a very funny chronicle of the life of the titular transvestite Z-grade film director, focusing on his films with Bela Lugosi ("Plan 9," "Bride of the Monster," "Glen or Glenda"). Johnny Depp is hilarious as Wood, and Martin Landau is absolutely astonishing as Bela Lugosi, who provides the emotional core that seperates this from most of Burton's work. In addition, the black and white photography is beautiful, and evokes the essence of the period in which Wood's awful movies were made.
This long-delayed DVD from Touchstone is in its original 1.85:1 aspect ratio. The image is sharp with hardly any scratches. Sound is equally stellar, particularly in the opening credits.
Luckily, the disc is packed with extras. Most notable is a group commentary, in which Tim Burton and writers Scott Alexander and Larry Kareszewski (sic?) do most of the talking. Fans will also appreciate "Let's Shoot this F&%^&," a collection of behind-the-scenes footage hosted (rather campily) by Johnny Depp. Other featurettes are about the music, the production design, and the creation of Bela Lugosi (both with acting in makeup). There are five deleted scenes (and a hidden sixth one), one of which includes a cameo by longtime Ed Wood regular Paul Marco. A theatrical trailer and a memorable music video round out the extras.