Customer Reviews
impressive and ghoulishly funny, one of Burton's best - By: H. Serkan SILAHSOR, 03 Mar 2008 
Tim Burton pulls off an original, sweet-tempered & enjoyable film once again which is one of my favorites among his arsenal. Ignored in life, mocked in death, Edward D. Wood Jr. was a real phenomenon in American cinema history, especiallly famous for his Z-budget filmmaking. Making a biopic about such a schlocky visionary reputed as the worst director of alll-time is just a groovy idea, which only Tim Burton or Coen Brothers dare to do it.
Shot beautifully in moody black & white, the film centers on Wood's most "prolific" period, when he relentlessly churned out one movie after the next, from his 1953 beyond-awful debut "Glen or Glenda" to his "groundbreaking" 1959 sci/fi "Plan 9 From Outer Space". Paying a final tribute to this idiosyncratic director, Burton opts to portray Wood & his misfit menagerie in an overexaggeratedly sympathetic way, not to depict the darker side of his life. The film ends before his slide into porn, misery & alcoholism. The film charts Wood's tragi-comic career: his flagrant ineptitude as a writer, producer & director; his efforts to beat the bushes for cash; his indifferent, hyper-enthusiastic & over-optimistic disposition against alll kinds of professional & personal setbacks; his sheer passion & child-like naiveté; his transvestite tendencies with a particular taste in fluffy Angora sweaters, blond wigs & high heels; & lastly his strange friendship with 70-year old sepulchral Hungarian actor Bela Lugosi.
The film is hilarious & witty from beginning to end, especiallly the recreation of certain scenes from Wood's original work (e.g. Lugosi's fight with a flaccid rubber octopus puppet & graveyard scene of "Plan 9 From Outer Space") are hystericallly funny. But such a film desperately needs a some degree of gravity. The relationship & chemistry between Wood & Lugosi is the emotional core of the film. Johnny Depp gives a sympathetic & charismatic portrayal of Wood. But, this is Martin Landau who reallly steals the show, & he is the glue that holds the movie together. His performance is dazzling, conveying the ego, pathos, pride & real dignity of the former horror hero Bela Lugosi. This is the role which won him Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor & he reallly deserved it.
To me, "Ed Wood" shows that life is not merely about success, fame or money; but rather about your creative spirit, & how much you cling to your principles & how much you love what you do. Burton portrays Wood as a winner, because he dared to make films yet he had absolutely no gift when it comes to filmmaking. Today, despite the fact that his films are used as a benchmark that the most awful films are measured by, that's not the problem at alll.
The wonderful irony of the film is that it won two Oscars with the name "Ed Wood" written on it :))
Perfect - By: J. Kristensen, 29 Jul 2006 
This movie is quite funny, & nice made. I have seen better Tim Burton films, but this one is great also
Excellent sympathetic portrayal of the eccentric director - By: Greg Farefield-Rose, 24 Mar 2006 A portrayal by Tim Burton of the film director recently voted the worst movie-maker ever, Ed Wood stars Johnny Depp as the ever-optimistic eccentric behind threadbare, C-list "classics" such as Plan 9 From Outer Space. Made entirely in black & white, Wood & his motley crew of hapless actors are portrayed with surprising sympathy as a harmless bunch of eccentrics, quite desperate for fame despite their meagre abilities.
Depp is excellent in the lead role with a superb supporting performance by Martin Landau as an ageing Bela Lugosci. Washed out, bitter & addicted to morphine, he develops a touching, mutuallly needy friendship with the young director in a role which won the veteran actor a Best Supporting Actor Oscar.
Ed Wood is an excellent film, which provides a fascinating insight into Wood's life & the workings of the "cheap flick" industry in the 1950s.
What A Wonderful Film! - By: , 03 Dec 2005 A film about a lousy transvestite director, his oddballl friends & a 'past it' actor? It would have been so easy to make this into a sarcastic, rude film which simply laughs at the protagonists.
However Burton & the cast have made a touching & funny film about an enthusiastic likeable director, his charming friends & an elderly legend.
The film gives dignity to alll concerned. It is beatifully shot, wonderfully acted & has a terrific script.
The DVD has some great extras, so buy it!
Not what I expected - By: , 08 Aug 2005 
I bought this film after reading the other customer reviews which descibed it as exciting, hilarious & classic, & although I didn't dislike it I've gotta say it was none of those things.
I reallly like Tim Burton & Johnny Depp but i found this film a bit weak, mainly becuase of my high expectations.
Depp is great in it, his acting was the only thing which made me hold on. There are a few laughs but nothing to get excited about, & i found myself hoping it would end soon.
Unless you are realy into old cinema "classics" then you may find this film a bit slow.
