Ed Wood

      Lights! Camera! ACTION! Today, I'll be reviewing Tim Burton's Ed Wood, starring Burton regular, Johnny Depp, Sarah Jessica Parker (Hocus Pocus and Sex and the City), the late Martin Landau (North by Northwest), Bill Murray (Ghostbusters), and Patricia Arquette (Boyhood).
    This is a true story about a misunderstood filmmaker named Edward D. Wood Jr. (Depp) who wants to fulfill his dream on making great movies but comes out too weird. Ed Wood had no money, he didn't own a movie studio, and just happens to enjoy wearing women's clothing. One day, he stumbles upon horror movie legend Bela Lugosi (Landau). The two of them became fast friends. Over the course of their friendship, Ed learns that Lugosi had an addiction to pain killers and tries to get him help, but to no avail. We witness the bizarre journey Ed takes trying to secure money to complete his film-making passion. His ideas include having a Baptist church support the film production, having transvestites featured in his movies, getting Vampira (played by Lisa Marie), an early version of  Elvira, and a wrestler (played by the late George "The Animal" Steele) to be in his movie, even throwing wacky parties. Even though most of his works are failures, Ed Wood never gave up.

      What I love about this movie is that it's about movie making, which I always had a passion for. Also, I loved the fact that the movie is in black and white because it captures the theme of the movie, a 1950s Hollywood low budget production. Let's not forget the actors' performances such as Johnny Depp playing the role of the eccentric Ed Wood. Martin Landau's performance as the legendary Bela Lugosi, it's as if he was the real life Lugosi! Not to mention the fact that he won an Oscar for his performance as this Hollywood horror legend. I also found it surprising that Bill Murray was in a Tim Burton movie! I mean, I know Bill Murray has been in a lot of stuff over the years, but a Tim Burton movie? No way! Murray actually played his character very well. This movie is everything! It showed me the do's and don't's of movie making.

                 Parents Guide: This movie is rated R for suggestive elements and language. Ed always likes to wear woman's clothing. There is a scene where Sarah Jessica Parker throws household objects at Depp angrily, for comical purposes. A young boy gropes a woman's breasts as a dirty trick.

                 Did You Know?: Production for this movie cost MORE than any of Ed Wood's actual movies. Tim Burton was drawn to this story because of the friendship he had with his idol, Vincent Price. Martin Landau's face had to be painted white to capture the black and white film stock. This was Tim Burton's first R rated movie.

Johnny Depp as Ed Wood and Martin Landau as Bela Lugosi.