Narrative: Ed Wood (1994) Review

Fig 1. Ed Wood (1994) Film Poster

Tim Burton pays tribute to the one of a kind creative spirit of Edward D. Wood Jnr. In a biopic about the man that is arguably the world's worst filmmaker and the director behind the cult classics “Plan 9 from Outer Space” and “Glen or Glenda”. Ed Wood, a charming amateur with Orson Welles aspirations and a shortage of talent, truly gain his success and his films gained their infamy and cult status in the early 1980s after his death in 1978.

Fig. 2 Ed Wood (1994) Film Still

The film is shot entirely in black and white, showing the bizarre career of Ed Wood as a writer, actor, director and producer. Ed Wood himself as a director had a vision, of his greatness as a filmmaker, an equal to his inspiration Orson Welles and to aspire to have the same approval with his first film, Glen or Glenda, as Orson received for Citizen Kane. Sadly, though what Ed Wood had in enthusiasm and convincing nature, he lacked talent when it comes to producing films.

 

Fig. 3 Ed Wood (1994) Film Still

"Technically, "Ed Wood" is a feast on a par with Burton's previous films, but in black-and-white. Sensational models and Tom Duffield's production design brilliantly conjure up a Hollywood in transition between illustrious past and seedy present" (McCarthy,1994)

The script is excellent and this is a very interesting tale full of incredible characters with a story that strikes a good balance between drama and comedy. The way that Burton decided to shoot the film in black and white makes a remarkable impact, it would be hard to imagine this film working so well in colour.  “The direction is superb and Tim Burton brings his usual distinctive stamp to this film giving everything a slightly caricatured, realer than real feel.” (Hill, unknown) When you look through the works of Tim Burton, this would be the film that you would say is his most normal film. With a subject like this, Burton couldn’t really go too far out there, like most of his other films. The thing Ed Wood had some of the oddest characters from any Burton film, which shows that sometimes real life can be much more entertaining than fiction.

List of Illustrations

Figure 1. Burtun, Tim (1994) Ed Wood Film Poster. http://www.theartofmovieposters.com/pages/gallery/Burton.htm (Accessed on 24/09/2011)

Figure 2. Burtun, Tim (1994) Ed Wood Film Still. http://www.allstarpics.net/0624161/011933088/ed-wood-1994-pic.html (Accessed on 24/09/2011)

Figure 2. Burtun, Tim (1994) Ed Wood Film Still. http://www.gamraii.com/2011/03/ed-wood-1994.html  (Accessed on 24/09/2011)

Bibliography

McCarthy, Todd (1994) Ed Wood Film Review. http://www.variety.com/review/VE1117903075/ (Accessed on 24/09/2011)

Hill, Simon (unknown) Ed Wood Film Review. http://www.celluloiddreams.co.uk/edwood.html (Accessed on 24/09/2011)