Review – Ed Wood

John Waters once made a side-hand remark about making a biopic about Edward D. Wood Jr., suggesting the title “Look Back in Angora.” Frankly, it sounded more promising than the Tim Burton version turns out to be. The subject just needed Waters’ eye for camp rather than Burton’s talent with quirk. Martin Landau does a brilliant job as Bela Lugosi; not only does he do the accent flawlessly, but he brings a touching, human quality to the dying actor’s final movies. Johnny Depp’s treatment of the title role comes across as largely borrowed from the Jon Lovitz school of smirking line mutilation, but the rest of the cast bears up fairly well. Beyond that the story sort of tells itself. Ed Wood was one of the worst, weirdest movie directors ever, so his tale naturally makes a good movie. Mildly amusing