Ed Wood: The Worst Director Ever

Ed Wood was a film director, screenwriter, actor and producer who wanted nothing more than to see his works on the movie screen and become a part of film history.

In a way, he achieved that, but probably not as he had expected. After his death, critics called him “one of the worst directors of all time.” They also called his film Plan 9 from Outer Space the worst of all time. That film inspired the concept of “Z-movie”, a version of a B-movie of even lower quality.

But over time, Wood has become a cult figure in the film world. Important filmmakers such as John Waters and Tim Burton mention him as an influence. Was Ed Wood really that bad? His films had quite a few problems: holes in the plot, script shortcomings, microphones in the picture, cardboard sets and other things that made them hard to believe.

Producers rejected Wood’s work, which meant that his films had very low budgets. This, combined with the poor technology of the time, was a major reason why his films were of such poor quality.

But he was also not a perfectionist, nor was he too worried about error and inconsistency. He only filmed with the belief that movies went beyond perfection, that everything in them was believable.

Despite all his faults, there is something captivating about his films, which is unique. At that time (1950s) many of his themes were seen as provocative and were not taken seriously. This is what happened to Glen or Glenda . Wood tried to tell a sincere, personal story about a crossdresser, but people saw it as a comedy.

Ed Wood : The biographical film

In 1994, Tim Burton released his film about Ed Wood’s life. Burton has often talked about the influence B-movies (especially horror) had on him. We can definitely see this in his movies.

Ed Wood was one of those influences. Burton saw Plan 9 from Outer Space as a child and had fond memories of it. Woods films may be full of flaws, but they are also full of enthusiasm. This is exactly the enthusiasm Burton brought to his film about the director’s life.

Unlike Wood, Burton is a consistent director, and the film is perfectly designed and funny in every sense. He had a fantastic script and experienced actors, such as Johnny Depp and Martin Landau. But it was not just joy and glee. When Burton said he would film the film in black and white, the producer decided to quit the project.

He wanted to capture the essence of the time, the feeling of Bela Lugosi and the 1950s B-movies. For that he had to film in black and white. The film was not very successful when it came out in 1994. However, it won an Oscar for best makeup and hair, and for best supporting role.

Both of these awards have to do with one of the most important characters in the film: Bela Lugosi. This legendary actor came to life thanks to the spectacular make-up and Landau’s fantastic acting.

Many people consider Ed Wood to be Tim Burton’s best film. It has tons of personality and stands out even among all his other films. He managed to convey the essence of the dark side of Hollywood and portrayed Lugosi and Wood beautifully.

A tribute to the film

Burton’s film was more than just a tribute to Ed Wood. It was also a tribute to B-movies. It’s an ode to film, the ’50s, and “old classics” in film, such as Bela Lugosi. Immediately from the opening sequence, it has a magic and nostalgia that movies today seem to have lost.

The style is pure Ed Wood. The film starts with pictures of tombstones with the actors’ names written on them and pictures of tentacles and flying saucers. Then the scary music takes us to a dark, mysterious room. The camera then shows us a coffin under a scary window with a storm raging outside it.

The coffin opens and The Amazing Criswell (played by Jeffrey Jones) shows up to tell us that what we’re going to see is the true story of Ed Wood’s life. This classic B-movie introduction is completely captivating, and ends with panning the camera and zooming in on the window, taking the viewer into the depths of the storm.

The last scene in the film takes us straight back to the beginning, but in reverse order. It zooms out and returns us to the room. Then the coffin is closed. Simply magical.

Another part we love is the Hollywood sign, which appears several times in the film, surrounded by lightning and darkness. It makes you wonder if the film’s mecca is really as amazing as many of us think. Burton then creates a sharp contrast by showing us a small, simple apartment, symbolic of the dark side of Hollywood.

Ed Wood: Epitome of Enthusiasm

Wood was passionate and had a deep love of film. But people always questioned his talent. He felt like Orson Welles and was sure he could do something big, something important. He was so confident in himself that he also worked as his own screenwriter, producer and actor.

Burton’s film presents Wood as a captivating, innocent man with childlike hopes and dreams. Despite all the harsh criticism and setbacks, Wood never lost his smile. He believed in himself and continued to make films no matter how small the budget was.

At one point, he became friends with Bela Lugosi, the Hungarian-American actress who was popular for his portrayal of Dracula. Burton saw in that friendship a reflection of what happened to him and Vincent Price, a popular horror actor who Burton gave the last role in his career, as Wood did with Lugosi.

Wood was charismatic and his friends helped him endure the industry’s rejection. They actually baptized themselves to get funding from a religious group so that Wood could film Plan 9 from Outer Space . His incredible optimism has made him a cult figure. There is even a church that worships him now.

Towards the end of his life, Wood’s optimism began to fade, and he died as a poor alcoholic. Fortunately, Burton managed to capture his essence and make a film filled with the tremendous optimism and hope.

It’s a nostalgic film that allows us to appreciate this strange director, have hope in difficult times, and wonder what Wood’s life would be like if he had been born in another time.