Happy Halloween! The countdown is over and Halloween is finally upon us. Tonight, hopefully, you'll be relaxing, eating some candy, and watching a scary, or not-so-scary, movie. There are a lot of options for tonight and I hope I've been of some help. Here is my final recommendation to help bring an end to Shocktober:
Night 13: Happy, Happy Halloween! “Can your heart stand the shocking facts of the true story of Edward D. Wood Jr.?”
Ed Wood
I must confess I don’t know much about the real person of Ed Wood, so I don’t know how much of the movie or the characters is accurate or how much is embellishment. I don’t care. I love this movie, I love this Ed Wood. If you ever ask me if I
want to watch Ed Wood, no matter what
time of year it is, I will always say “yes,” even if I’ve just watched it. Ed Wood is one of my two favorite Tim Burton movies (the other is Big Fish)
and I think it might be his best film. Ed
Wood is a loving, nostalgic tribute not just to the worst director ever and
his movies, but also to movies in general, movie lovers, and misfits.
Ed Wood is filmed
in black and white in way that evokes the films of the 1950’s without calling
attention to its own style. The movie begins with a push-in on an old spooky house
in a thunderstorm with theremin music, just like an old spooky movie. Criswell emerges from a coffin to introduce the legend of Edward D. Wood, Jr. The enthusiasm
and joy that Johnny Depp exudes in playing Ed Wood also fills every scene of the movie. During
the opening titles sequence the camera flies over miniatures and cheap special
effects like flying saucers and an octopus, props that would be used in Wood’s
movies.
Wood works with the same group of friends and collaborators
on his films and even picks up a few new additions. They are a lovable band of
misfits. Bill Murray is great as Bunny Breckinridge; he manages to be both
subdued and flamboyant as the very “out" character who wants to be a woman.
Jeffery Jones plays Criswell, a TV psychic that makes outlandish predictions. “Ed,
this isn’t the real world. You’ve surrounded yourself with a bunch of weirdos,”
says Wood’s long suffering girlfriend, Dolores, played by Sarah Jessica Parker. She’s
supportive, but she can only take so much; she’s not a misfit like Wood and his
gang. She eventually leaves him, but Wood meets a wonderful match in Kathy, played by
Patricia Arquette. Late in the film Kathy tells the newly unemployed TV host Vampira, who is embarrassed to
be taking a part in Plan 9 from Outer Space, “Eddie’s the only fella in town
who doesn’t pass judgement on people.” Wood replies, “That’s right, if I did, I
wouldn’t have any friends."
The standout of Wood’s gang of misfits is Bela Lugosi, played excellently by Martin Landau. He deservedly won the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor that year. Wood is so in awe of Lugosi that to him Lugosi is still a star even though he is washed up, his heyday having long since passed. Landau’s portrayal of Lugosi is very funny and very poignant. He’s not ready to stop making movies but the mainstream has forgotten about him. Even though everyone tells him Lugosi is washed up, to Wood sticks by his new friend, even after he finds out Lugosi is a morphine addict. Wood is Lugosi’s number one fan, and becomes his caretaker. There is something sad but endearing about someone looking after their broken down hero. Lugosi and Wood bond over nostalgia for old horror movies. Lugosi tells him, “They don’t want the classic horror films anymore. Today it’s all giant bugs… Who would believe such nonsense?” Wood feels the same, “The old ones were much spookier; they had castles and full moons.” It’s a great scene. Ed Wood was able to make Lugosi’s last days less somber and less tragic by giving him a chance to be in movies again, even if they were regarded as some of the worst movies ever made. Lugosi started his career starring in some of the best horror movies of the 30’s and finished his career by being in some of the worst movies of the 50’s, but they are movies people still remember and even enjoy, for one reason or another.
The standout of Wood’s gang of misfits is Bela Lugosi, played excellently by Martin Landau. He deservedly won the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor that year. Wood is so in awe of Lugosi that to him Lugosi is still a star even though he is washed up, his heyday having long since passed. Landau’s portrayal of Lugosi is very funny and very poignant. He’s not ready to stop making movies but the mainstream has forgotten about him. Even though everyone tells him Lugosi is washed up, to Wood sticks by his new friend, even after he finds out Lugosi is a morphine addict. Wood is Lugosi’s number one fan, and becomes his caretaker. There is something sad but endearing about someone looking after their broken down hero. Lugosi and Wood bond over nostalgia for old horror movies. Lugosi tells him, “They don’t want the classic horror films anymore. Today it’s all giant bugs… Who would believe such nonsense?” Wood feels the same, “The old ones were much spookier; they had castles and full moons.” It’s a great scene. Ed Wood was able to make Lugosi’s last days less somber and less tragic by giving him a chance to be in movies again, even if they were regarded as some of the worst movies ever made. Lugosi started his career starring in some of the best horror movies of the 30’s and finished his career by being in some of the worst movies of the 50’s, but they are movies people still remember and even enjoy, for one reason or another.