Coming off the enormous success of ‘Batman’ and the ensuing backlash against ‘Batman Returns’. Director Tim Burton quietly delivered a modestly budgeted, b&w film set in the 1950’s, about a cross dressing filmmaker on the fringes of Hollywood. The film was a resounding Box Office failure. It did however garner Martin Landau, magnificent here as former star and junkie ‘Bela Lugosi’, an Oscar for best Supporting Actor 1994. Back when it wasn’t fashionable to think of Johhny Depp as the greatest Chamelon-actor of our generation. Burton was using him to full potential, Depp’s embodiment of Ed Wood results in arguably his greatest performance to date. He injects that character with an unwavering enthusiasm along with an endless amount of optimism and eagerness. Burton for the first time in his career toned down the overt art design and placed his trust in the excellent screenplay by Scott Alexander and Larry Karaszewski. The relationship between Wood and fading star Lugosi is the heart of the film, which in turn provides an emotional edge rare in most of Burton’s other work. The joy of movie-making pours out of every frame. Easily Tim Burton and Johnny Depp’s finest collaboration.
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