Ed Wood, the enthusiasm of the worst director

Ed Wood was a director, screenwriter, actor and film producer who longed to see his creations on the big screen, going down in film history; and in a way, he did it. But perhaps not in the way he expected, but after his death, he was described as “the worst film director in history.” Your movie Pan 9 from outer space It was described, in turn, as the worst film in history and as the first of the Z cinema, a subgenre of B cinema, of poorer quality and a lower budget.

However, the passage of time has given Wood the recognition of a “cult director” and filmmakers such as John Waters and Tim Burton cite him among their influences. Was Ed Wood that bad? The truth is that the quality of his films leaves a lot to be desired.: inconsistencies in the script, continuity problems, exposed microphones, archive scenes, cardboard sets and endless problems that make his films anything but credible.

The rejection of Wood’s work by the production companies led to a very limited budget that, together with the few technological advances of the time, led to the poor quality of his films. It is true that he was no perfectionist and He cared little about errors or inconsistencies, he only shot one take and believed that cinema went beyond perfection, that everything was believable..

But despite his mistakes, there is something endearing in his films, a unique essence. Let us not leave aside the fact that, in the society of the 1950s, certain themes could be considered provocative and, as a consequence, many of his films would not be taken seriously. This is what happened with Glen or Glendaa film in which Wood intended to move with a personal story about cross-dressing, although it caused more laughter than shock.

Ed Wood: the biopic

In 1994, Tim Burton immersed himself in the adventure of bringing this director’s story to the big screen. Burton has cited influences from B cinema on countless occasions, especially horror, something that has been reflected throughout his entire filmography.

Among his influences, we find Ed Wood. Burton saw Plan 9 from outer space in his childhood and has good memories of it. His films may be riddled with mistakes, but there is one thing they don’t lack: enthusiasm.. And it is precisely that enthusiasm that Burton gives us in the biopic.

Unlike Wood, Burton is totally coherent and gives us a perfectly narrated film, enjoyable in all aspects. Burton had an exceptional script and experienced actors: Johnny Depp and a magnificent Martin Landau stand out. But not everything was rosy, because at the moment when Burton decided to shoot the film in black and white, problems arose with the production company that decided to disassociate itself from the project.

Burton wanted to capture the essence of the time, of Lugosi and the B movies of the 50s and, to do so, it was essential that the story be told in black and white. The film was released in 1994 and, although it did not receive good support at the box office, it was awarded two Oscars: best makeup and best supporting actor. Both awards linked to one of the key figures in the film: Bela Lugosi. The figure of the legendary actor came to life thanks to exceptional makeup (supported by black and white) and Landau’s sublime performance.

Ed Wood It is, for many, one of the best films in Burton’s filmography. We are talking about a work with personality, which has nothing to envy of the director’s other films and which manages to convey the essence of an era, the other side of Hollywood and recovers such significant figures as Lugosi or Wood himself.

A tribute to cinema

Beyond the tribute to Ed Wood, The film is a tribute to B cinema itself. The film is an ode to cinema, to the 50s, to black and white films and to the punished “old glories” of cinema such as Bela Lugosi. Already in the credits, we perceive a certain nostalgia, a certain magic that the most current cinema seems to have forgotten.

The film begins with tombstones on which the names of the actors are read, in true Wood style, images of tentacles and flying saucers appear; Next, dark music accompanies us to a dark and mysterious room. The camera enters the room in which a coffin stands out under a sinister window; Outside, the storm paints a dark scene.

The coffin opens and Jeffrey Jones appears, dressed as Criswell, to explain to us that what we are about to see is the true story of Ed Wood. This introduction, so characteristic of B cinema, is truly magnetic and ends with a brilliant movement of the camera through the window, that is, plunging us into the darkness of the storm. The final scene takes us back to the beginning, but with a reverse camera movement, returning us to the room and closing the coffin; something simply magical.

Another significant element is the Hollywood sign, present in several moments of the film, we see it high up, but accompanied by thunder and darkness. Inviting us to think that, perhaps, the mecca of cinema is not as wonderful as we have been led to believe. In contrast, Burton takes us to a very poor and rudimentary study, showing the other side of the industry, the cruelty of Hollywood. The entire film is a tribute, it is full of allusions and told in detail; a true gem with notes of humor and nostalgia.

Ed Wood: the personification of enthusiasm

Wood was characterized by his great love of cinema, by his passion, despite the fact that his talent was terribly questioned.. Ed Wood felt like Orson Welles, he was convinced that he could do something big, something important and he trusted in his abilities to function at the same time as a screenwriter, producer, director and actor.

In his film, Burton presents us with an endearing, innocent character, with the enthusiasm of a child. Wood, despite harsh criticism and adversity, never lost his smile, he believed in himself and continued shooting low-budget films.

He managed to establish a friendship with Bela Lugosi, the Hungarian actor who enjoyed great popularity for his portrayal of Dracula.. Burton saw in this friendship a reflection of what happened to him with Vincent Price, a very popular actor in horror films and to whom Burton, as Wood did with Lugosi, gave what would be the last role of his career.

Ed Wood was characterized by his charisma and that, despite rejection by the industry, he managed to join the forces of his closestwho were baptized to obtain funding from a religious group so that Wood could film Plan 9 from outer space. His unusual optimism consolidated him as a character that has sparked interest among the public. Without going any further, there is the Church of Ed Wood, a spiritual growth organization inspired by the figure of the filmmaker.

At the end of his life, that characteristic optimism faded and Wood died bankrupt and with serious alcohol problems.. Burton manages to capture the essence of the character and gives us a film full of optimism and hope. A nostalgic film that invites us to remember this peculiar director, to be optimistic in the face of adversity and to think that, perhaps, in other times, Wood’s destiny would have been different.

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