...most of the movie is really a tragedy about how a dying movie star has to demean himself making movies directed by a hack who doesn't even know that he's terrible.
Video:
The 1.85:1 anamorphic widescreen is an odd creature. There are times when handsome, sterling black-and-white cinematography takes your breath away. There are times when the movie is intentionally meant to mimic the low-grade film stock that Ed Wood might've used. Finally, there are times when you can see print damage in the form of specks, dust, scratches, and in one brief instance, a film frame actually cut in half! You know Buena Vista took its time releasing the movie on DVD--someone could've done a much better job than what we have in our hands.
Audio:
The Dolby Digital 5.1 English is front-heavy, as expected with a small-scale drama. The surrounds come into play only when there are thunderstorms, though the subwoofer participates in the action when Ed Wood's run-down car chokes and sputters its way on to the screen. Dialogue is crisp and clear, and Howard Shore's playful music score is done justice.
Optional English and Spanish subtitles as well as optional English closed captions support the audio.
Extras:
There's an audio commentary by Tim Burton, Martin Landau, cinematographer Stefan Czapsky, costume designer Colleen Atwood, and co-writers Scott Alexander and Larry Karaszewski. Making a movie like "Ed Wood" requires a certain kind of enthusiasm, and these people have it. Therefore, there's a lot of substantive information to be gained from their historical research. Oddly, the audio commentary may be more valuable than simply watching the movie itself!
"Let's Shoot This F#*%@r!" is a behind-the scenes featurette with Johnny Depp hosting and channeling Ed Wood. "Making Bela" offers interviews with Martin Landau and make-up designer Rick Baker discussing how efforts were coordinated in order to bring a convincing resemblance of the legendary actor to life. "Pie Plates Over Hollywood" examines how production designer Tom Duffield dealt with the challenges of making his first black-and-white movie and with designing sets that allowed the moviemakers to mimic Ed Wood's horrendous shooting style. There's a featurette devoted to composer Howard Shore's invocation of period-specific music, including his use of the theremin. (Shore doesn't address why one of Tchaikovsky's "Swan Lake" themes is quoted repeatedly.) There's a weird music video with Shore's music and dance choreography created specifically for the music video. Finally, you get some deleted scenes as well as the movie's theatrical trailer.
--Miscellaneous--
A glossy insert provides chapter listings.
Film Value:
Yes, "Ed Wood" is a loving tribute to a lousy moviemaker whose sole saving grace was his outsized enthusiasm for cinema, but the movie's worst flaw is one shared by every bad movie ever made--it's too long. Re-creations of Wood's shoots are longer than necessary in order for viewers to get the point, and seeing Wood do a bad job over and over again is numbing. Also, the movie becomes rather dull after Martin Landau's exit. Instead of the emotional range being experienced by Bela Lugosi, we get extended sequences of an ebullient Ed Wood acting like an oblivious goof (an unfunny one at that). This time, "it was meant to be bad" is not an excuse since Tim Burton is celebrating and not parodying Ed Wood. Johnny Depp and Martin Landau are great; how you respond to everything else depends on your generosity of mood.
The 1.85:1 anamorphic widescreen is an odd creature. There are times when handsome, sterling black-and-white cinematography takes your breath away. There are times when the movie is intentionally meant to mimic the low-grade film stock that Ed Wood might've used. Finally, there are times when you can see print damage in the form of specks, dust, scratches, and in one brief instance, a film frame actually cut in half! You know Buena Vista took its time releasing the movie on DVD--someone could've done a much better job than what we have in our hands.
Audio:
The Dolby Digital 5.1 English is front-heavy, as expected with a small-scale drama. The surrounds come into play only when there are thunderstorms, though the subwoofer participates in the action when Ed Wood's run-down car chokes and sputters its way on to the screen. Dialogue is crisp and clear, and Howard Shore's playful music score is done justice.
Optional English and Spanish subtitles as well as optional English closed captions support the audio.
Extras:
There's an audio commentary by Tim Burton, Martin Landau, cinematographer Stefan Czapsky, costume designer Colleen Atwood, and co-writers Scott Alexander and Larry Karaszewski. Making a movie like "Ed Wood" requires a certain kind of enthusiasm, and these people have it. Therefore, there's a lot of substantive information to be gained from their historical research. Oddly, the audio commentary may be more valuable than simply watching the movie itself!
"Let's Shoot This F#*%@r!" is a behind-the scenes featurette with Johnny Depp hosting and channeling Ed Wood. "Making Bela" offers interviews with Martin Landau and make-up designer Rick Baker discussing how efforts were coordinated in order to bring a convincing resemblance of the legendary actor to life. "Pie Plates Over Hollywood" examines how production designer Tom Duffield dealt with the challenges of making his first black-and-white movie and with designing sets that allowed the moviemakers to mimic Ed Wood's horrendous shooting style. There's a featurette devoted to composer Howard Shore's invocation of period-specific music, including his use of the theremin. (Shore doesn't address why one of Tchaikovsky's "Swan Lake" themes is quoted repeatedly.) There's a weird music video with Shore's music and dance choreography created specifically for the music video. Finally, you get some deleted scenes as well as the movie's theatrical trailer.
--Miscellaneous--
A glossy insert provides chapter listings.
Film Value:
Yes, "Ed Wood" is a loving tribute to a lousy moviemaker whose sole saving grace was his outsized enthusiasm for cinema, but the movie's worst flaw is one shared by every bad movie ever made--it's too long. Re-creations of Wood's shoots are longer than necessary in order for viewers to get the point, and seeing Wood do a bad job over and over again is numbing. Also, the movie becomes rather dull after Martin Landau's exit. Instead of the emotional range being experienced by Bela Lugosi, we get extended sequences of an ebullient Ed Wood acting like an oblivious goof (an unfunny one at that). This time, "it was meant to be bad" is not an excuse since Tim Burton is celebrating and not parodying Ed Wood. Johnny Depp and Martin Landau are great; how you respond to everything else depends on your generosity of mood.
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Average user rating (1-5):
[release]13035[/release]