10. Ed Wood
Budget: $18,000,000 Worldwide Box Office: $5,887,457
A semi-biopic of the life of director Ed Wood and his relationship with actor Bela Lugosi provides an eccentric look at the peculiar world of 50s exploitation films. Directed by Tim Burton, the film both demonstrates Woods initial rise to create film and the mocking he received from his results, with film never stooping so low as to mock Wood, instead inciting a celebration of his work. The strength of the film lies within its character, with Johnny Depp as the eponymous Ed Wood and Martin Landau as Bela Lugosi, which provides a juxtaposition of fevered enthusiasm, charm and stoic disposition. The script, providing a wit and sharp edge in its dark humour, exploits its setting and characters perfectly and through a wonderfully diverse band of secondary characters including a career changing performance by Bill Murray, the world Burton creates is to be marvelled. From its budget of $18 million, the film made just under $6 million at the box office domestically. The way the film was shot, utilising black and white effectively may have been one reason why the film was overseen on release, failing to attract a large audience. Thankfully, years since its release it remains a high point in both the careers of Tim Burton and Johnny Depp and will remain a cult classic for years to come. Landaus performance landed him the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor.