It's a shame that, when all is said and done, Johnny Depp will likely be remembered for his work in films like Pirates of the Caribbean and Alice in Wonderland. He and Tim Burton are a match made in heaven, to be sure, but at this point it's become too much of a good thing. They hold each other back, allowing each other to coast and continue to do the same old same old. But back in the early 90s, their collaborations were fresh and new, and one of their strongest efforts was 1994's Ed Wood. Johnny Depp starred as the infamously terrible director Ed Wood, who was blessed with literally no artistic ability, but tons of enthusiasm and optimism to make up for it. He got truly horrible science-fiction films made through the sheer force of his personality, and Depp is able to capture that larger-than-life presence the way few other actors could. The film also features Oscar-winner Martin Landau as the troubled Bela Lugosi, helping Ed Wood to reach heights that pay tribute to the director who has become as much beloved as his films are maligned.
Audrey Fox is an ex-film student, which means that she prefers to spend her days in the dark, watching movies and pondering the director's use of diegetic sound. She currently works as an entertainment writer, joyfully rambling about all things film and television related. Add her on Twitter at @audonamission and check out her film blog at 1001moviesandbeyond.com.
