Ed Wood MPAA Rating: R Entertainment: +2 Content: -2 1/2

This comedy docudrama tells the true life story of Edward D. Wood, Jr. (Johnny Depp) who has been dubbed "Hollywood's Worst Director" of all time. It starts in the 1950's in Hollywood where young Ed is producing some corny stage plays and trying desperately to get into movies. He becomes friends with the aging Bela Lugosi (Martin Landau) and tries to develop some movies featuring this once great Dracula actor. Ed tries all sorts of ways to obtain investors for his low budget movies and manages to convince a few. The ones he does get financed are so corny and inept they never are finished or turn out to be colossal flops. In particular, one of his science fiction cheapies called "Plan 9 from Outer Space" is so bad it's hilarious. But Ed is the eternal optimist who never gives up. However, he has a strange desire to wear women's clothes and on occasion appears on the movie set or in public dressed as a woman. This is good for some laughs, but it also poses personal problems, such as the alienation of his closest girlfriend. All of the comical antics of Ed's movie career and Landau's colorful portrayal of Bela Lugosi make for a fairly entertaining film. However, because of its limited appeal, it probably will be considered a cult film.

Since a major theme of the film is Ed's transvestite tendencies, a number of sexually suggestive quips and comical remarks find their way into the dialogue. However, no sexual activity is shown and nudity is confined to an occasional woman in her undergarments or low cut dress. Though a transvestite, Ed is not a homosexual and declares that he definitely is interested in women. And he remains true to his girlfriends as long as they will put up with him. Ed is a kind, caring soul and helps Bela Lugosi through some difficult financial times and his addiction to morphine. In one intense scene, Lugosi is shown in a hospital writhing in pain from his addiction . The language in ED WOOD is disturbing with obscenities and profanities used angrily or comically on numerous occasions. Even so, Ed and his friends are not severely degenerate as is the case with many characters in today's film, but their behavior is often crude and offensive. ED WOOD deserves its R rating.

Preview Reviewer: John Evans
Distributor: Buena Vista Distribution, 3900 W. Alameda Ave., Burbank, CA 91521