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| Johnny as the B-movie director. |
Both Tim Burton and Ed Wood share a number of aspects as directors. Wood's originality conveyed an uneasy feeling with the other artists of that time because they did not understand it or him. That rejection to conformity inspired Burton, and his film Ed Wood greatly exemplifies the respect in which Burton gives off to Wood. Ed Wood refused to conform to Hollywood norms. The films he directed were of pitiful quality, according to the people of his time. But his films were of the quality and material that he loved. He found his work to be beautiful because he did not allow people to become a hindrance to his creativity. This is something that Tim Burton greatly respects about Wood. Burton found it very difficult to conform to the standards expected of him at Disney. Once he broke away from the Disney world, he was able to focus on his personal values as a director and animator. Another quality that allowed Burton to truly relate to Wood is the fact that Bela Lugosi was someone Wood both looked up to and took care of. Vincent Price is Burton's equivalent, though Price is much more of a mentor to Burton than Lugosi was to Wood. I think another thing that enables Burton to relate to Wood, was Wood's ability to use imagination and ingenuity to achieve the completion of his films. Burton is a director who relies on and appreciates the free creative process, and this is something that Wood completely embodied as a director. Burton truly embodies Wood's vision in his film by using scenes either directly from Wood's films, or creating sets and stages that resemble those Wood had access to. Johnny Depp also does a wonderful job of capturing the true nature of Wood's spontaneous and confident nature. Burton also shot the film in black and white, a very obvious homage to Wood's directing skills. Although Burton is a more widely accredited director, both men had struggles breaking into the volatile Hollywood scene. Both directors films receive harsh criticisms in their beginning stages, but today both are respected directors. I personally believe Tim Burton is the better director, but I respect the artistry that Ed Wood believed in.
Burton and Wood have many things in common, but that is not the only thing that draws Burton to this man. Burton actually understands him as a person, and understands why he did some of the things that he did. Other people do not get it, but Burton sees how Wood’s strive for reality in all of his films corresponds to his odd film-making. He understands how Wood uses imagination and optimism to keep himself going and producing what he believes is art. Like you said, Burton can definitely relate. Burton was not always the famous producer and director that he is today. At one point, Burton felt suffocated and forced to be someone who he really was not while working at Disney. That is why Burton can admire Wood for always doing what he believed. Despite all the negativity and bad critiques, Wood always strived to make films. If Burton would have allowed Disney to sculpt him into what they wanted, Burton would be a nobody today and probably still miserably working for Disney. The moral of Burton directing Ed Wood is to show people to always pursue all of our hopes and dreams despite what society has to say.
ReplyDelete-Asenath Babineaux
I get what you are saying, Akeem. Beauty is in the eye of the beholder. If Ed Wood liked his own movies, then they were masterpieces - no matter what anyone else said. Wood, like Burton, makes movies that he feels a connection to, not just what Hollywood wants him to do. Though he wanted desperately to enter into the Hollywood studio system, he never got that shot – but, if that meant he could not make his own movies, then I am not so sure he would have enjoyed being in the Hollywood studio system. Though his movies are not the best (to be honest, I was not able to get through Plan 9 from Outer Space), it was what he enjoyed, and, as evidenced by the fact that he knew every single line word for word of his movies, he felt a strong, intimate connection to his movies that I do not think the average filmmaker feels.
ReplyDeleteCharles Elkins
Hello Akeem. I like what you are saying. I think Burton used his skills as an artist to make this work unique and beautiful in its own right. However I do not feel like Burton truly had his audience in mind when he created Ed Wood. I think it is good though that you have pointed out all the beauty and creativity of the film regardless of its audience appeal. I think it is great that art, film, theatre, etc. have developed past a point of relevance merely as entertaining works. Directors, like Burton, are really starting to require their audiences to ‘do their homework’ before passing judgment. I am glad that you find the beauty in Burton’s tribute to Ed Wood. However; I have to admit, I would be sad if Burton, and other directors, began only making films for art’s sake and stopped catering to the ‘less thinking’ audience.
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