Ed Wood Blu-ray Review

Tim Burton's "Ed Wood" receives an impressive 1080p, AVC-encoded Blu-ray transfer that effectively captures the film's unique aesthetic. The black-and-white imagery, shot by cinematographer Stefan Czapsky, leverages the benefits of deep blacks and finely differentiated shades of gray to produce a high level of detail. This is particularly evident in the textures of angora sweaters and the deterioration of Bela Lugosi, as well as the meticulous recreations of Wood’s characteristic film sets. Sharpness is consistently superior without the artificial enhancement issues that often plague high-definition transfers. The natural grain pattern remains undisturbed, offering an authentic filmic texture. However, some occasional video noise, akin to aliasing, appears in a few instances, though it is limited and does not mar the overall viewing experience.

The visual presentation starts robustly with a faithful translation of Burton’s B-movie influenced style and retains it throughout most of the runtime. The source print is notably free from damage or wear, contributing to a clean and engaging viewing experience. While most scenes exhibit a moderate amount of natural grain, providing a nice texture, there are rare shots that display a slight waxy or smeary quality—indicative of potential over-processing. Black levels are generally deep and inky but can occasionally crush details in darker portions of the screen, which seems to be more related to the original cinematography rather than a fault of the digital transfer. A very subtle instance of banding is present at one point in the film but is scarcely noticeable. Overall, Disney's Blu-ray release offers a highly detailed and faithful representation of "Ed Wood," honoring Burton’s cinematic homage to 50s genre films and ensuring its unique visual style is aptly preserved for high-definition audiences.

The audio presentation of "Ed Wood" on Blu-ray features a robust English DTS-HD MA 5.1 soundtrack, with additional French Dolby Digital 5.1 and Spanish Dolby Digital 2.0 tracks. It also includes English SDH, Spanish, and French subtitles. Technically proficient yet restrained, this mix sticks closely to the front three channels, offering clear and full-bodied dialogue, and a well-defined soundstage for Howard Shore’s theremin-infused score, which stands as a distinct highlight.

While the sound editing is commendable for its clarity and nuanced effects within the front channels, the rear activity is nearly non-existent, falling short of a comprehensive 5.1 experience. Despite the overall lack of surround sound immersion, the dynamic range remains impressively wide, with LFE response providing a strong, natural rumble when required. The mix aligns well with the film’s vintage aesthetic, presenting sound in a manner befitting the low-budget 50s Z-movie style that Ed Wood is known for.

Overall, while this audio mix is faithful to the film’s period-specific atmosphere and delivers technically strong performance across front channels, it does not capitalize on the full potential of a 5.1 surround sound setup. Viewers should temper their expectations for rear channel activity and instead appreciate the meticulous front-channel execution and its fitting accompaniment to Shore’s dynamic score.

The Blu-Ray extras for "Ed Wood" effectively capture the essence of Tim Burton's homage to the titular film director and his quirky cast of characters. The highlight is the comprehensive audio commentary, where Director Tim Burton, star Martin Landau, and other key contributors offer nuanced insights into the film's development and production. This track ingeniously intersperses individual interviews, giving a multi-faceted perspective on the creative process. Also noteworthy are five amusing deleted scenes that expand on various subplots, offering a deeper glimpse into Ed Wood's eccentric world. Featurettes such as "Let's Shoot This F#*%@r!" and "The Theremin" enrich the viewer's understanding of on-set dynamics and musical choices. Each extra, presented in standard definition with Dolby Digital 2.0 audio, ensures a rich and engaging experience.

Extras included in this disc:

• Audio Commentary with Cast and Filmmakers: In-depth discussion featuring Tim Burton, Martin Landau, Scott Alexander, Larry Karaszewski, Stefan Czapsky, and Colleen Atwood.
• Deleted Scenes: Five scenes providing extended and additional insights.
• Music Video Composed by Howard Shore: Includes Howard Shore’s composition with fittingly campy visuals.
• Let's Shoot This F#*%@r!: Behind-the-scenes footage predominantly showcasing Johnny Depp and the cast during the movie's production.
• The Theremin: Featurette on the unique electronic instrument used in the film’s score.
• Making Bela: Discussion with Martin Landau and make-up artist Rick Baker about transforming Landau into Bela Lugosi.
• Pie Plate Over Hollywood: Production designer Tom Duffield shares insights on creating the film’s distinct visual style.
• Theatrical Trailer: Original promotional trailer for "Ed Wood".
• Sneak Peaks: Trailers for various Disney properties and an anti-smoking PSA.

Tim Burton's "Ed Wood" is an endearing and eccentric biographical film centered on the bizarre filmmaking exploits of the titular character, played by Johnny Depp. With a modest $18 million production budget, "Ed Wood" presented financial challenges, but it ultimately earned Disney two Oscars, thanks to Martin Landau's portrayal of Bela Lugosi and Rick Baker's makeup work. Burton abstained from his usual method of storyboarding, focusing instead on collaborating with the cast. This shift underscored his underappreciated skill in directing actors, which shines through the film’s strong ensemble performances and complex characters.

The film spans Edward D. Wood Jr.'s career during the 1950s, showcasing his unique but often inept attempts at filmmaking. Notably, it highlights the making of "Glen or Glenda," "Bride of the Monster," and the infamous "Plan 9 from Outer Space." Showcasing his boundless enthusiasm, the film highlights Wood's ability to continue filming despite repeated failures. A chance encounter between Wood and Bela Lugosi forms the emotional core of the movie, resulting in a poignant depiction of their unique relationship. Depp’s portrayal of Wood—an optimistic auteur who never loses faith in his work despite glaring inadequacies—is both humorous and touching, drawing influence from eclectic sources like Casey Kasem and Ronald Reagan.

Burton employs nostalgic cinematography through collaboration with Stefan Czapsky to authentically evoke the low-budget aesthetic of 1950s B-movies. Shot in black and white, the film's visual style mirrors Wood’s own productions while maintaining Burton's penchant for dark eccentricity. The narrative captures the chaotic yet passionate world of low-budget filmmaking, featuring pitch-perfect recreations of Wood’s scenes complete with deliberate errors. At its heart, "Ed Wood" is as much about passion and friendship as it is about filmmaking, offering an affectionate lens on a group of misfit dreamers, brought vividly to life by Depp’s and Landau’s stellar performances.

Tim Burton's "Ed Wood" stands as a passionate homage to the outcasts and eccentrics of the cinematic world. This biopic masterfully transforms the so-called "Worst Director in History" into a heroic figure driven by unbridled enthusiasm and a relentless pursuit of his vision. Johnny Depp delivers an endearing and charismatic performance as Ed Wood, capturing both the comedy and pathos of the character's life. Burton's direction is imbued with a nostalgic reverence that balances humor and sentimentality, making "Ed Wood" one of the most heartfelt films in his eclectic oeuvre.

The Blu-ray transfer does justice to Burton’s unique visual style, maintaining strong picture quality that highlights the black-and-white cinematography’s nuance. While the audio mix is admittedly front-heavy, it remains clear and serves the dialogue-driven narrative well. The disc is further bolstered by insightful commentary tracks and featurettes that delve into both the making of the film and the real-life events that inspired it, providing valuable context and enhancing the viewing experience.

In conclusion, being pigeonholed is one of the great hazards of Hollywood. Screenwriters Alexander and Karaszewski were typecast as writers of family comedy after their initial success with the "Problem Child" franchise. To break out of that mold, they wrote "Ed Wood", after which they became known as bio-pic guys, and went on to write "The People vs. Larry Flynt" and "The Man on the Moon". Radical action is sometimes what it takes to redefine someone. In the case of "Ed Wood", it took Tim Burton, Johnny Depp, and two clever writers to redefine the Worst Director in History into the hero of his own life story. Highly recommended.