Ed Wood

Based on the biography Nightmare of Ecstasy by Rudolph Grey, Ed Wood is the story about one of cinema’s worst filmmakers as he struggles to find success through his offbeat yet cheaply-made films while forging a friendship with his idol in film actor Bela Lugosi. Directed by Tim Burton and screenplay by Scott Alexander and Larry Karaszewski, the film explores a period in Wood’s life where he tries to succeed through film that would culminate with the release of his most infamous film in Plan 9 from Outer Space as the titular role is played by Johnny Depp while Martin Landau plays the role of Bela Lugosi. Also starring Sarah Jessica Parker, Patricia Arquette, George “The Animal” Steele, Lisa Marie, Jeffrey Jones, and Bill Murray. Ed Wood is a witty and enchanting film from Tim Burton.

The film explores the life of a young artist named Edward D. Wood Jr. as he is eager to become a filmmaker like his favorite director Orson Welles where he later meets his idol in Bela Lugosi who would take part in Wood’s films. The film explores Wood’s life from the early 1950s where he is trying to get his film career off the ground and climax with him making Plan 9 from Outer Space which he became very famous for but for all the wrong reasons. Along the way, Wood struggles through personal relationships that fall apart as well as trying to get funding for his films like Glen or Glenda and Bride of the Monster where they would be reviled by critics and audiences. Yet, Wood has this optimism that is so compelling in his belief that he will become a great filmmaker while helping out the man he worshipped in Lugosi who is struggling with his own addiction to morphine.

The film’s screenplay is quite straightforward in its narrative but also filled with lots of humor in the way Wood often tries to succeed with his pals and his girlfriend Dolores Fuller (Sarah Jessica Parker) early in his career. Wood’s meeting and friendship with Lugosi is the heart of the story where Wood hopes to revive Lugosi’s career by putting him in his films despite everyone’s claims that he is washed up. However, Lugosi feels revitalized despite his issues where Wood would receive the support from a young woman in Kathy O’Hara (Patricia Arquette). Other aspects of the film includes Wood’s love of transvestite as he likes to wear women’s clothing which made him want to take part in a film version about the Christine Jorgensen story which he convinces a producer to create his own version of the story that would become Glen or Glenda. The script also explores the group of friends that Wood has where they’re a group of eccentric people as it’s this band of misfits trying to make a name for themselves.

Tim Burton’s direction is definitely a homage of sorts to the works of Ed Wood as well as being this film that plays into Wood’s attempt to find success as a filmmaker. Burton showcases a lot of what goes in the world of film where Wood had to use limited resources and such in order to make his films where his limitations and lack of funds often contribute to the poor quality of his films. Most of which is played for laughs but Burton is very sympathetic to Wood’s determination as he believes he is trying to make something good. Much of the direction has Burton go for simple compositions while giving the film a very old-school feel that recalls the period of the 1950s as it’s shot on location in Los Angeles. Burton’s approach to recreating some of Wood’s films do play into its low-budget aesthetics as well as wooden and terrible acting which adds the sense of joy into the film. Even in the scenes involving Wood and Lugosi where it’s humorous but also full of heart as it showcases how important their friendship is. Overall, Burton creates a very heartwarming and very funny film about the film career of Ed Wood and his friendship with Bela Lugosi.

Cinematographer Stefan Czapsky does brilliant work with the film‘s black-and-white photography to give the film a very old-school look to play into the period of the 1950s with some unique lighting schemes for some of its interiors and shots in its nighttime scenes. Editor Chris Lebenzon does excellent work in creating a straightforward style for most of the film including some stylish dissolves to play into Wood‘s own enthusiasm as a filmmaker. Production designer Tom Duffield, with set decorator Cricket Rowland and art director Okowita, does fantastic work with the set pieces from the set design of some of Wood‘s films which were quite terrible to the scary mansion ride where Wood and Kathy would have their first date at. Costume designer Colleen Atwood does amazing work with the clothes from some of the women‘s clothes and angora sweater that Wood would wear as well as the clothes of the other characters to play into their eccentricities.

Makeup designers Rick Baker, Ve Neill, and Yolanda Toussieng do superb work with the makeup from the look of some of the characters as well as Bela Lugosi as this old man often forced to live in the past. Visual effects supervisor Paul Boyington does nice work with some of the visual effects to play into the cheesy low-budget aesthetics of Wood‘s films. Sound editor John Nutt does terrific work with the film‘s sound from some of recreation of sound effects to the sounds that goes on in some of the film‘s locations. The film’s music by Howard Shore is wonderful for its orchestral score that features some lush string arrangements in its dramatic moments plus some light-hearted pieces in its comical scenes.

The casting by Victoria Thomas is great as it features some notable small roles from G.D. Spradlin as a preacher who would fund Plan 9, Ned Bellamy as Kathy’s chiropractor who would fill in for Lugosi in Plan 9, Max Casella and Brent Hinkley as two of Wood’s friends in their respective roles as notoriously bad actors Paul Marco and Conrad Brooks, the real Conrad Brooks as a bartender, Mike Starr as the exploitation film producer George Weiss who is reluctant to work with Wood, Juliet Landau as the actress Loretta King whom Wood mistakes an heiress as she would be a cause into Wood’s split with Dolores, and Vincent D’Onofrio as Orson Welles whom Wood would meet late in the film. Other noteworthy small roles include Lisa Marie who is wonderful as the TV host Vampira whom Lugosi likes as she would later work with Wood, George “The Animal” Steele in a terrific performance as the wrestler Tor Johnson, and Jeffrey Jones in a superb performance as the TV psychic entertainer Criswell who helps Wood get funding despite being wrong very often with his predictions.

Sarah Jessica Parker is excellent as Wood’s girlfriend Dolores Fuller who is often supportive but becomes frustrated by his lack of success as well as being a transvestite. Patricia Arquette is fantastic as Wood’s future wife Kathy O’Hara who not only accepts Wood for who he is but proves to be one of his biggest supporters. Bill Murray is hilarious as Wood’s openly-gay friend Bunny Breckenridge who often finds transvestites for Wood’s films as well as appear in them. Martin Landau is incredible as Bela Lugosi as he brings in a lot of energy into the role as well as being very foul-mouthed over Boris Karloff while trying to regain some attention as it’s Landau at his best. Finally, there’s Johnny Depp in a remarkable performance as the titular character as this very upbeat man who is eager to succeed while being a weirdo who likes to wear ladies’ clothing as it’s Depp in one of his quintessential performances.

Ed Wood is a phenomenal film from Tim Burton that features a great performance from Johnny Depp as the titular character as well as Martin Landau in an amazing performance as Bela Lugosi. The film isn’t just one of Burton’s best films but also a captivating story of a filmmaker trying to make it despite his lack of talent as it is a love letter to Wood but also a heartfelt story about Wood’s friendship with Lugosi. In the end, Ed Wood is a sensational film from Tim Burton.

Tim Burton Films: (Pee-Wee’s Big Adventure) - Beetlejuice - Batman - (Edward Scissorhands) - Batman Returns - (Mars Attacks!) - (Sleepy Hollow) - (Planet of the Apes (2001 film)) - (Big Fish) - (Charlie & the Chocolate Factory) - (Corpse Bride) - (Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street) - (Alice in Wonderland (2010 film)) - (Dark Shadows) - (Frankenweenie) - (Big Eyes) - (Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children) - (Dumbo (2019 film)) - Beetlejuice Beetlejuice

© thevoid99 2014

North by Northwest

Directed by Alfred Hitchcock and written by Ernest Lehman, North by Northwest is the story of a man who is being pursued by government agents of a microfilm he might be carrying as he is mistaken for being a spy. The film is a thriller where a man is on the run as he is mistaken for someone else as he tries to prove his innocence in a journey all over America. Starring Cary Grant, Eva Marie Saint, James Mason, Martin Landau, and Jessie Royce Landis. North by Northwest is a thrilling film from Alfred Hitchcock.

The film explores the world of mistaken identity where an advertising executive finds himself mistaken for a spy by a group of corrupt government agents as he later accused of murder where he goes on the run from authorities and the people that put him into this position. It’s a film that isn’t just a suspense-thriller where this man in Roger O. Thornhill (Cary Grant) wonders why he is mistaken for being a spy as his attempts to clear his name become troubling as he gets the help of a mysterious woman named Eve Kendall (Eva Marie Saint) whom he would be attracted to as she knows why he’s a fugitive as more complexities emerge. Especially in her association with the man in Phillip Vandamm (James Mason) who was the person that put Thornhill in this situation.

Ernest Lehman’s screenplay doesn’t just emphasize on this idea of mistaken identity where Thornhill is baffled for being involved something like espionage over some mysterious microfilm that had been stolen. Some of the situations and Thornhill’s reactions are quite humorous as it adds to the film’s suspense as Thornhill is often baffled for being mistaken for a spy. Still, Lehman takes his time to flesh out the characters as Thornhill is just an advertising executive who is devoted to his work as this case of mistaken identity forces him to live a little dangerously but also realize that he must take drastic action into these situations. The character of Eve is a complex one as she is revealed to be a mistress of Vandamm as she would tease and flirt with Thornhill while becoming aware that he isn’t a bad guy. Especially in someone like Vandamm who is someone that wants to cause trouble as he’s a character that isn’t fully realized but rather someone that is just a villain who is sort of weak and hungry for power.

Alfred Hitchcock’s direction is quite stylish from the opening title credits sequence created by Saul Bass to play into the sense of thrill that Hitchcock would create. Much of which involves some darkly comic moments such as Thornhill driving drunk since he was forced to drink an entire bottle of Bourbon. Much of the film is shot on studio sets as it would recreate some locations in New York City and Chicago plus the climatic scene at Mount Rushmore. Hitchcock’s usage of close-ups and medium shots are quite engaging including the way the relationship between Thornhill and Eve develops with some subtle references towards aspects of that growing relationship. Even as sex is implied where it used with subtlety in lieu of the production code of those times.

Hitchcock’s approach to suspense and thrills definitely showcase a master at work such as the very famous scene of Thornhill being chased by a crop duster in the middle of a plain fields near Chicago. Hitchcock also uses some humor in a notable scene at an auction house where Thornhill decides to make an ass out of himself so he can get the attention of the authorities as he’s being watched by Vandamm’s henchmen. The film would then lead to the climatic moment at Mount Rushmore where a lot of revelations occur as well as Thornhill’s decision to really take action against Vandamm and his goons. Overall, Hitchcock creates a very sensational and engaging film about a case of mistaken identity.

Cinematographer Robert Burks does amazing work with the film‘s colorful cinematography with its use of wide shots for some of the film‘s locations as well in some of the lighting interior/exterior scenes at night. Editor George Tomasini does brilliant work with the editing with its stylish use of dissolves as well as some rhythmic cuts to play into some of the film‘s humor and suspense. Production designer Robert F. Boyle, with set decorators Henry Grace and Frank R. McKelvy and art directors William A. Horning and Merrill Pye, does fantastic work with the set pieces such as home of Vandamm near Mount Rushmore as well as the estate where Thornhill meets Vandamm.

The special effects work of A. Arnold Gillespie, Lee LeBlanc, and Doug Hubbard is terrific for the backdrops in some scenes set in cars as well as the climatic showdown at Mount Rushmore. Sound editor Van Allen James does nice work with the sound from some of the sound effects that occur including the crop dusting plane as well as some scenes where sound plays key to the story. The film’s music by Bernard Herrmann is incredible for its thrilling orchestral score with soaring string arrangements to play into its suspense and terror along with some lush themes for the dramatic moments.

The casting by Leonard Murphy is superb as it features some notable small roles from Adam Williams and Robert Ellenstein as a couple of Vandamm’s goons who would kidnap Thornhill, Josephine Hutchinson as Vandamm’s housekeeper, and Malcolm Attenbury as a man Thornhill meets at the crossroads. Leo G. Carroll is terrific as a mysterious professor Thornhill meets in the film’s third act as he is aware of Thornhill’s innocence while Jessie Royce Landis is very funny as Thornhill’s mother who believes that her son is just screwing things up as usual. Martin Landau is fantastic as Vandamm’s right-hand man Leonard as this very creepy guy who manages to take care of anything Vandamm does as it’s a very chilling role from Landau.

James Mason is pretty good as Phillip Vandamm as this antagonist who displays a sense of charm in his demeanor although he’s sort of weak as a villain where he just commands and rarely takes action into his own hands. Eva Marie Saint is brilliant as Eve Kendall as this woman who is intrigued by Thornhill as she seduces and charms him for Vandamm while eventually falling for him as it’s a role full of beauty and grace. Finally, there’s Cary Grant in a remarkable performance as Roger O. Thornhill as this advertising executive who becomes a victim of mistaken identity as he deals with his situations as there’s some humor in his performance as well as the ability to be quite tough in handling his situations.

North by Northwest is a marvelous film from Alfred Hitchcock that features great performances from Cary Grant and Eva Marie Saint. The film definitely features some Hitchcock’s finest moments in suspense as well as unique approach to humor. Especially in his exploration of mistaken identity and a man’s unique reaction to his situations. In the end, North by Northwest is a tremendously exhilarating film from Alfred Hitchcock.

Alfred Hitchcock Films: (Number 13) - (The Pleasure Garden) - (The Blackguard) - (The Mountain Eagle) - (The Lodger) - (A Story of the London Fog) - (The Ring) - (Downhill) - (The Farmer’s Wife) - (Easy Virtue) - (Champagne) - (The Manxman) - (Blackmail) - (Juno and the Paycock) - (Murder!) - (The Skin Game) - (Mary) - (Lord Camber’s Ladies) - (Rich and Strange) - (Number Seventeen) - (Waltzes from Vienna) - (The Man Who Knew Too Much (1934 film)) - The 39 Steps - (Secret Agent) - (Sabotage) - (Young and Innocent) - The Lady Vanishes - (Jamaica Inn) - Rebecca - (Foreign Correspondent) - (Mr. & Mrs. Smith) - Suspicion - (Saboteur) - (Shadow of a Doubt) - Bon Voyage - Lifeboat - (Spellbound) - Notorious - (The Paradine Cage) - Rope - (Under Capricorn) - (Stage Fright) - Strangers on a Train - I Confess - Dial M for Murder - Rear Window - To Catch a Thief - (The Trouble with Harry) - The Man Who Knew Too Much (1956 film) - (The Wrong Man) - Vertigo - Psycho - the Birds - Marnie - (Torn Curtain) - (Topaz) - (Frenzy) - (Family Plot)

© thevoid99 2014

Crimes & Misdemeanors

Originally Written and Posted at Epinions.com on 12/22/05 w/ Additional Edits & Revisions.

Written, directed, and starring Woody Allen, Crimes & Misdemeanors is two stories about two different men and their own conflict with their own moral values. One story involves a doctor whose affair with another woman gets out of control as he tries to end it with the help of his brother. The other story involves a neurotic filmmaker who tries to vie for the affection of a woman while making a documentary on his brother-in-law and his own film about a professor he idolizes. Combining elements of comedy and drama, Allen uses the genres to study the issue of morality that comes together in the end. Also starring Allen regulars like Mia Farrow, Alan Alda, Sam Waterston, and Anjelica Huston as well as Martin Landau, Claire Bloom, Joanna Gleason, Jerry Orbach, Caroline Aaron, and Martin Bregmann in a non-credited cameo role as Professor Louis Levy. Crimes & Misdemeanors is an enigmatic, intelligent, and funny film from Woody Allen.

Judah Rosenthal (Martin Landau) has just returned home from a ceremony where he's being honored for his charity work as he's joined by his wife Miriam (Claire Bloom), their daughter Sharon (Stephanie Roth) and her husband Chris (Greg Edelman). Then Judah receives a letter addressed to Miriam which is from his mistress Dolores (Anjelica Huston) who confesses about the affair. Haunted by his childhood that surrounded by religious morality, he turns to his rabbi Ben (Sam Waterson) whom he's treating for blindness. Judah also turns to his criminal brother Jack (Jerry Orbach) as Judah ponders what to do until Jack takes care of things. Judah is then forced into a spiritual crisis as he dreams of old life as he sees his father/rabbi Sol (David S. Howard) and his Aunt May (Anna Berger) where they talk about guilt and morals while his younger self (Garrett Simowitz) watches.

Meanwhile, a struggling documentary filmmaker named Cliff Stern (Woody Allen) is trying to finish a documentary on his favorite philosopher in Professor Louis Levy (Martin Bregmann). Though he gets joy in taking his niece Jenny (Jenny Nichols) to see old movies, Lester reluctantly takes a job from his successful TV producer brother-in-law Lester (Alan Alda) to film a documentary on him for PBS. Though he gets to meet and fall for its producer Halley Reed (Mia Farrow) who is interested in his Levy doc, the two begin an affair. Yet, Cliff also has to deal with his lonely sister Barbara (Caroline Aaron) and his own wife Wendy (Joanna Gleeson) as a night with her, Halley, and Lester becomes a disaster as Lester is attracted to Halley. When Cliff receives some awful news about his Levy documentary and Halley leaving for London, his project for Lester doesn't turn out well. Months later at a wedding for Ben's daughter, Judah and Cliff begin to have a discussion of everything they've been through.

If there is one singular theme that Woody Allen discusses in this film, it's the morality issue of what comes from an extramarital affair. While the issue is dealt with in two ways, they're both profound and very cerebral in the way Allen questions humanity and the sins that they had to deal with. While the segment involving Cliff's attempt to engage in an affair with Halley is more comical, it's done in a more naturally way through dialogue and behaviors. Especially in one hilarious scene where Barbara talks about a one-night stand that becomes a disaster that reveals a hilarious yet disgusting event in her affair. Still, that segment also reveals the reality that is discussed throughout the entire film whether it's in the issues of morality or in artistic values. In Cliff's case, despite the fact that his own little documentary on Levy is interesting, they don't exactly pay the bills where it's Lester's own views on comedy and his ideas do despite the fact that they suck.

The other segment involving Judah's affair with Dolores is a far more cerebral story of morality where here's this man who has everything including a loving family, money, a great career, and is respected by everyone. Yet, he does a deed that is so horrible in engaging an affair with this charming but emotionally unstable woman where he confides into trying to find answers that will end the situation. That brings a moment of two consciences in the rabbi-going-blind Ben and the organized crime works of Jack Rosenthal. What Judah chooses doesn't really make the problem go away but he questions his own actions where he has an imaginative moment where he sees an old family dinner where his father prefers to choose the words of God instead of the truth while his more cynical aunt believes that what goes around, comes around. There, Judah is forced to believe in that reality will play out his outcome or as his father puts it, "the eyes of God are always on us" where his afterlife will play things out.

Allen's script and observant direction really brings out a film that isn't just intelligent and witty but also questions the behaviors of humanity. Bringing both elements of comedy and drama with a bit of tragedy definitely gives the film a non-linear tone in some ways where the film moves back and forth into the Rosenthal and Stern segments while the Rosenthal sections features a lot of flashbacks of Judah's affair with Dolores. Including in one scene where Allen shoots Judah and Dolores' discussion of the affair in one entire take. The mix of comedy and drama might seem to be uneven at first but in the final scene in the wedding, it all comes together where the film has a disturbing yet somewhat cynical ending but it works in how humanity would behave to the point of morality. It's not just a Jewish issue of how murder and infidelity is dealt with but it's a universal issue of how humans will deal things whether they choose to let reality play things out or dealing with religion.

Helping Allen in the film's technical scales in terms of presentation is cinematographer Sven Nykvist, who is the cinematographer for some of Ingmar Bergman's films. Nykvist brings a colorful yet eerie feel to many of the film's dramatic sequences while the light sequences is more upbeat in many of the film's comedic sequences. The film's look of upper-class and middle class New York is captured wonderful by production designer Santo Loquasto and art director Speed Hopkins along with costume work of Jeffrey Kurland. Allen's longtime editor Susan E. Morse brings a tight style of cutting and pacing for the film while adding some great parallel scenes of Rosenthal's murder plot to some of the movies Stern is watching while giving the film a nice movement in Allen's structure. The film's soundtrack includes not just Allen's love for ragtime jazz music but also a bit of classical music that brings that tone of what Allen conveys for the film where one part of the film in the comedy with jazz is quintessential Allen but the other is Allen being a bit more cerebral.

The film's cast is amazing from the people who works with Allen to the people who are participating in a film by Allen. With small, nice performances from Greg Edelman, David S. Howard, Anna Berger, Garrett Simowitz, Stephanie Roth, Jenny Nichols, Frances Conroy as the new owner of his childhood owner, and Victor Argo as a detective who questions Rosenthal about Dolores' murder along with cameos by Darryl Hannah and writer/director Nora Ephron. Claire Bloom and Caroline Aaron have small roles but they're important to the issues that the male protagonists are dealing with. Martin Bregmann is excellent as the philosophical Professor Levy whose views on life are very universal on many sides which brings a lot of the film's morality issues until the action that troubles Clif's morality when the project falls apart. Joanna Gleason is pretty good as Stern's frustrated wife who seems to be more into her own brother than her husband as she brings the tension that would spark Cliff to break his own values. Alan Alda brings a funny, witty performance as a pompous but smart producer who knows that he might be a phony at times but his intelligence and ability to be successful brings a nice, antagonism to Stern's more artistic pursuits.

Playing the moral conscience of the films for Rosenthal are Sam Waterson and the late Jerry Orbach who both bring great performances. Waterson is amazing as the faith-driven Ben who raises a lot of moral questioning into Rosenthal's psyche while his growing blindness isn't just physical but in some ways, it also deals with the idea that Ben could become blind of what's really going on with the world. Jerry Orbach is also brilliant as the dark, cynical conscience who reveals his own power and connections into what he can do while reminding Rosenthal that it's reality that will become the outcome.

Mia Farrow is excellent in the role as Halley Reed who enjoys Stern's artistic pursuits only to realize that she's played as a trophy of sorts while dealing with her own divorce and realizing that not all of Stern's criticism on Lester are entirely true. The best female performance easily goes to Anjelica Huston as the hysterical, emotional Dolores who is desperate to continue her affair with Judah only to try and break his marriage with Miriam. It's an amazing performance from Huston who provides the spark for Judah's moral exploration. Woody Allen is funny in his most restrained performance to date as a struggling filmmaker who has the talent and passion but remains unsuccessful. In the role of Cliff Stern, Allen brings that anguish of an uncompromising artist who realizes that he is filled with jealousy while trying to win the heart of Halley Reed which doesn't work either. Allen gives a great performance as he has great chemistry with not just Farrow but Alan Alda as well.

The film's best performance easily goes to Martin Landau in the role as the guilt-ridden Judah Rosenthal. If there was any indication into the talents of Landau, this performance reveals all as he doesn't over-dramatize or underperforms his character. While Landau has some amazing chemistry with Claire Bloom, Anjelica Huston, Sam Waterson, and Jerry Orbach, he really carries the film where he brings the audience into an exploration of the moral values of humanity. He doesn't make himself entirely sympathetic in his own actions yet there's a period that we want to forgive him for what he does. It's a masterful performance from Martin Landau who often never gets the respect he deserves.

While Annie Hall and Hannah & Her Sisters are considered some of Allen's finest works, Crimes & Misdemeanors is definitely up there as one of his greatest films thanks to some smart directing, writing, and the performances of Allen, Anjelica Huston, Mia Farrow, Alan Alda, the late Jerry Orbach, Sam Waterston, and Martin Landau in a great performance. While it's funny and raises a lot of issues of morality, it's also a very entertaining film that reveals how humans can do bad things. In the end, Crimes & Misdemeanors is a smart yet engaging comedy-drama from Woody Allen.

Woody Allen Films: What’s Up, Tiger Lily? - Take the Money & Run - Bananas - Everything You Always Wanted to Know About Sex (But Were Afraid to Ask) - Sleeper - Love & Death - Annie Hall - Interiors - Manhattan - Stardust Memories - A Midsummer Night’s Sex Comedy - Zelig - Broadway Danny Rose - The Purple Rose of Cairo - Hannah & Her Sisters - Radio Days - September - Another Woman - New York Stories-Oedipus Wrecks - Alice - Shadows & Fog - Husbands & Wives - Manhattan Murder Mystery - Don't Drink the Water - Bullets Over Broadway - Mighty Aphrodite - Everyone Says I Love You - Deconstructing Harry - Celebrity - Sweet & Lowdown - Small Time Crooks - The Curse of the Jade Scorpion - Hollywood Ending - Anything Else - Melinda & Melinda - Match Point - Scoop - Cassandra’s Dream - Vicky Cristina Barcelona - Whatever Works - You Will Meet a Tall Dark Stranger - Midnight in Paris - To Rome with Love - Blue Jasmine - Magic in the Moonlight - Irrational Man - (Cafe Society)

The Auteurs #24: Woody Allen: Pt. 1 - Pt. 2 - Pt. 3 - Pt. 4

© thevoid99 2011