2nd Chance Hall of Fame

Although it is biographic in nature, no knowledge about the real Ed Wood or his films is necessary to enjoy Burton's Ed Wood. It is not a documentary, and instead presents a romanticised version of events that is intentionally idealized in order to support its themes and to celebrate the spirit of filmmaking. It is an incredibly optimistic film with a typical Hollywood ending, which normally would have me rolling my eyes, but I found the story to be so compelling that it was impossible not to get swept along for the ride.

From the very start, the cinematography is amazing. I think that this is easily Burton's finest film, since you can see touches of his style, but it enhances the story without overwhelming the picture like it unfortunately does with some of his later works. Those opening credits which incorporate elements from some of Wood's feature films are incredibly well executed, and the music that plays really helps set the atmosphere. It's a great homage. The lighting throughout the film is excellent, as are the recreations of key scenes from Wood's films.

The casting in Ed Wood is practically perfect. Every performance, even the smaller ones are entertaining. Martin Landau was phenomenal as Bela Lugosi, and while I have no idea what Ed Wood really sounded like, Depp's interpretation is a great match for the tone and quirkiness of the film. I've become very bored of his habit for playing odd characters, but I still find him charming in this role. This is only my second time seeing this film, and I'm surprised it's taken this long to watch it again, because I really enjoyed it the first time, and appreciated it even more this time around.

Letter from an Unknown Woman is a bittersweet story about unrequited love, that deals with obsession and consequences. Despite the fact that the central figures are a stalker and a playboy, the characters are strangely endearing and their ill-fated romance is actually quite compelling. Many scenes take place at night, giving the film an almost noir tone at times, where the gloomy atmosphere is never noticed by the characters on screen, since they are too wrapped up in their own fantasies to see the reality of the situation at hand.

The cinematography is amazing. The structure has an incredible symmetry to it, with many shots being mirrored later in the film. The framing is the same for these scenes, but the context or perception has changed dramatically. The camera moves elegantly as it glides across rooms, and the sets and costumes are beautifully crafted. Lighting was handled extremely well, enhancing the mood of scenes without drawing too much attention to itself.

From certain angles early in the film, Fontaine did look a little old to be playing a teenager, though for the most part she looked passable, and before the reserved Lisa matures in the final act, her shyness did give her an incredibly youthful aura that helps sell her character. Louis Jourdan was very charming in his role as Stefan, and the two had great chemistry together. Supposedly the film diverges from its source material, particularly in Stefan's character arc, but from what I've read, I think I'd vastly prefer the cinematic version. The circumstances in the film seem more inherently tragic, and the ending was entirely appropriate. I thoroughly enjoyed the film, and I'm glad it was nominated.