Video Vault: 'Ed Wood' captures director in all his offbeat glory

Director Edward D. Wood had little box-office success during his lifetime, so it's no surprise that Tim Burton's 1994 biopic, "Ed Wood," didn't earn much money either. What's surprising is how good it is.

Johnny Depp is perfect as the endlessly optimistic Wood, and Burton's film captures the strange little no-budget world where such offbeat classics as "Glen or Glenda" and "Plan 9 From Outer Space" were created. The supporting cast includes Bill Murray, Sarah Jessica Parker, Patricia Arquette and Martin Landau (who won an Oscar for his acerbic portrayal of Bela Lugosi.) Tying it all together is Stefan Czapsky's gorgeous black-and-white cinematography - this is a movie that just wouldn't work in color.

"Ed Wood" is a lot of things - a quirky comedy, a heartfelt drama and a revealing look at how films are made. But, in the end, it's a love letter to old Hollywood, where even an oddball like Ed Wood could carve out his own piece of movie history.

Will Pfeifer writes about new DVDs on Tuesdays and older ones on Sundays. Contact him at wpfeifer@rrstar.com or 815-987-1244.