Ed Wood - Johnny Depp Sarah Jessica Parker Patricia Arquette

directed by Tim Burton
USA 1994

The movie's black and white photography convincingly recaptures the look and feel of 1950s sleaze, including some of the least convincing special effects in movie history. There are also running gags involving Wood's ability to write almost any piece of stock footage into almost any script.

At the heart of the movie is Wood's friendship with Lugosi, a man he truly adores, and who comes to depend on him. We see Lugosi alone and lonely in a flimsy little tract house, inhabiting the deepening gloom of his obscurity and addiction (his first scene in the movie shows him trying on a coffin for size), and Wood is able to lift the gloom, if only briefly, in a final series of roles which gave him double immortality: As the star of some of the best horror movies ever made, and then of some of the worst.

Excerpt from Roger Ebert at the Chicago Sun-Times located HERE

Posters

Theatrical Release: September 28th, 1994

Reviews More Reviews DVD Reviews

DVD Comparison:

Touchstone (Korea) - Region 3 - NTSc vs. Buena Vista / Disney - Region 2 - PAL vs. Buena Vista / Disney (Special Edition) - Region 1 - NTSC

Big thanks toMark Wilson of NicheFlix.com for Region 3 and JK for the Region 1 captures and Enrique for the hidden Easter Egg!

(Touchstone (Korea) Region 3 - NTSC LEFT vs. Buena Vista / Disney - Region 2 - PAL - MIDDLE vs. Buena Vista / Disney (Special Edition) - Region 1 - NTSC - RIGHT)

DVD Box Covers
Distribution	Touchstone (Korea) Region 3 - NTSC	Buena Vista / Disney Region 2 - PAL	Buena Vista / Disney Region 1 - NTSC
Runtime	2:06:20	2:01:16 (4% PAL speedup)	2:06:20
Video	1.78:1 Original Aspect Ratio 16X9 enhanced Average Bitrate: 5.89 mb/s NTSC 704x480 29.97 f/s	1.78:1 Original Aspect Ratio 16X9 enhanced Average Bitrate: 5.68 mb/s PAL 720x576 25.00 f/s	1.78:1 Original Aspect Ratio 16X9 enhanced Average Bitrate: 5.76 mb/s NTSC 704x480 29.97 f/s
	NOTE: The Vertical axis represents the bits transferred per second. The Horizontal is the time in minutes.
Bitrate: Touchstone R3 - NTSC
Bitrate: Buena Vista R2.
Bitrate: Buena Vista (Special Edition)
Audio	English (Dolby Digital 5.1 ) , DUB: Thai	English (Dolby Digital 5.1 ) , DUB: Spanish	English (Dolby Digital 5.1 )
Subtitles	English , Thai, Korean and none	English , Spanish, ,Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Finnish and none	English (Close captioned), Spanish, none
Features	Release Information: Studio: Touchstone (Korea) Aspect Ratio: Widescreen letterboxed - 1.78:1 Edition Details: • Commentary by director Tim Burton and actor Martin Landau • Music Video • Lets' Shoot This... • The Theremin • Making Bela • Pie Plates Over Hollywood • Theatrical trailer DVD Release Date: November 19th, 2002 Keep Case Chapters : 28	Release Information: Studio: Buena Vista / Disney Aspect Ratio: Widescreen letterboxed - 1.78:1 Edition Details: • Commentary by director Tim Burton and actor Martin Landau • Music Video • Lets' Shoot This... • The Theremin • Making Bela • Pie Plates Over Hollywood • Theatrical trailer DVD Release Date: Oct 14th, 2002 Transparent Keep case Chapters 28	Release Information: Studio: Buena Vista / Disney Aspect Ratio: Widescreen letterboxed - 1.78:1 Edition Details: • Commentary by director Tim Burton and actor Martin Landau • Deleted scenes • Behind-the-scenes footage hosted by Johnny Depp • Production design featurette and more DVD Release Date: October 19th, 2004 Keep Case Chapters : 28

Comments

ADDITION: The Region 3 has the same menu's and Extras as the Region 2- but poorer picture quality than both the Region 1 and Region 2. It would only be for those who desire the Thai DUB, or the Thai and Korean subtitles. If you don't require those stick with the Region 2- until the Region 1 is reissued.

Okay, so the Region 1 DVD was cancelled, but it came out in some locations anyway. I know one chap who has two copies. He claims that you may be able to obtain one from the following in the US: Coconuts Music & Movies, Sam Goody and Suncoast and Borders. Also some may be found in Blockbuster.

There is not a lot of difference between the two anamorphic Region releases of this film. The Region 2 is slightly cropped has a minimal green tint of the image, but other than that any difference are negligible. Sometimes the Region 2 image looks sharper to me, but then again it may be my eyes. The Extra Features have slight variation, but they both offer the Burton, Landau commentary - the Region 1 has more deleted scenes (see below) - this may be the source of the controversy. The Region 2 release offers a few more subtitle choice and a Spanish DUB. The menus are almost duplicates with a few minor differences. If you can't get a hold of a Region 1 copy, I see no reason in not buying the Region 2 release, although it does have 4% PAL speedup if you are sensitive to that.

NOTE: I did have one problem with my Region 2 release. I couldn't seem to get the Chapter Menu options to appear. It remained extremely dark with a 'flying saucer" light appearing as the cursor (see below). This could be my own user error and I didn't find it particularly debilitating anyway. ADDITION: I have been told the same thing happens on the Region 1 DVD - you must wait about 20 seconds for the chapter stops to appear.

Gary Tooze

DVD Menus

(Touchstone (Korea) Region 3 - NTSC LEFT vs. Buena Vista / Disney - Region 2 - PAL - MIDDLE vs. Buena Vista / Disney (Special Edition) - Region 1 - NTSC - RIGHT)

Screen Captures