Somehow extremely progressive and horrrfically transphobic at the same time; its kind of beautiful.I'll be talking about Tim Burton's Ed Wood on my radio show on Monday, so I felt I should at least watch the threemovies we see them make in that fantastic gem (Glen or Glenda, Bride of the Monster, and Plan 9 From Outer Space).
Where do I even start with this movie? I definitely enjoyed parts of it, while I found many other aspects lacking, whether due to pacing, storytelling, or it being just so damn bizarre that it makes me ask so many questions.
Why are there two different narrators?
Is Bela Legosi a god?
Why is this scene still going on?
What in the surrealist hell?
Now, having finally seen an Ed Wood movie, I can see why they would make a movie about him. I've honestly seen worse filmmaking than this movie, but it's definitely not polished, not even in the slightest. Much of the acting is hokey, the editing is bizarre, and parts of it are so transphobic that it's very uncomfortable.
The language used, and the ideas presented, such as two different beings living inside one body, are sad to hear as somebody who does question their gender, and is living by more gender fluid terms. What redeems this movie is that there is a sincerity to it, with much of that due to Ed Wood's own gender identity.
There are genuinely thoughtful conversations featured in this movie that lean towards Trans acceptance, which felt quite nice to hear. This movie is like that one family member who loves you for who you are, but is still trying to learn the basics and will say something that isn't right.
There is a grand appreciation here for the characters that may be presented in a problematic way, but it's appealing because of
how it's used as a semi-autobiographical film for Wood.
It's extremely flawed, but worth checking out,
