Lake - Mr. Wood

            Tim Burton and Ed Wood have many similarities as directors.  Both create movies from the heart and more than that create movies from their own personal life, emotion, and feelings.  Both focus on making films that key in on personal realities more than unrealistic fantasy.  This being said, Burton’s Biopic of Ed Wood attempted to capture the essence of Ed Wood and because of this, the movie is a dull, kind of boring black and white film that left the viewer with more questions than answers.  Ed Wood was considered one of the worst moviemakers of all time.  Burton took a risk by being as real as he was with Ed Wood but the movie shows a kind soul who can’t seem to fully express himself or find someone to accept him for who he is.  All of who he is. 

            Burton used scenes from Wood’s movies to help portray the mental state and mindset of Ed Wood.  He used a scene from Glenn or Glenda in which it shows Ed Wood’s conflicted mind when it comes to becoming a transvestite.  He completely owns his quirky and different habits but knows it is strange and must be masked and hid from society.  Although Burton is not dealing with being a transvestite, he can relate to the feelings of isolation, separation, and being misunderstood.  Burton and Wood are both outcasts and have a need to form a family in which they can feel love and support.  Surprisingly, with all of these things that could hold someone back, both work to create work that they love and they are very passionate and hopeful with the projects they create.  In Burton’s Biopic of Ed Wood he shows the audience how Ed Wood really didn’t pay attention or at the very least didn’t take criticism to the heart or head.  Ed Wood was on his own personal pursuit of happiness and that speaks to Burton.  That is why he created the movie in the manner he did and shows Ed Wood in a very positive light even though he is flawed.  This is another typical Burton move to show how humans are naturally flawed.  Some say that negatives make for better pictures and Burton definitely uses the darker parts of his own and other people’s personalities and lives to create the works that he can, consistently.