Thursday, June 18, 2009

Ed Wood Box Set

All these came from the Ed Wood Box Set found in Bandon and North Bend. If you want to put a hold on them, you'll have to have a clerk do it for you. They're all TERRIBLE films, but it's interesting to see Bela Lugosi in his later years. From some of his early films that I reviewed a few weeks ago, it wasn't that much of a stretch to see him in an Ed Wood production. He's no Barrymore. He might have been able to hold his own with a decent script or director. Hollywood abandoned him.


A crooked conman tries to bilk rich people with fake ghosties of their dear departed, but it turns out he truly did raise the dead. Sadly, my plot summery makes it sound interesting, but it's so not.

A police detective comes by to investigate mysterious goings on and pokes around the haunted old house. he meets the new owner, Dr Acula, (groan) who invites him to a seance. The cop discovers secret doors within the meeting room and goes exploring.

IMDB: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0156843/

Amazon: See Below


This almost might be in a different category because it WAS somewhat interesting hearing the story of Ed Wood from the people involved, but I think they could have done a better job with the material. They could have asked different more probing questions and found out more about why Lugosi's son thought so little of Wood.

I'm glad to know that some people tried to encourage Wood to try more to make a better picture. It's clear he lived in his own world and followed his own impatient plan. He didn't have the talent he thought he did, but he was quite an interesting guy.

IMDB says that this film gives the reasons a film like Plan 9 from Outer Space could be made. I don't agree. I think it gives insight into Wood, but not really how and why he was the way he was.

IMDB: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0113270/

Amazon: See Below


I didn't think there could be a rating below dog. There was absolutely no reason to have Bela Lugosi in this film. My only guess is Wood thought he was super cool.

The topic of transvestitism might make an interesting film, but not in the hands of Ed Wood. Two different men are exemplified in the film, one who we only see bits and pieces of through flashback, the other, is Edward D. Wood Jr. himself as the title Glen/Glenda.

We see a psychiatrist speak to a police detective about the behavior of men dressing as women. I'm sure much of the conversation reflects the moral outrage of the time, but some of the conclusions are a little naive. I think it was even worse than Plan 9.

IMDB: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0045826/
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Yet another film in search of a plot. The title didn't fit the story. The "bride" and the "monster" didn't relate at all. Bela Lugosi at least had a character to play that made sense, sort of.

A scientist guy tries to make atomic super men and he's tried and failed with several so far. He feeds his failures to a giant squid. A girl newspaper reporter happens upon the goings on and gets herself mesmerized by Lugosi's character. Because everyone knows they teach scientists to mesmerize women their first year. (eyeroll)

IMDB: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0047898/

Look for this Box Set on Amazon: The Ed Wood Box (Glen or Glenda / Jail Bait / Bride of the Monster / Plan 9 from Outer Space / Night of the Ghouls / The Haunted World of Ed Wood)

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