Johnny Depp has done some of his most iconic work with director Tim Burton, although one hugely underrated release remains the pinnacle of the pair’s acclaimed collaborations. As an actor whose career included roles for auteur filmmakers like Oliver Stone, Jim Jarmusch, and Terry Gilliam, Depp’s best-known creative partnership was with Burton, and the two have worked together eight times since he first starred in Edward Scissorhands back in 1990. From playing celebrated roles like Willy Wonka in Charlie and the Chocolate Factory to showing off his musical chops in Sweeney Todd, Burton always brought the best out of Depp.
Although many might think of Captain Jack Sparrow from the Pirates of the Caribbean as being Depp’s definitive film role, the kooky antics of that mischievous pirate represent just one side of the actor’s diverse talent. It was with Burton that Depp explored the world of Gothic animation in Corpse Bride and embraced legends of old in Sleepy Hollow. However, among all the work Depp and Burton did together, nothing can compare to their biographical exploration of one of the most misunderstood filmmakers who ever lived.
Why Ed Wood Is Johnny Depp & Tim Burton’s Best Collaboration
Burton And Depp Captured Something Special With Ed Wood
Ed Wood is somewhat of an anomaly in Burton’s career and stands as the most mature and interesting of all the films he made with Depp. This was a biographical drama exploring the work of Ed Wood, an infamous filmmaker who was responsible for several movies that have been in the running for the worst films of all time. As a struggling artist who put his heart and soul into being a filmmaker, Burton told a surprisingly human story as he depicted not just Wood’s career fluctuations but also his friendship with the Dracula actor Bela Lugosi.
Although most of Depp and Burton’s work together was categorized by eccentricity and gothic whimsy, what made Ed Wood work was that it was deeply sincere.
While so much of Burton’s work leans into horror and fantasy elements, Ed Wood was grounded in reality, and its more surreal elements came from the array of unusual real-life characters he was portraying on screen. Depp was intensely likable as Wood, and his performance here was an important stepping stone toward him being taken seriously as an actor in Hollywood. Although most of Depp and Burton’s work together was categorized by eccentricity and gothic whimsy, what made Ed Wood work was that it was deeply sincere.
At its core, Ed Wood was a story about creativity and those who put everything on the line for their art. As a filmmaker who was never afraid to show off his individuality, Ed Wood was clearly a very personal project for Burton, who likely saw a lot of himself in the misunderstood and hugely divisive director. In a way, Ed Wood served to vindicate Wood’s entire career and teach audiences that even making a bad film takes a whole lot of determination and belief in oneself.
Ed Wood Wasn’t A Huge Hit In 1994, But Has Aged Well
While It Struggled At The Time, Ed Wood Is Now A Cult Classic
When Ed Wood premiered back in 1994, it wasn’t the hit that Disney had been hoping for, and, with a box office gross of just $5.9 million against its $18 million budget, it was a total bomb. As the follow-up to previous hits like Edward Scissorhands and Batman Returns, this thoughtful black-and-white exploration of a little-known filmmaker was the complete anтιтhesis to the blockbuster smashes Burton had been delivering prior. While Martin Landau was able to earn an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor, critical acclaim was not enough to save Ed Wood at the box office.
But the truth is that Ed Wood has aged incredibly well, and it’s clearly an essential part of Burton’s legacy. Depp’s disarmingly optimistic and heartfelt performance also showcased a level of depth his previous roles had merely hinted at, and Ed Wood opened the door for him to prove himself as one of the most interesting actors of the 1990s. Ed Wood may have struggled at the time, but it’s since become a true cult classic and a film that elevates Tim Burton and Johnny Depp’s long-standing creative partnership as being about much more than fantasy and whimsy.
Source: Box Office Mojo
