Find out what crushing failure in Johnny Depp’s career remains the ‘Pirates of the Caribbean’ star’s favorite film.
Actor Johnny Depp decided which were his favorite films during an interview with EW in 2009, and he notably quoted a feature film which, certainly is part of his filmography, but which he considered intrinsically of high quality, Ed Wood (1994):
Despite my presence, this film is a tender and comic pearl. An incredible cast with whom I worked: Martin Landau, Bill Murray and the others, but of course with Tim, there is a brotherly sensitivity, which made this experience a real joy. In the end, I feel that with the artistic freedom we had, “TB” produced an absolute classic. A love letter to a filmmaker who received none.
Directed by Tim Burton, the film tells the life of Ed Wood, American director considered during his lifetime as the worst of all time, who has since been rediscovered for his inventiveness and his way of tinkering with his works to hide their miserable budget.
Touchstone Pictures
The subject is very “cinephile” and referenced, the choice of black and white (known as “square”), and few known actors appear in the credits – at the time, Depp is not the superstar he will become post Pirates of the Caribbean (of which a sixth opus could see him replay Jack Sparrow) and the film is not sold on Sarah Jessica Parker, Martin Landau or Patricia Arquette either. You just have to see the poster to be convinced, with only Depp in profile and his name in small and at the bottom.
The real star of the film is Tim Burton, who has already filmed two Batman movies, Beetlejuice and Edward Scissorhands, but that won’t be enough. No one believed in it much, and despite press support, audiences rejected the film. Ed Wood totaled 5 million dollars at the American box office (12 million today) and barely made 267,630 admissions in France. For an estimated budget of 18 million.
Touchstone Pictures
Nominated twice for the Oscars, Ed Wood will win them both. Martin Landau will leave with the Oscar for Best Supporting Actor in the role of Bela Lugosi, and the work of the make-up department will also be honored with a statuette.