Johnny Depp: A box office flop, though it’s his best movie star-wise

Actor Johnny Depp decided in an interview which were his favorite movies EW in 2009, and he specifically cited a feature film that is admittedly part of his filmography, but which he considers to be of an intrinsically high quality, Ed Wood (1994):

Despite my presence, this film is a gentle and comical gem. The incredible cast I worked with: Martin Landau, Bill Murray and others, but certainly with Tim, there’s a brotherly sensibility that made the experience a real joy. In the end, I feel that with the artistic freedom we had, Tuberculosis produced an absolute classic. A love letter to a filmmaker who never got one.

Directed by Tim Burton, the film follows the life of American director Ed Wood, who during his lifetime was considered the worst of all time, who has since been rediscovered for his inventiveness and the way his works were disrupted to hide their pitiful budgets.

The subject matter is very “cinephile” and suggestive, the choice of black and white (known as “the square”) and few well-known actors appear in the credits – at that time Depp is not a superstar who will become a Pirates of the Caribbean star (whose sixth opus could see a reprise of Jack Sparrow) and the film will not be sold on either Sarah Jessica Parker or Martinia Arriau Parker. You just have to look at the poster to be sure, just Depp in profile and his name in small and at the bottom.

The real star of the film is Tim Burton, who has already directed two Batman movies, Beetlejuice and Edward Scissorhands, but that won’t be enough. No one really believed it, and despite the support of the press, the audience rejected the film. Ed Wood grossed $5 million at the US box office (12 million today) and sold nearly 267,630 in France. with an estimated budget of 18 mln.

Two-time Oscar nominee Ed Wood will win both. Martin Landau will win the Oscar for Best Supporting Actor for his portrayal of Bela Lugosi, and the make-up department will also receive a statuette.