Synopsis for
Ed Wood (1994) More at IMDbPro »

The film opens with a thunderstorm. Lightning flashes illuminate a spooky old house, accompanied by the eerie wailing of a Theremin. The camera moves inside the house to reveal a coffin which opens and from the coffin Criswell sits up. (This is nearly identical to opening scene to "Night of the Ghouls"). Criswell offers an opening commentary which practically repeats the opening commentary from "Plan 9 from Outer Space". Credits follow with most of the cast names displayed on tombstones (again similar to "Plan 9"). The camera moves from the Hollywood sign and down into Hollywood itself.

It is a rainy night outside a dilapidated theater in Hollywood. It is the early 1950s. The eccentric and goof-ball theater director Edward D. Wood Jr. (Johnny Depp) is pacing outside, waiting for the press who have not shown to review his play "The Casual Company", a World War II-esq military drama. The show finally goes on to an almost empty house. Later that night Ed, his close friend John "Bunny" Breckinridge (Bill Murray) and the three principal actors in the play, Dolores Fuller (Sarah Jessica Parker), Paul Marco (Max Casella) and Conrad "Connie" Brooks (Brent Hinkley) read Victor Crowley's scathing review of the play, the only positive comment being about the realistic costumes. Later that night Ed, who is living with Dolores, expresses his doubts about his achieving success in the film industry. He worries that he's nearly thirty and Orson Welles, whom Ed idolizes, was 26-years old when he made "Citizen Kane". Dolores reassures him and then absent-mindedly makes a comment to herself about never being able to find her clothes. Ed turns over in bed with a worried look on his face.

A few days later, Ed is working in the props department at a film studio as his second job and he is asked to take a potted palm over to the executive offices. Ed makes a bit of a side trip to see some new stock footage the studio received, and comments that he could probably make a complete movie using just the stock footage. Later, in the office he overhears two office girls discussing an article in Variety about a bio-pic being considered about sex-change personality, Christine Jorgensen.

Ed phones George Weiss (Mike Starr), head of Screen Classics, a small studio which specializes in soft-core sexploitation films, which was making the bio-pic. Ed assures him that he is the most qualified man in Hollywood to direct the sex-change film. Later he is talking to Weiss in his office who tells him that the Christine Jorgensen story is off. Christine heard about it from Variety, and was asking for too much. Weiss was still planing a sex-change film though, to be called "I Changed My Sex". He has no script yet or director. Ed tells him that he can direct and write the movie. When Weiss asks him why he is the most qualified man in Hollywood to do this movie Ed tells him he himself is a cross-dresser and can add an extra note of realism to the movie. Weiss tells Ed that he does not need someone who has a burning desire to tell his story. Discouraged, Ed leaves.

On his way home, Ed meets Bela Lugosi (Martin Landau). He is leaving a funeral home complaining about the uncomfortableness of the coffins. The two start talking and begin a close friendship as Ed drives Bela home to his small house. Ed learns that Bela has not worked in four years. Later, Ed is discussing Bela with Weiss who calls Bela a "washed-out junkie". He suggests that if Ed thinks he is so great he should hire Bela himself.

On Halloween night 1953, and Ed and Bela are watching "White Zombie" at Bela's home on the TV. The show breaks for a commercial, introduced by horror-show hostess Vampira (Lisa Marie) whom Bela refers to as "a honey". A short while later, Vampira makes a comment about the film starring Bela Lugosi "and a bunch of other people I've never heard of". This seems to depress Bela who goes into the back to take his "medicine". The medicine seems to work almost immediately and Bela is soon cheerfully scaring trick-or-treating children as Dracula.

Using the promise of getting Bela to star in the movie, Ed convinces George Weiss to let him write and direct the movie. He finishes the script two days later and gives it to Dolores to read. He also uses the script to tell her about his own cross-dressing. He shows himself to her dressed in one of her angora jumpers, and he offers her the role of Barbara in the movie. They begin filming the movie, now re-titled 'Glen or Glenda', with Ed himself performing the title roles. When they get to filming Bela's scenes, there is a minor catastrophe when Connie mentions Boris Karloff. Bela gets highly upset about this, as Karloff was a major of rival of Lugosi's. There is also trouble on the set as Dolores, who is playing the female lead Barbara, is having a very hard time accepting Ed's cross-dressing. Somehow the film is finished. When it is shown to Weiss, he doesn't like it at all.

Ed takes a film copy of "Glen or Glenda" to Mr. Feldman at Warners, seeking to get financial backing to continue making movies. He mentions several other projects he has planned, such as "The Ghoul Goes West" and "Dr. Acula". Feldman seems interested in another project Ed pitches, "Bride of the Atom". Later Feldman and two subordinates view "Glen Or Glenda", and are reduced to fits of helpless laughter by the horrible looking movie with bad sound, lighting, and acting.

Days later, Ed finds that "Glen or Glenda" is not playing anywhere local. He phones George Weiss who tells him that he could not sell it anywhere in the major markets. In fact, Weiss wishes "he had not blown every dime he had ever made into making this stink-bomb". He promises that if he ever sees Ed again he will kill him.

A few evenings later Ed, Dolores and Bunny are at a wrestling match. Bunny talks about his plans to go to Mexico and take the first steps leading to sex-reassignment, much to Dolores' discomfort. They later see in action Swedish wrestler Tor Johnson (George 'The Animal' Steele), who Ed believes would make a fantastic actor, and would be perfect for Lobo, the monstrous henchman in "Bride of the Atom". He convinces Tor to take the part.

Some months later, Ed gets a call from Bela. When he arrives at Bela's home he finds Bela collapsed on the floor. He also finds a needle which Bela tells him contains Morphine and Demerol. Bella breaks down and tells Ed that he is totally broke, and doesn't know what he's going to do to pay for his "medication". Ed reassures him that he won't let Bela down.

The next day, Ed calls Feldman, who tells him that "Glen or Glenda" was the worst movie he ever saw, and hangs up on him. Discouraged, Ed talks to Dolores, who suggests that Ed may not be studio material, and may do better as an independent film maker. Ed starts to try to line up backers by meeting them at the local Brown Derby Restaurant. One person he approaches is a producer of a comedy/variety TV series, who arranges to use Bela in a sketch.

The sketch turns out to be a total fiasco, as Bela cannot follow the ad-libs of the comic. Backstage Ed and Bela meet "psychic" Criswell (Jeffrey Jones) who predicts that Bela's next project will be a huge success. Criswell even recognises Ed's name as the writer/director of "Glen or Glenda". Quickly Criswell becomes a member of Ed's growing entourage and tells Ed that showmanship is the secret to success.

Over the next several months in 1955, Ed continues seeking financing for his next movie, helped by Dolores, Criswell and Tor, but without any success. One evening at a local nightclub, Ed encounters a young, attractive woman who introduces herself as Loretta King (Juliet Landau) who appears to be quite wealthy (she pays a three dollar bar tab with a $50 note). Still seeking financing, Ed soon convinces her to invest in "Bride of the Atom". Loretta agrees to finance Ed's movie, but her only catch is that in exchange to be credited as one of the executive producers, she would also like to act in the movie, in fact she wants to take the lead role, which Ed had already promised to Dolores. Ed reluctantly agrees with Loretta so that he can make the movie. Dolores, however, is furious about this, especially when she finds she has been relegated to one of the minor roles.

With Loretta's contribution in hand Ed begins filming, despite Loretta being a mediocre actress. Unfortunately, filming is soon shut down a few days later when the $300 advance that Loretta gave runs out. It turns out that the $300 was all the money that Loretta had. So Ed goes back out on the financing trail. While talking to some potential investors at the Brown Derby, he meets Vampira at the restaurant with her entourage of her agent, manager, publicist, producer, etc. He tries to interest her in helping to get some backers, but her reluctance ends up losing backers.

Ed ends up talking to butcher Donald McCoy, who is willing to advance Ed the rest of the money he needs, but McCoy's condition is that he wants the movie to end with a big explosion, and that the lead male role to go to his son Tony. After making the suggested changes, filming resumes, but not without problems. At one point there is a very tense encounter between Dolores and Loretta in the dressing room over Dolores still angry and jealous at Loretta for taking the lead role which Ed promised her first.

That night, Ed, Paul, Connie, Criswell, and Tor break into the prop warehouse at Republic Studios to "borrow" a rubber octopus to be used in the climactic scene between Dr. Vornoff (Bela), and his octopus. The following night, while on location in the Hollywood Hills to film that scene, they realise that they forgot to borrow the octopus motor, so when they are filming the scene Ed tells Bela to just "Shake his legs around so it looks like he's killing you". At first Bela seems to be unable to do the scene, but after injecting himself with a dose of his "medicine" he is alright again.

At the wrap party the next night, held in McCoy's butcher shop, Ed, once more in drag, does a strip act. This is the last straw, and Dolores explodes, saying that Ed's movies are terrible. She leaves Ed for good.

Ed gets another phone call from Bela, whom he finds suicidal and wants Ed to join him. Ed talks Bela out of it, and Bela decides to commit himself into a hospital for his drug addiction. Bela uses his rehabilitation to get some publicity and to get his name back in the press.

In the hospital, Ed meets Kathy O'Hara (Patricia Arquette), a very sweet young woman whom is visiting her father at the hospital. Ed becomes strangely attracted to her. He tells her that he is a writer, producer, actor, and director in motion pictures. The two go out on a date to a midway carnival. They take a ride through the spook house, which breaks down halfway through the ride. While stranded, Ed confesses to Kathy about his cross-dressing. She accepts it without question.

The next morning, Ed gets some bad news from the sanitarium. Bela's insurance has long since lapsed and as a result Bela will not be able to stay any longer. Ed offers to pay all he has to help Bela, but the small amount of money he has will barely help. Ed convinces Bela that he is cured, and takes him home. Bela wonders when Ed's next picture will be coming. To help Bela, Ed invests the last of his cash in some film and a camera rental. He and Bela film several scenes of generic stock footage outside Bela's house that Ed could use almost anywhere for his next movie.

A few weeks later in 1956, Ed invites Vampira to join the party going to the premiere of his movie, now re-titled "Bride of the Monster". Ed, Kathy, Vampira, Criswell, Bela, and Tor go in Ed's car to the theater. The audience is extremely rowdy over the horrible-looking movie and after only a few minutes into the picture Ed begins to fear for the safety of his guests, especially Kathy, Bela, and Vampira. They leave in time to catch a gang stripping down Ed's car. The crowd soon leaves the theater also roaring in anger at being cheated out of their money to watch a bad movie. They hail a taxi; in fact Kathy almost has to jump in front of it to get it to stop. As they drive away, Bela sarcasticaly remarks, "now THAT was a premiere!"

The next day, Ed and Bela are walking along a sidewalk in Los Angeles and talking. Bela tells Ed that he has found a very special woman in Kathy. They talk about the premiere and Ed wishes that Bela could have seen the whole movie. Bela says he doesn't really need to, he remembers it all, and proves it by quoting his closing speech to an appreciative impromptu audience on the street.

One night a few weeks later, Ed gets woken up from a phone call where someone on the other line tells him that Bela has passed away. Ed, Kathy, Tor, Criswell, Vampira, Connie, and Paul are all among the mourners at Bela's funeral. It is also mentioned that Bela was buried in his Dracula cape.

Some months later, Ed is talking to his landlord, J. Edward Reynolds (Clive Rosengren). Reynolds notices that Ed is in the picture business, and mentions that his Baptist church is planning to make inspirational films about the twelve apostles. At the present time though they only have the money for one. Ed tells Reynolds that if he took that money and put it into a commercially proven genre, he would make enough to make all twelve movies. As it happens, Ed has a script he wrote available, entitled "Grave Robbers from Outer Space", and this movie would star Bela Lugosi. Ed has the last film Bela did, and he just needs to hire a double to complete Bela's scenes. Reynolds agrees, and final preparations begin for the movie.

When Ed learns that Vampira has been laid off, he convinces her to take a part in the film, but she will only do it mute. Ed meets Dr. Tom Mason, Kathy's chiropractor, and Ed hires him to be Bela's double even though the resemblance is minimal, and the only way Ed could pull it off is if Mason does all his scenes with the Dracula cape pulled over his face.

Reynolds will only support the movie if Ed and his companions are baptised into his church. So that Sunday, Ed, Kathy, Vampira, Tor, Criswell, Bunny, Mason, Paul, and Connie are received into the local Baptist church. Tor is too large to fit into the regular baptismal font, so the mass baptism is held in a nearby swimming pool.

In 1958, filming begins but with many problems. Gregory Wallcott, an actor who is also a member of Reynolds' church choir who is taking one of the lead roles in the movie, is disgusted by the amateurish cockpit set. Bunny, who is playing the alien leader, is insisting on antenna or glitter. Reynolds has many concerns, from daylight stock shots setting up for night scenes, Tor (who is nearly unintelligible) delivering many of the lines because Bela's dead, and Vampira's not speaking, and the title "Grave Robbers from Outer Space" which they find blasphemous. The final straw is when Reynolds questions Ed's skills after Paul and Connie, (playing policemen) fall (knocked down by the passage of the 'flying saucer') and knock over one of the cardboard tombstones in the graveyard set. To relax, Ed puts on his women's clothing only to be chastised even more by Reynolds.

Ed storms out of the studio and goes to a nearby bar (still in drag). In the bar Ed meets his idol, Orson Welles (Vincent D'Offrio). The two begin talking and Orson reminisces about his problems with the film business. He tells Ed that ultimately the business is worthwhile and advises Ed to hang on to his dreams.

Ed returns to the studio and tells Reynolds that he will get his movie, as Ed wants to make it, and it will be successful.

Ed continues filming the movie, now re-titled "Plan 9 from Outer Space" at Reynolds' request. Scene after scene are filmed with Ed growing more and more proud of the whole production. He knows that "this is the ultimate Ed Wood movie"

On opening night in 1959, he and Kathy drive to the theater in Ed's (repaired) convertible. As they arrive, it begins to rain and thunder, much like the storm in the opening scenes. The top gets stuck open, and finally Ed leaves it so that they can make the premire. He introduces it simply "For Bela". As the film runs, Ed is again in the wings silently repeating the dialogue. He knows that "This is it. This is the one I'll be remembered for".

As "Plan 9" closes he proposed to Kathy, and the two drive off in his soaked car to marry in Las Vegas. The camera moves back from the area to focus on the Hollywood sign again.

The movie ends with short biographical comments about the major characters and their lives after "Plan 9 from Outer Space".....

Edward D. Wood Jr. kept on struggling in Hollywood, but mainstream success eluded him. He descended into obscurity, as well as alcoholism while continuing to direct grade-B monster and soft core sex films. He died from a heart attack in 1978 at age 54. Two years after his death, he was voted "Worst Director of All Time" bringing him worldwide attention and a new generation of fans.

Kathy O'Hara Wood remained married to Ed for nearly 20 years and was loyal to him through all ups and downs. After his death, she never remarried.

The late Bela Lugosi never rose from the grave but after appearing in 103 films during his 40 year career, he is more famous then ever. Today (the mid 1990s) his movie memorabilia outsells Boris Karloff's by a substantial margin.

Bunny Breckinridge never had his sex change. He is currently living somewhere in New Jersey.

Dolores Fuller quit acting and went on to have a successful songwriting career. Her compositions include writing the music and lyrics for numerous Elvis Presley songs including "Rock-A-Hula Baby" and "Do the Clam".

Tor Johnson continued to appear in numerious "B" movies before achieving his greatest fame as a best-selling Halloween mask. He died in 1971.

Vampira retired from show business shortly after Plan 9's release to sell handcrafted jewelry. In the 1980s, she unsuccessfully sued horror hostess Elvira for stealing her act and appearance.

Paul Marco and Conrad Brooks are still personalities in the Hollywood scene and continue to act in numerous low-budget 'B' movies. Paul is currently the founder and president of the Paul Marco fan club. Conrad was recently named the "John Gielgud of Bad Movies" by the New York Times.

Dr. Tom Mason, the late chiropractor who doubled for the late Bela on 'Plan 9', appeared in one more Ed Wood film "Night of the Ghouls". This time, Ed let him show his face.

Criswell continued making highly inaccurate and bizarre psychic predictions and was often a guest on "The Tonight Show" featuring Johnny Carson. He died in 1982.