Ed Wood makes last 'B' movie

Tim Burton's latest film, a biography of B-movie di rector Edward D. Wood, is over-dramatic but not without its considerable pleasures.

Johnny Depp stars as Wood, a director, producer, playwright and wanna-be actor. It's the 1950s, and Wood will do just about anything to get his first break direct ing a Hollywood movie, including revealing his most personal secret - he likes to dress in women's clothing.

What finally lands him the assignment is his guarantee to get Bela Lugosi to star in his picture. Martin Landau portrays the dying, morphi ne-hooked horror legend, accent and all.

The movie also stars Sarah Jessica Parker as Wood's girlfriend, Dolores Fuller, who dumps him after their second movie venture. Dolores canŐt handle Wood's cross-dressing and seeks a normal life instead.

Patricia Arquette is Kathy O'Hara, who meets Wood at a rehabilitation hospital and falls for the director despite his desire to dress in women's clothes.

Bill Murray plays Wood's friend Bunny Breckinridge, a gay man who goes to Mexico with his l over for a sex change operation - until his lover is killed in a car accident. Breckinridge will go to great lengths to help his friend Wood, even if that includes getting baptized by the Beverly Hills Baptist Church.

The movie is filmed in black a nd white, which not only fits the 50s time frame, but also adds to its quirkiness.

The strongest performances in the film are Landau's and Murray's. Depp's portrayal of Wood's filmmaking enthusiasm is good, but gets old after a while, as does his a ccent. He could have gotten his point across without making the character seem cartoon-like. "Ed Wood" is at best interesting, and some may find it funny, but it would have been a better film if it hadn't been so over- dramaticized.