Jane DoeIt takes talent to be really, really bad at something. Most of us are good at something, adequate at a lot of things, mediocre at a few things and pretty bad at a few more. But there are as few of us who are spectacularly bad at something as there are geniuses. Let me explain what I mean, and let me use two examples to explain just right: Ed Wood and Tommy Wiseau.
Who is Ed Wood?
Ed Wood is one of the finest terrible creators of movies we have ever seen. Ironically enough, the Tim Burton biopic based on his life starred Johnny Depp and won two Oscars. Let me give you a rundown on what his creative endeavours.
This won two Oscars. The real Ed Wood won a Golden Turkey. Pic via
He made extremely low-budget movies across genre like science fiction, horror and cowboy movies. He also made quite a few sexploitation movies, and wrote about 80 novels. Imagine that, if you will. This man died when he was 54, and managed to write 80 novels and make numerous movies (mostly in the 50s and 60s), with almost no budget at all.
Mysterious Life of Ed Wood
Ed Wood was a troubled man whose death in 1978, by heart attack, is attributed in part alcoholism fed by severe depression. He was a cross-dresser with an alter ego named Shirley. Though according to his wife, Kathy, he identified as a man. His work was odd. He used massive amounts of stock footage in his movies and weaved them into ambitious scripts that would have needed grand productions that he obviously could not afford. He wrote script, directed and produced his movies, as well as acted in many of them.
One of his many flops that now have a cult following. Pic via
The most renowned flop movies of Ed Wood
His movies were almost universally panned when they came out, but now, they have acquired a cult following. In 1980, he was awarded the Golden Turkey for being the worst director of all time, and that was the beginning of his current cult status. Films like Glen and Glenda, Bride of the Monster and Plan 9 from Outer Space are masterpieces in how terrible they are. The Tim Burton movie Ed Wood has taken quite a few creative liberties, but it will make you watch Ed Wood’s movies. You can watch scenes from both Ed Wood and Ed Wood’s movies side-by-side, too, if you so wish.
Tommy Wiseau’s version of Ed Wood
Twenty five years after the world lost Ed Wood, we were given a movie that embodies part of the spirit of his filmmaking: The Room. It is the creative masterpiece of Tommy Wiseau, the most credible proof for alien life we have so far. Because he simply cannot be a being of the earth – he is far too extraordinary.
Behold, the masterpiece! Pic via
The Room rivals many of Ed Wood’s movies to stake claim to being the worst movie the world has ever seen. The acting is awful, the plot makes absolutely no sense, there are so many loose ends it might as well be a knotted dupatta.
Don’t believe me that anything could be so bad? Here’s my favourite bit from the movie:
Is that not enough? Well, they go ‘cheep cheep cheep’ and play football wearing tuxedos for absolutely no discernible reason, too.
No, I have absolutely no explanation for it, but don’t you want to watch the movie now? It’s on YouTube. You will not regret it. Well, you might, but it’ll still be worth it.
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