Ed Wood was the irrepressible director of some of the tawdriest Z-grade science-fiction and horror films of the 1950s, a director who never let his tiny budgets get in the way of pursuing his vision. Films such as Bride of the Monster (1955) and Plan 9 from Outer Space (1959) are littered with cardboard spaceships, rubber monster suits, and incongruous stock footage. Here we talk with Ed Wood aficionado Bob Blackburn as he discusses the charismatic, cross-dressing auteur, who donned his beloved angora sweaters and enrapted in a eureka moment of inspiration, eyes bright with enthusiasm above his pencil-thin moustache.
*How did you come to find out about Ed Wood?
Basically I went to an Ed Wood film festival here in Hollywood in the summer of 1992, attached is the flyer for that event, while watching the BBC doc, I saw an interview with Kathy Wood, and I realized that I thought she was a lady who lived in my apt. building, turns out she did, after I learned that Tim Burton was going to make a film about Ed I approached her and asked her if she knew about it, no she didn't I learned a bit more it, and eventually I helped her find an entertainment lawyer, long story short we became friends, she passed away in 2006 and I am now one of two of her heirs, from meeting and befriending her I became more immersed in the world of Ed as she told me many stories over the course of our friendship, some I relate in the foreword to "Blood Splatters Quickly" a book of some of Ed's short fiction, I collected, edited and helped get published a few years ago, I have another publisher for a second volume called "Angora Fever..." which should come out later this year. I started the Ed Wood FB group, to gather like minded folks who have and share an interest in Ed's works, his personal life, family & friends etc.
*What was your first reaction after watching an Ed Wood film?
I was charmed watching his films, they never fail to fascinate and mystify me
*How do you think Ed influenced modern indie filmmakers?
I am not a filmmaker so I really don't know if he's really had that much of a direct influence on modern day film makers, I know folks who make "bad" movies on purpose, don't understand Ed at all, he never set out to make a bad film, as Kathy said many times, he had to struggle to make the money to follow his passion, and IF he would have had a real film budget who knows how good or "bad" his films might have been, but in would hazard a guess he would be among a long list of long ago forgotten filmmakers.
*In what ways have you been involved in Ed Wood's legacy?
I have tried to keep Ed's legacy alive by getting his short fiction published, the Estate of Kathy Wood and the complications of Ed's works, copyrights etc. is a tangled mess, would take too long to try & explain, but I do my best to keep his flame alive.
Ed Wood has also been an inspiration on Lo-Fi filmmaker Fabrizio Federico ''I love the way he shot his films in a state of chaos, without any permits, just this total sense of adventure and DIY energy, how he cast non-actors and his friends in his movies. In a way he invented cult cinema.''
Fabrizio Federico - Website
Ed Wood has also been an inspiration on Lo-Fi filmmaker Fabrizio Federico ''I love the way he shot his films in a state of chaos, without any permits, just this total sense of adventure and DIY energy, how he cast non-actors and his friends in his movies. In a way he invented cult cinema.''
Fabrizio Federico - Website
