Ed Wood

Music by Howard Shore

 

 

 

 

 

In just a few seconds of the opening theme of Ed Wood (1994), Howard Shore redirects us to the parallel universe of the trash movies, the cinema without resources and its appealing immediacy. The theme catches immediately in its 50´s mood and the good and old theremin sound. 

The economic instrumental is also characteristic of the score and a reflex of the black-and-white world of eternal no-budget situation of the trash movies. The score references mambo, as in the irresistible Backlot and Elmogambo that sets perfectly the 50´s culture. In tracks Mr. Lugosi and Beware, we heard the monologues of Martin Landau in great moment, playing the Hungarian actor Bela Lugosi and his unbeatable accent. For the sad trajectory of Lugosi, Shore accentuate the drama in Sanitarium and Eddie, Help Me, this last quoting Tchaikovsky's Swan Lake, reference to Dracula of 1931. As an extra curiosity the score also includes Kuba Mambo by Perez Prado and Nautch Dance by Korla Pandit, supposed Hindu composer that recorded some exotica organ tunes in the 50s. As the Tim Burton film itself, the Howard Shore´s soundtrack is a moving praise to the artistic ingenuity of B and trash world that extends to the purest and uncontrolled creative impulse, essential to any form of art.