Customer Reviews

Hollywood Rat Race

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Ed Wood is famous as "the world's worst director." That title was never true, because his movies were always interesting even on a shoestring budget. In this book, the Great Man offers his [intentionally] hilarious advice for those aspiring to Hollywood. "Stay home," he insists. "You can be a devoted actor or actress there as well as any place."

All of his favorite fetishes are here in this book as he explores the [1960s version of] seedy Hollywood. He manages to mention "angora sweaters" nearly a dozen times throughout the book. Mr. Wood warns starlets that there isn't any film in that screen test camera. He explains how to seem like a bigshot while living a dive apartment-- have all your meetings downstairs at the complex's POOL. He brags that all of his movies got RELEASED [wow]-- unlike some other cheapie
directors. He even explains how to live for FREE in Hollywood [sleep in the park-- but don't forget blankets].

Chapter Ten: How to Make a Cheap Picture and Fail. "This is the easiest chapter of all to write,"-- Ed's implied admission that maybe he isn't the Hollywood BigWig he pretends to be.

Ed wrote his books as a stream of consciousness-- and it shows. But "Hollywood Rat Race" is like having a great three hour conversion with someone who's seen it all... and can still laugh about it!

"Hollywood Rat Race," a guide to surviving in Hollywood by none other than Edward D. Wood Jr., should be considered a must for any of his fans. Unpublished until the late-nineties, this guide covers Ed's thoughts about acting, screenwriting, producing, and a lot more. In addition, this is probably the closest we're ever going to come to Ed's memoirs. He tells stories about his early Hollywood career, his films, his friends (Kenne Duncan, Lyle Talbot, Tom Keene, some long stories about Bela Lugosi), and, best of all, his own account of the notorios baptism performed to get financing for "Plan 9 From Outer Space."
Some highlights: his scattered references to angora; his referring to the "Plan 9" cast as "The best cast I ever had" (listing off the names of David De Mering and Ben Frommer as if they were legendary); his list of some top character actors (all of them obscure); and his guide to living in Hollywood without any money (sleep in the park!). It's all written in a decidedly humorous style.
In conclusion, if you're a self-respecting Ed Wood fan, you simply can't be without this book.

It seems too good to be true-Ed Wood actually wrote a book on how to make it in Hollywood!It would be funny if it weren't so sad.Actually,Ed has some good advice on what to do once you get to tinseltown.He wrote the book in the 60's,but much of his advice still holds up.If you are an Ed Wood fan,you MUST read this book.

This book is a great read and a wonderful insight to a man who saw himself as no one else did. Ed Wood's instruction manual to the ins-and-outs of creating a successful career in Hollywood is unintentionally hilarious. In his guidence, he aligns himself with big studios and top producers and it will leave you shaking your head in disbelief that someone can be so delusional.

It's Ed Wood's world and he's calling the shots, no matter how off-target they are.

Ed Wood Jr. wrote this book which is less of a "how to succeed" than a "how to survive" in Hollywood. As a companion piece to Nightmare Of Ecstasy, which chronicles Wood's life and career, this book is a nice addition.

Like the rest of Wood's output, it works best on its own premises, and shouldn't be compared to others work.

I recommend it, especially if you're an Ed Wood fan.

OK. I admit it. I thought I could be an actor in Hollywood and in 86 moved to Hollywood. Basically I failed on every turn. So much of what Ed writes in this book is true. This is the best (BEST) book ever writen about what to do if you really want to go and try. Not only is it totally honest, but it is written in the great Ed Wood style. I am a big Ed Wood fan, so I know. I also have the pleasure of knowing many of the original Ed Wood actors personally. One of the few perks I got out of Hollywood. I never got to meet Speilberg or Lucas, but I did hang out on the fringe with people like Russ Meyers, Titus Moody, Kitten Natividad, Ray Dennis Steckler, Paul Demarco, Jena Jamison and Conrad Brooks. Far more interesting then the so called Hollywood stars. This book is a must for all Ed Wood fans. Buy it.

I just started reading this book, and I am enjoying it. I've noticed that the book has a couple of negative reviews, and I disagree with what those reviews say. This book is well written, contrary to what is written in those reviews.. (What were they expecting an Ed Wood Jr. book to be like??? Ernest Hemmingway, John Steinbeck or William Shakespeare?) It never ceases to amaze me how people with no talent, very little talent, or "no credits" whatsoever to their name, are so quick to judge someone else. Hollywood Rat Race has a great amount of advice and insight about Hollywood. Some of the information is dated, but Ed Wood Jr. Pulls NO PUNCHES, and it is better written prose than what you're reading about from some of these clowns here. I reccomend this book...

Also, who is to say that Ed Wood never "made it" in Hollywood? He may have never made it to the to the top level that say Sylvestor Stallone made it, etc,etc... But on various levels he did "make it", and he does have the authority to write such a book even though he didn't make it in the traditonal definition of the words "making it"...

My introduction to film maker Edward D. Wood,Jr., came one Saturday afternoon in 1996 while visiting our local movie rental store with my daughter. By happen-chance,I purchased 'Ed Wood' starring Johnny Depp, a bio epic of Wood's best remembered films made between 1952 and 1962. While watching this movie I was captivated by the passion and persistence Wood exuded as an autuer, facing many hard times in trying to 'make-it' in Hollywood. His book 'Hollywood Rat Race' captures the essence of this experience and what it takes to become an "indie film-maker' before the word became vogue. A nicely written narrative for an aspiring autuer who wishes to get a glimpse of what it takes to make a movie. Wood is an anti-heroe [Orsen Wells a heroe] who gains the sympathy of the reader because of his tireless effort in documenting his vision in such film classics as, 'Glen or Glenda,1953', 'Jail Bait,1954', 'Bride of the Monster,1955', 'The Violent Years, 1956', "Plan 9 From Outer Space, 1957,'The Night of the Gouls,1958','Sinister Urge,1960 and 'Orgy of the Dead,1962'. A remarkable body work for a writer, director and producer on a micro-film-budget who is endearingly remembered as the "Worst film-maker of all time." As a fan, I toast this book and to the life and times of Mr. Wood, "It's beyond reason".

Frank Austan, LRCP

Who better to write a guide to Hollywood than Ed Wood Jr., the worst filmmaker in history? Wood's films include the absurd anti-classics, "Plan 9 From Outer Space," "Glen or Glenda?," and "Bride of the Monster" among others. In "Hollywood Rat Race" Wood gives advice on such matters as what to pack for your trip to Hollywood (angora sweater of course), how to get an agent, whether you should have sex to get a part, and how to sleep in the park for free, before finally recommending that you just stay home instead. The book seems to be less about advice, however, than about bolstering Wood's own self-image as an acclaimed writer-director-producer. He name-drops at every available opportunity, exaggerates wildly, and frequently gets sidetracked, rambling on about angora sweaters and people's strange fetishes. It often becomes unclear in his tirades whether he is attacking others or himself. He is outraged by:

drama teachers ("Those who can, do. Those who can't, teach... Let each of them challenge me. I accept! I have made many films, yet I do not teach. I wonder why the schools and colleges hire these never-has-beens.")

actors who criticize Hollywood ("Who are these people who hate Hollywood? Perhaps a bunch of communists?")

sleazy producers ("More than a few of them will be undressed and into your dress or sweater and skirt, almost before you've got them off.")

cross-dressers ("Many of your favorite movie actors go in for this fantastic fetish. Horror of a lawsuit keeps me from naming names.")

bad filmmakers ("The only science (or fiction) about [this science fiction film] was the fact it came into being at all. And this so-called producer is still around Hollywood today taking backers' money for the same crap")

cheap novelists ("It doesn't take an overwhelming talent to write these books")

I would not recommend "Hollywood Rat Race" to anyone who plans to move to Hollywood, or anyone who doesn't plan to move to Hollywood, unless, like me, you're morbidly fascinated by Ed Wood. Wood was anything but modest about his lackluster accomplishments, but he was right about one thing: "Perhaps none of our films, so far, have been up for awards, but they are entertaining pictures." Just not entertaining in the way he meant them to be.

My introduction to film maker Edward D. Wood,Jr., came one Saturday afternoon in 1996 while visiting our local movie rental store with my daughter Lara. By happen-chance,I purchased 'Ed Wood' starring Johnny Depp, a bio epic of Wood's best remembered films made between 1952 and 1962. While watching this movie I was captivated by the passion and persistence Wood exuded as an autuer, facing many hard times in trying to 'make-it' in Hollywood. His book 'Hollywood Rat Race' captures the essence of this experience and what it takes to become an "indie film-maker' before the word became vogue. A nicely written narrative for an aspiring autuer who wishes to get a glimpse of what it takes to make a movie. Wood is an anti-heroe [Orsen Wells a heroe] who gains the sympathy of the reader because of his tireless effort in documenting his vision in such film classics as, 'Glen or Glenda,1953', 'Jail Bait,1954', 'Bride of the Monster,1955', 'The Violent Years, 1956', "Plan 9 From Outer Space, 1957,'The Night of the Gouls,1958','Sinister Urge,1960 and 'Orgy of the Dead,1962'. A remarkable body work for a writer, director and producer on a micro-film-budget who is endearingly remembered as the "Worst film-maker of all time." As a fan, I toast this book and to the life and times of Mr. Wood, "It's beyond reason".

Dr. Frank Javier Austan, LRCP