I was originally under the impression that Big Fish would be a horrible movie. The people who told me that couldn't be much farther from the truth. Big Fish was as great as it was refreshing. I am honestly still shocked that it was Tim Burton film. It seemed to light and cheery to really be Burton's usual grotesque gothics. However, when the movie is further examined, Burtonesque elements make themselves known. The movie has a very subtle solemn and dreary tone. Honestly, I thought of Edward as Forrest from Forrest Gump. Not in wit particularly but in personality. Just like Forrest, Edward is a cheery man in a world of tragedy. Not much gets either of them down, they are brave to the point of stupidity, greet everyone with a smile, and are never ones to judge. They are picturesque examples of the cliche southern all-American boy. Edward is easy to like because he is good at everything, he helps everyone, but he is always humble. He is like a small town hero for his hometown. Someone that people can tell praising stories to their neighbors.I think Edward likes people because he like the odd and the strange. As the viewer can see, his mind is more often in the clouds than actually grounded in reality. When he meets odd people, he meets people who won't question him for believing in the impossible and dreaming past the stars. They except him for who he is and in return he excepts them for who they are. For example the giant Steve? Everyone else in the town is terrified of him. They shun him and goes as far as to want to cause bodily harm to him. In reality he is just a scared man who is hungry and really not sure what to do with his life, which oddly enough can be said about college students. Anyways, when Edward sees what a sweetheart Steve? is he takes him under his wings and Steve? gives Edward his loyalty. Another example would be the people of Spector. They are creepy. Quaint, but mainly just creepy. In the scene in which the poet, the mayor, and Edward are all rocking in the chairs while eating pie shows that even though he thinks they are bat shit crazy, he respects them for living their lives the way they want to, which is why when the city is dying Edward makes the effort to turn it back to its creepy glory.
I enjoyed reading your blog post because you brought up facts that other people didn't even mention in theirs. The first thing you brought up that was different was the comparison between Edward Bloom and Forrest Gump, I didn't see it until you mentioned it afterwards but it makes a lot of sense. I also like how you mentioned the comparison of college students, it made me laugh. The only thing I would say about your post that could use some improvement is elaborating more on each of the two examples to further your argument. Other than that I thought you did a really good job!
ReplyDeleteI also liked the comparison of Edward Bloom's and Forrest Gump's personalities. I see that you found it interesting, as I, that Burton's gothic perspective snuck in under the radar. I disagree with your point of being brave to the point of stupidity. It seems to me that Edward did what needed to be done because he knew he could succeed. Since he looks at life with a fantastically view and considers reality boring, I agree that Edward creates his own reality.
ReplyDeletePerhaps the idea of people accepting people for whom they are, seeing them for whom they are without judgment, working with the positive aspect of someone instead of their negative, gives a glimpse of how Burton wishes the world to be. Is it because Burton has had some healing in his life but his history still haunts him?