Big Fish and Ziba Came on a Boat

The film ‘Big Fish’ provides a surreal reality that is ultimately a poignant tale.   Directed by Tim Burton, the film relates to journeys as the main character Edward Bloom portrays imaginative journeys as the man of tale tales, while Will represent inner journeys when he realises that truth in those tales are limited. In the opening scene, the fish pioneers as the main topic of the film and the importance of the metaphoric connection is highlighted. As father and son, Edward and Will are the heroic archetypical characters that represent the hero’s journeys. The picture book “Ziba came on a boat” by Liz Lofthouse, concerns the physical and emotional journey to escape war torn tyranny for freedom. The perspective form a young girl is used in certain effects to convey how crucial the journey is for Ziba. Both those texts “Big Fish” and “Ziba came on a boat” relates to journeys in many ways through interpretation of the content.
In the opening scene, underwater images and the music of stringed instruments, adds a sense of tranquillity and magic to the film. A narrator introduces the film, with a southern accent and though the depth of the voice changes, the same tone is carried. At the same time the camera movements follows a fish navigating through hooks and traps. Metaphorically, the symbol of the fish conveys a connection with Edward Bloom, “as it just been touched with something extra”. The techniques used in “Ziba came on a boat” illustrate the different types of journeys. Present tense is used in the physical journey while past tense is used for the emotional journey. On the cover, both these journeys are morphed together.  
In a flashback Edward recounts entering Spectre. A world full of warmth and light, the slightly blurred focus and the close up shot of their feet, reveals the absence of shoes. It is a connotation towards the high level of safety within the town. The visual also convey the protagonist’s small town perspective of the world and by the sound...