Hey, everyone. "Moriarty" here with some Rumblings From The Lab.
This came in last week, and it’s from a very enthused new spy who really loves the BIG FISH script, and who wants to share his reasons with you:
Hi Moriarty
As promised, my script review of Big Fish.
I’ve left it pretty spoiler free and I have tried not to go into too much detail. Why? All will be explained.
I have just finished drying my eyes, so I think I can just about type, although the keyboard is a bit blurry. I'll start the review by saying the cliché: WOW!
But WOW in a big way! WOW in a way that would be worthy of an Edward Bloom story.
BIG FISH is gonna be hard to review, it’s got so many amazing scenes, characters and chances to SCREW UP!
Let’s get straight into the bitching:
I love Burton's work. I seem to be the only guy around who doesn't loathe BATMAN, but PLANET OF THE APES pissed me off so much that I wanted BLOOD! But now he could make it up, at least to me....... cheers Tim, don’t mess up, buddy!
Big Fish could be construed as a kinda Forrest Gump tale (I don't mean that in the literal sense, but more in the amazing journey sense. I know I’m gonna get hated for that, but my simple mind just felt the two bore similarities in grabbing my attention and making me laugh, cry and cheer.), its about an unremarkable man from smallville usa taking the audience on a roller coaster of a ride through REMARKABLE stories. They include Vietnam, loves, strange and interesting characters and ends with one the best weepy endings in years.
The film is about William Bloom a young, successful man who lives in Paris with his french wife. Then he gets news that his Dad, Edward Bloom, is dying. We met Edward Bloom at the beginning of the film, he was telling various people a story of a Big Fish. Its an amazing story, it can't be true....... can it?
Through the journey of the film we realise that Edward Boom is the teller of TALL TALES, and Will is his estranged son who HATES these TALL TALES. The film includes giants, A Mysterious River Woman, an amazing town called Spectre (which people will be reading meaning into for years to some!!! A future talkback hot topic building I sense), a circus, fighting for ones true love GODDAMN IT, ITS GOT EVERYTHING!!!!
Because of these constant tales Will feels that he doesn't know his dad and on Wills wedding night they don’t talk again for a two years. Now, at Edward's dying bedside, Will wants to find his dad, he wants to know his REAL dad not the man in these stories. Stories which Will believes JUST SIMPLY CAN’T BE TRUE.
Based on the book by Daniel Wallace, each scene manages to capture the true essence of story telling, the essence of wonder, and the true essence of love. Reading this film, and I’m sure watching it, is like hearing a story for the first time when you were a child. Your eyes go wide, you heart pounds and the hair sticks up on the back your neck. Its really is that good. Now its not the best screenplay ever, its not the coolest film ever (The Kill Bill screenplay owns that at the moment!) and its not the GREATEST film ever, but it shows us what films should be about, the standards we should aim for. So when a film like “What a girl wants” is number two it makes you wonder what the hell is wrong with people. How about a film which is all about escapism, in every sense of the word. Its just a nice film, a lovely nice film...... ugh, I hate it when I’m like that..... I need to read Kill Bill to get my macho side back......
John August is fast becoming a fave writer of mine and TIm Burton, if he does this as I know HE CAN, then we can't lose out. MY main concern is that the script is perfect, the director chosen is perfect for the material, but it all may change......
There is not one scene in THAT script that I would want changed, if they remove one of his amazing stories, or one of his amazing friends or THAT ENDING (I’m getting teary again) then........... ahhhh we'll just have to wait and see.
Well I know this isn't the most comprehensive of reviews, but I'm sneaking this in at work and it really is a film about amazing stories and I cannot tell those stories....... not like Edward Bloom can.
I'll see you all in Spectre.......
A No Named Spy
Thanks, man. Sounds like it really affected you.
Here’s hoping Burton makes the most of the strongest script he’s had his hands on since ED WOOD.
"Moriarty" out.
