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{{Short description|2003 film by Tim Burton}}
{{other|Big Fish (disambiguation)}}
{{About|the 2003 film}}
{{Infobox Film
{{Use American English|date=January 2025}}
{{Good article}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=February 2012}}
{{Infobox film
| name = Big Fish | name = Big Fish
| image = Big Fish movie.jpg | image = Big Fish movie poster.png
| image_size = | caption = Theatrical release poster
| caption =
| director = ] | director = ]
| producer = ]<br>]<br>] | producer = ]<br />]<br />]
| writer = ] & <br>] (novel) | screenplay = ]
| based_on = {{Based on|'']''|]}}
| narrator =
| starring = {{plainlist|
| starring = ]<br>]<br>]<br>]<br>]<br>]<br>]<br>]<br>]
*]
*]
*]
*]
*]
*]
*]
*]
*]
*]
}}
| music = ] | music = ]
| cinematography = | cinematography = ]
| editing = | editing = ]
| distributor = ] | studio = {{ubl|]|Jinks/Cohen Company|]}}
| distributor = ]
| released = {{flagicon|USA}}<br>] ]
| released = {{Film date|2003|12|04|]|2003|12|10|United States}}
| runtime = 125 mins
| country = ] | runtime = 125 minutes
| language = ] | country = United States
| budget = $70 million | language = English
| budget = $70 million<ref name=BOM>{{cite web|url=https://www.boxofficemojo.com/movies/?id=bigfish.htm|title=''Big Fish (2003)'' > Production Budget > Domestic Total Gross + Foreign|work=]|at=boxofficemojo.com|publisher=]|access-date=2012-08-31}}</ref>
| gross =
| gross = $123.2 million<ref name=BOM/>
| preceded_by =
| followed_by =
| website =
| amg_id = 1:290352
| imdb_id = 0319061
}} }}
'''''Big Fish''''' is a 2003 American ] ] film <!--Please do not change the genre without citing reliable sources.-->directed by ].{{efn|Attributed to multiple references:<br><ref>{{Cite web |title=Big Fish |url=https://catalog.afi.com/Film/62274-BIG-FISH?sid=53fd7732-5b16-412c-9206-8e0c5e293bc7&sr=10.0319&cp=1&pos=0 |access-date=2024-09-02 |website=AFI Catalog}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Big Fish |url=https://www.boxofficemojo.com/title/tt0319061/?ref_=bo_rl_ti |access-date=2024-09-02 |website=Box Office Mojo}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Big Fish |url=https://www.allmovie.com/movie/big-fish-am4971 |access-date=September 2, 2024 |website=AllMovie}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Big Fish |url=https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/1127787-big_fish |access-date=2024-09-02 |website=Rotten Tomatoes |language=en}}</ref>}} It is based on the 1998 novel '']'' by ].<ref name="Gleiberman">{{Cite magazine |last=Gleiberman |first=Owen |date=December 4, 2003 |title=Big Fish |url=https://ew.com/article/2003/12/04/big-fish-3/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090605201259/http://www.ew.com/ew/article/0%2C%2C526081%2C00.html |archive-date=June 5, 2009 |access-date=2023-07-21 |magazine=Entertainment Weekly |language=en}}</ref> The film stars ], ], ], ], ], ], ], ], ], and ]. It tells the story of a frustrated son who tries to distinguish fact from fiction in the life of his father, a teller of ].
'''''Big Fish''''' is a 2003 film directed by ] and written by ], starring ], ], ] and ]. It is loosely based on the novel '']'' by ].


The screenwriter ] read a manuscript of the novel six months before it was published and convinced ] to acquire the rights. He began adapting the novel as a screenplay while producers negotiated with ] about directing the film. Spielberg eventually left the project to focus on '']'' (2002). ] and ] took over after completing '']'' (2001), and brought McGregor and Finney on board.
''Big Fish'' received four ] nominations and one ] nomination for ]'s original score. The film is much less ] than some of Burton's other works such as '']'' and '']''.

The film's theme of reconciliation between a dying father and his son had special significance for Burton, whose father had died in 2000. ''Big Fish'' was shot on location in ] in a series of fairy tale ] with a ] aesthetic. The film premiered on December 4, 2003, at the ] and was released in limited capacity on December 10, followed by a wide release on January 9, 2004. It received various award nominations, including seven ] nominations, four ] nominations and two ] nominations. It also received an ] nomination and a ] nomination for ]'s original score. A ] of ''Big Fish'' premiered in Chicago in April 2013.<ref>{{cite news |last=Heller |first=Scott |date=September 6, 2012 |title='Big Fish' Musical to Open in Chicago |url=http://artsbeat.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/09/06/big-fish-musical-to-open-in-chicago/ |access-date=July 23, 2024 |newspaper=]}}</ref>


==Plot== ==Plot==
<!--Per WP:FILMPLOT, plot summaries for feature films should be between 400 and 700 words.-->
{{Spoiler}}
Edward Bloom tells his son Will the same tale over the years: on the day he was born, he was out catching an enormous uncatchable fish with his wedding ring. By the time he tells this at his Will's wedding reception, their relationship has become strained with numerous tall tales. They do not speak to each other for three years, as Will becomes a journalist in ]. When his father's health starts to fail, Will and his wife Josephine return to ]. On the plane, Will recalls his father's tale of how he braved a swamp as a child, and met a witch who showed him his death in her glass eye. With this knowledge, Edward knows there are no odds he cannot face. At William Bloom's wedding party, his father Edward recalls the day Will was born, claiming he caught an enormous ] using his wedding ring as bait. Will has heard his father's fanciful tales many times, and believes they are lies. Fed up by the stories, Will has a falling out with his father. Three years later, Edward is diagnosed with cancer, prompting Will and his pregnant wife Joséphine to spend time with him in ].


Edward's life is chronicled through flashbacks, beginning with his boyhood encounter with a witch. She shows Edward how he will die, which does not faze him. As he reaches adulthood, he finds his home too confining, and sets out into the world. He meets a giant named Karl, and they begin traveling together. When they find a fork in the road, they take separate paths. Edward traverses a swamp and discovers the hidden town of Spectre, where he befriends the poet Norther Winslow and the mayor's daughter, Jenny. Not ready to settle down, Edward leaves Spectre, but makes a promise to Jenny that he will return.
Edward still has a knack for tall tales. He says that as a child, he spends the better part of three years confined to a bed, with his body growing incredibly fast. He becomes a successful sports player but still finds the town of Ashton too small for his ambition. Finding a kindred spirit in the misunderstood giant Karl, they set off. He takes an abandoned path down a supposedly haunted forest, feeling he never wishes to return to Ashton anyway. He discovers the tiny town of Spectre, where the missing poet Norther Winslow has settled with people so friendly they don't wear shoes. Bloom still feels he doesn't want to settle anywhere yet and leaves, but promises to the young girl Jenny that he will return. At the circus Karl signs up with Amos Calloway, and time stops as Will sees the love of his life. As time speeds up again and he loses her, he promises to work for Amos day and night without pay to learn who she is. Every month for three years he learns something new about her, but never her name or address. Edward discovers Amos is a ] but instead of killing him, plays fetch. For his kindness, Amos says her name is Sandra Templeton and she is at ].


At Joséphine's request, the bed-ridden Edward tells her how he met his wife, Sandra. In more flashbacks, Edward and Karl visit the Calloway Circus, where Edward falls in love with a beautiful woman. Edward and Karl get jobs in the circus, and the ringmaster Amos Calloway reveals to Edward one detail about the woman each month. Three years later, Edward discovers that Amos is a ], but shows no ill will towards him. In gratitude, Amos reveals the woman's name as Sandra Templeton. Edward confesses his love to Sandra, but she rebuffs him despite his romantic gestures. Sandra's fiancé Don Price beats Edward up, which prompts Sandra to break off their engagement and marry Edward instead.
Edward learns from Sandra that she is engaged to Don Price, a loser from Ashton. He makes many attempts to show his love for her, getting five companies to plant a field of ] for her, to make her fall for him. Don appears and beats up Edward, forcing Sandra to force over her engagement ring. During his recovery in hospital, Edward is conscripted by the army, and goes to Korea. Instead of taking his assigned mission, he instead parachutes into a theater entertaining troops, and convinces conjoined dancers Ping and Jing to help him get back to America, where he'll make them stars. Believing him to be dead, the army tells Sandra Edward is dead, leaving her in grief, but Edward returns. Being legally dead means that his work choices are limited, and he becomes a travelling salesman. Meeting Winslow again, he is forced to help him rob a bank, which is bankrupt. Winslow decides to instead head for ], and becomes successful, sending $10,000 to his "career adviser" to buy a house.


Shortly after, Edward is conscripted into the army and fights in the ]. He parachutes into the middle of a North Korean military show, steals important documents, and persuades the twins Ping and Jing{{Efn|During flashback scenes, Edward describes Ping and Jing as "Siamese twins". In these scenes they are depicted as ], a reference to the real-life ] conjoined twin performers ]. In the funeral scene at the film's conclusion, Ping and Jing are depicted as twins who are not conjoined.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Wijdicks |first=Eleco F.&nbsp;M. |title=Cinema, M.&nbsp;D.: A History of Medicine on Screen |publisher=] |year=2021 |isbn=9780190685799}}</ref>{{Rp|page=248}}<ref>{{Cite book |last=Duarte |first=José |title=Tim Burton's Bodies: Gothic, Animated, Creaturely and Corporeal |last2=Martins |first2=Ana Rita |publisher=] |year=2021 |isbn=978-1-4744-5690-6 |editor-last=Hockenhull |editor-first=Stella |pages=219–232 |chapter='A Giant Man Can't Have an Ordinary-sized Life': On Tim Burton's ''Big Fish'' |doi=10.1515/9781474456920-020 |editor-last2=Pheasant-Kelly |editor-first2=Fran}}</ref>{{Rp|pages=222–230}}}} to help him escape in exchange for making them celebrities. Upon returning home, Edward becomes a traveling salesman. In the present, Will investigates the truth behind his father's tales. He meets an older Jenny, who explains that Edward rescued Spectre from bankruptcy and rebuilt it with help from his circus friends. Jenny reveals that although she loved Edward, he remained loyal to Sandra.
Still unimpressed by his father's stories, Will demands to know the truth. Edward tries to explain that is who he is: he tells stories. Will, feeling that his father had another family during his travels, looks through Edward's old office, and finds letters of when he supposedly died, and a letter of interest to Spectre. Going there, Will meets an older Jenny, now a widowed ] teacher. She explains that like many towns Spectre went bankrupt, and Edward bought it at an auction after being delayed by a flood. He then helped the town repair itself with money from his previous acquaintances. She also explains that she tried to cheat with Edward, but Sandra was the only woman for him.


Coming home, Will discovers his father has had a stroke and is at the hospital. There, Will tells Edward a story of his own: escaping from the hospital, they go to the river where everybody in Edward's life shows up, some unaged, to greet him on his last journey. Carrying his weightless father, Will puts him into the river where he becomes a big fish. Edward then peacefully remarks "The story of my life" before dying. At his funeral, Will sees many of his father's friends, and that there was some grain of truth in his tales. He sees Amos, Karl, Ping and Jing and Norther Winslow amongst others, although Karl, while very tall, is not a giant and Ping and Jing are not conjoned. When he has his own son, Will passes on his father's stories, remarking that his father became his stories after telling them for so often. Edward has a stroke and Will visits him at the hospital. Unable to speak much, he asks Will to narrate how his life ends. Will tells his father a fantastical tale of their daring escape from the hospital. They travel to a lake, where everyone from Edward's past is there to see him off. Will carries his father into the river, where he transforms into a giant catfish and swims away. Satisfied by Will's story, Edward dies peacefully. At the funeral, Will and Joséphine are surprised to see all the people from Edward's stories, although they appear slightly less fantastical. Later, Will passes on Edward's stories to his son.
{{endspoiler}}


==Cast== ==Cast==
{{div col}}
*''']''' as the young '''Edward Bloom'''
*''']''' as the older '''Edward Bloom''' *] as Edward Bloom (young)
*''']''' as '''Will Bloom''' **] as Edward Bloom (senior)
**Perry Walston as Edward Bloom (age 10)
*''']''' as the young '''Sandra Bloom'''
*''']''' as the older '''Sandra Bloom''' *] as Will Bloom
**Grayson Stone as Will Bloom (age 6–8)
*''']''' as '''Jenny'''. Carter also played an elderly '''Witch''' who gives Bloom a vision of his death as a child.
*''']''' as '''Dr. Bennett''' *] as Sandra Bloom (senior)
**] as Sandra Bloom (young), née Templeton
*''']''' as '''Joséphine''': Will's pregnant wife from ].
*] as Jenny (young & senior) / The Witch
*''']''' as '''Karl the Giant'''
**Hailey Anne Nelson as Jenny (age 8)
*''']''' as '''Don Price''' aged 18-22
*] as Dr. Bennett (senior)
*''']''' as '''Mildred'''
*''']''' as '''Beamen''' *] as Joséphine
*] as Karl the Giant
*''']''' and ''']''' as '''Ping''' and '''Jing''': ] from ] ''(though they spoke ])''.
*] as Don Price (age 18–22)
*''']''' as '''Norther Winslow''': A poet/bank robber/] stockbroker.
**John Lowell as Donald "Don" Price (age 12)
*''']''' as '''Amos Calloway''': A circus ringmaster and a ].
*] as Mildred
*'''Perry Waltson''' as '''Edward Bloom''' age 10
*] as Beamen
*''']''' as '''Jenny''' age 8
*Ada Tai and Arlene Tai as Ping and Jing
*''']''' as '''Ruthie''' age 8
*] as Norther Winslow
*] as Amos Calloway
*] as Mr. Soggybottom
*] as Ed's Father
*Karla Droege as Ed's Mother
*Zachary Gardner as Zacky Price (age 10)
*Darrell Vanterpool as Wilbur (age 10)
*]{{efn|Credited as Destiny Cyrus}} as Ruthie (age 8)
*Joseph Humphrey as Little Brave
*] as Banjo Man
*] as Some Farmer
*] as Econ. Professor
*George McArthur as Colossus
*Bevin Kaye as River Woman
{{div col end}}


==Production== ==Production==
Following the death of his father, screenwriter ] read a ] of the novel '']'' in 1999, and had ] option the book on his behalf.<ref name="salisbury">{{cite book | author=Mark Salisbury | coauthors = ] | title =Burton on Burton | publisher =Faber and Faber | date =2006 | location = | pages =203-22 | id = ISBN 0-571-22926-3 | chapter = Big Fish}}</ref> ] signed on to direct in August 2000,<ref>{{cite news|author=Brian Linder|title=Spielberg Reels in Big Fish|publisher=]|date=]|url=http://uk.movies.ign.com/articles/036/036470p1.html|accessdate=2007-04-05}}</ref> and he had August write two drafts, with ] in mind to play the older Edward Bloom.<ref name="salisbury"/> August worked hard to make the episodic book into a cohesive story, deciding to have several narators, and then wrote a third draft after Spielberg was becoming distracted with other projects.<ref name="salisbury"/> Producers ] and ] sent the third draft to ], who signed on in April 2002 to direct.<ref>{{cite news|author=Steven Awalt|title=‘Big Fish’ dead on the hook for Spielberg|publisher=SpielbergFilms|date=]|url=http://spielbergfilms.com/future/829|accessdate=2007-04-05}}</ref>


=== Development ===
Burton had never been particularily close to his parents, but his father's death in October 2000 and his mother's in March 2002 affected him deeply. Following '']''' production, he wanted to get back to making a smaller film. Burton enjoyed the script, feeling that it was the first completely under the radar story he was offered since '']''. Burton also found appeal in the story's combination of an emotional drama with exaggerated tall tales. Burton met up with Jack Nicholson, and briefly discussed using computers to allow him to play a younger version of himself. After that, Burton began the difficult process of casting two actors as the same character,<ref name="salisbury"/> which meant filming was pushed from October 2002 to January 2003.<ref name="greg">{{cite web|author=Greg Dean Schmitz|title=Big Fish - Greg's Preview|publisher=]|url=http://movies.yahoo.com/movie/preview/1808403164|accessdate=2007-04-06}}</ref>
About six months before it was published, the screenwriter ] read a manuscript of the 1998 novel '']'' by ].<ref>August, John (2004). ''The Author's Journey'' commentary track on ''Big Fish'' (DVD). Columbia Pictures. Event occurs at 1:23.</ref> In September 1998, August convinced ] to acquire the ] on his behalf.<ref>{{cite news |last=Fleming |first=Michael |date=1998-09-21 |title=Col reels in Wallace's 'Big Fish' |url=https://variety.com/1998/film/news/col-reels-in-wallace-s-big-fish-1117480600/ |access-date=2009-06-20 |work=]}}</ref><ref name="Empire">{{cite news|last=Salisbury|first=Mark|title=Of Myth & Men|work=]|date=February 2004}}</ref> He worked hard to turn the episodic book into a cohesive screenplay, which he decided needed multiple narrators.<ref name="Faber">Cohen, Bruce; Burton, Tim (2004). ''A Fairytale World'' commentary track on ''Big Fish'' (DVD). Columbia Pictures.</ref> In August 2000, the producers ] and ] began discussions for ] to direct the film. Spielberg planned to have ] co-finance and distribute ''Big Fish'' with Columbia, and intended to start filming in late 2001, after completing '']'' (2002).<ref name="Yahoo!">{{cite news |author=Schmitz |first=Greg Dean |author-link=Greg Dean Schmitz |title=Big Fish: Greg's Preview |url=https://movies.yahoo.com/movie/preview/1808403164 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060527022419/http://movies.yahoo.com/movie/preview/1808403164 |archive-date=2006-05-27 |access-date=2009-07-12 |work=]}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|last=Fleming|first=Michael|author2=Claude Brodesser|url=https://variety.com/2000/film/news/col-fish-may-hook-spielberg-1117784868/|title=Col 'Fish' may hook Spielberg|work=Variety|date=2000-08-10|access-date=2009-06-20}}</ref>


Spielberg courted ] for the role of the older Edward Bloom. He felt that the script did not give Nicholson enough to do, so he asked August to write new sequences.<ref name="Empire"/> Spielberg eventually left ''Big Fish'' when he became involved with '']'' (2002), and DreamWorks also backed out of the project.<ref name="Yahoo!"/><ref name="Catch">{{cite news|last=Harmon|first=Rick|title=Movie's director spotted|work=]|date=2002-09-14}}</ref> With Spielberg no longer involved, August and the producers restored the script to its previous version. Spielberg later admitted that he made a mistake by asking August to alter the screenplay. August took his favorite elements from the previous drafts and came up with what he called "a best-of ''Big Fish'' script". August, Jinks and Cohen considered ] as a potential director before deciding to approach ].<ref name="Empire" /><ref>{{cite magazine|last=Tyrangiel|first=Josh|url=http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,1006335,00.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090825104430/http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,1006335,00.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=August 25, 2009|title=Big Fish In His Own Pond|magazine=]|date=2003-12-01|access-date=2009-06-21}}</ref> At this point, August felt the script was the best it had ever been.<ref name="Empire" />
] and ] were cast first as the younger and older Edward Bloom respectively on ] ].<ref>{{cite news|author=Stax|title=Two Big Fish Caught|publisher=]|date=]|url=http://uk.movies.ign.com/articles/366/366459p1.html|accessdate=2007-04-06}}</ref> The combination was suggested by producers Jinks and Cohen who were working with McGregor on '']'', and Burton got on with him, finding him quite similar to regular colleague ].<ref name="salisbury"/> Viewing Finney's performance in '']'', Burton found him similar to McGregor, and ironically he found a '']'' article comparing the two.<ref>{{cite news|author=Fred Topel|title=Tim Burton Reels in Big Fish|publisher=]|date=]|url=http://uk.movies.ign.com/articles/442/442609p1.html|accessdate=2007-04-06}}</ref> Most of the cast were assembled by November.<ref>{{cite news|author=Stax|title=More Big Fish|publisher=]|date=]|url=http://uk.movies.ign.com/articles/377/377481p1.html|accessdate=2007-04-06}}</ref> As with her character's introduction, ] had to stand still for two minutes during her audition.<ref name="salisbury"/>


Burton had just finished directing the big-budget film '']'' (2001), and was ready for a smaller-scale project. He liked the ''Big Fish'' screenplay, feeling that it was the first unique story he had been offered since '']'' (1988). The script's combination of an emotional drama with exaggerated tall tales allowed him to tell multiple stories of different genres, which he enjoyed.<ref name="Faber"/> Burton's father had died recently, and he found that he could process emotions related to his father's death by making the film. He signed on to direct in April 2002, which prompted ], who worked with Burton on ''Planet of the Apes'', to join ''Big Fish'' as a producer.<ref>{{cite news |last=Dunkley |first=Cathy |date=2002-04-29 |title=Helmer reels in 'Big Fish' for Columbia |url=https://variety.com/2002/film/markets-festivals/helmer-reels-in-big-fish-for-columbia-1117866199/ |access-date=2009-06-20 |work=Variety}}</ref><ref name="Empire" />
Filming on ''Big Fish'' began on ] ] and ended in early May.<ref name="greg"/> Production was based in ]. All of ]'s scenes as the elder Edward Bloom were shot first due to the emotional difficulty of his scenes. McGregor was on set from the beginning and observed Finney. Afterward, shooting took on a livelier, more enjoyable state as Burton and McGregor shot scenes of varying genre. Shooting in Alabama finished in April, and moved to ] for a single week before wrapping.<ref name="greg"/><ref name="salisbury"/>
{{section-stub}}


==Soundtrack== ===Casting===
]
*''See: ].
For the role of Edward Bloom, Burton spoke with ], Spielberg's initial choice for the role. Burton had previously worked with Nicholson on '']'' (1989) and '']'' (1996). In order to depict Nicholson as the young Edward, Burton intended to use a combination of ] and ]. Jinks and Cohen, who were working with ] on '']'' (2003) at the time, suggested that Burton cast both McGregor and ] for Edward.<ref name="Faber"/> After viewing Finney's performance in '']'' (1963), Burton observed similarities between him and McGregor, and coincidentally found a ] article comparing the two.<ref name="Empire"/> The Scottish McGregor found it easier to perform Edward's ] accent than a standard American accent. He said of the Southern accent: "ou can really hear it. You can get your teeth into it. Standard American is much harder."<ref>{{cite news|last=Murray|first=Rebecca|url=http://movies.about.com/cs/bigfish/a/bgfhem120903.htm|title=Ewan McGregor and Alison Lohman Pair Up on Screen in "Big Fish"|work=]|date=2003-12-09|access-date=2009-07-12|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090201030308/http://movies.about.com/cs/bigfish/a/bgfhem120903.htm|archive-date=February 1, 2009|df=mdy-all}}</ref>

The same dual casting applied to the role of Edward's wife, Sandra, who would be played by ] and ].<ref name="Faber" /> Both Burton and Zanuck had been impressed with Lohman's performance in '']'' (2002), and felt she was the ideal candidate for the role.<ref>{{cite news|last=Maynard|first=Kevin|url=https://variety.com/2003/legit/news/fish-tale-brings-burton-to-fantasyland-1117881568/|title='Fish' tale brings Burton to fantasyland|work=Variety|date=2003-03-03|access-date=2009-06-20}}</ref> Burton's girlfriend, ], was cast in two roles: Jenny and the Witch. Her prosthetic makeup for the Witch took five hours to apply. She was pregnant during filming and experienced ], which was exacerbated by the fumes from the make-up.<ref>{{cite news|last=Murray|first=Rebecca|url=http://movies.about.com/cs/bigfish/a/bgfhhb120903.htm|title="Big Fish" Makes a Big Impression on Its Cast|work=About.com|date=2003-12-09|access-date=2009-07-12|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090222215442/http://movies.about.com/cs/bigfish/a/bgfhhb120903.htm|archive-date=February 22, 2009|df=mdy-all}}</ref>

Burton personalized the film with several cameos. While filming in ], the crew tracked down ], one of the banjo players from '']'' (1972). Redden was a co-owner of a restaurant in Clayton, Georgia, and he agreed to appear in the Spectre sequence. As Edward first enters the town, Redden can be seen on a porch plucking a few notes from "]".<ref>{{cite video |title=Big Fish |date=2004 |medium=DVD commentary track |publisher=Columbia Pictures |time=30:47 |people=Burton, Tim}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last=Buncombe |first=Andrew |date=2003-11-16 |title=Deliverance: Billy's back with his banjo |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/deliverance-billys-back-with-his-banjo-735871.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080424021236/http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/deliverance-billys-back-with-his-banjo-735871.html |archive-date=April 24, 2008 |newspaper=]}}</ref> ] makes a brief appearance as Sandra's economics teacher.<ref>{{cite video|people=Burton, Tim|date=2004|title=Big Fish|medium=DVD commentary track|publisher=Columbia Pictures}}</ref>

===Filming===
] were used to create the effect of conjoined twins.<ref name="World">{{cite news |last=Desowtiz |first=Bill |date=2003-12-10 |title=Burton Applies Light CG Touch to Big Fish |url=https://www.awn.com/vfxworld/burton-applies-light-cg-touch-big-fish |access-date=2024-07-31 |work=VFX World}}</ref>]]
] began on January 13, 2003.<ref name="Yahoo!"/> ''Big Fish'' was shot entirely in Alabama except for one week of filming in Paris in May.<ref name="Faber" /> Most of the Alabama scenes were shot in ] and ].<ref name="ECO" /><ref name="Catch" /> Some filming also took place in ] and on the campus of ].<ref>{{cite news|last=Harmon|first=Rick|title='Big Fish' actors here already|work=]|date=2002-01-10}}</ref> Scenes in the town of ] were filmed on a custom-built set on ].<ref name=":2">{{Cite web |last=Matthews |first=Lauren |date=2016-03-22 |title=This Enchanting Southern Town Was Built for a Movie (and Never Torn Down) |url=https://www.countryliving.com/life/entertainment/a37949/big-fish-spectre/ |access-date=2019-08-01 |website=Country Living |language=en-US}}</ref> Principal photography continued until the first week of April and is estimated to have generated as much as $25 million for the local economy.{{efn|Attributed to multiple references:<br><ref name="Faber" /><ref name="ECO">{{cite news|author=<!--Staff writer(s); no by-line.-->|title=Area sites reel in 'Big Fish'|work=Montgomery Advertiser|date=2002-08-28}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last=Harmon |first=Rick |date=2002-11-07 |title='Big Fish' will be filmed in the Montgomery area |work=Montgomery Advertiser}}</ref>}} The Spectre set can still be found at its original location.<ref name=":2" />

Burton filmed all the hospital scenes and most of Finney's scenes first, before moving on to McGregor's scenes.<ref name="Empire"/><ref name="Faber"/> Scenes with Karl the Giant were created using ] filmmaking. Helena Bonham Carter's prosthetic makeup was designed by ], which also created ] for the production.<ref name="World" /><ref>{{cite news|last=Topel|first=Fred |url=http://movies.ign.com/articles/445/445198p1.html|title=An Interview with Ewan McGregor|work=IGN|date=2003-12-10|access-date=2009-06-21|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101125130359/http://movies.ign.com/articles/445/445198p1.html|archive-date=2010-11-25}}</ref> Flooding on the set interrupted filming of the circus scenes for several weeks, but Burton managed to deliver the film on budget and on schedule.{{efn|Attributed to multiple references:<br><ref name="Empire" /><ref>{{cite video |title=Big Fish |date=2004 |medium=DVD commentary track |publisher=Columbia Pictures |time=53:43 |people=Burton, Tim}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last=Topel |first=Fred |date=2003-12-09 |title=Tim Burton Reels in Big Fish |url=http://movies.ign.com/articles/442/442609p1.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090508102912/http://movies.ign.com/articles/442/442609p1.html |archive-date=May 8, 2009 |access-date=2009-06-21 |work=]}}</ref>}}

===Post-production===
{{See also|Big Fish (soundtrack)}}
Although Burton limited the use of digital effects in ''Big Fish'', he employed ] to achieve a ] aesthetic.<ref name="Faber" /> The film's musical score was composed by Burton's frequent collaborator ], and Burton approached ] to request an original song for the closing credits.<ref name="Faber" /> After viewing an early print of the film, the group's vocalist ] wrote the song "]". He completed a ] within a day, and the band recorded the song four days later.<ref name="WDIV">{{cite news|last=Lammers|first=Tim|url=http://www.clickondetroit.com/sh/entertainment/stories/entertainment-275199620040108-180124.html|title="Man Of The Hour" Up For BFCA, Golden Globe Awards|work=]|date=2004-01-08|access-date=2009-07-13|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080705085306/http://www.clickondetroit.com/sh/entertainment/stories/entertainment-275199620040108-180124.html|archive-date=July 5, 2008}}</ref> Pearl Jam's guitarist ] stated, "We were so blown away by the movie ... Eddie and I were standing around talking about it afterwards and were teary-eyed. We were so emotionally charged and moved by the imagination and humanity."<ref name="WDIV" />

==Release==
The world premiere of ''Big Fish'' took place on December 4, 2003, at the ] in Manhattan.<ref>{{cite news |last=Mitchell-Marell |first=Gabrielle |date=2003-12-08 |title=Hammerstein Ballroom gathers for elegant gala affair |url=https://variety.com/2003/film/awards/big-fish-fry-for-gotham-1117896869/ |access-date=2009-06-20 |work=Variety}}</ref> Columbia Pictures had initially planned a November ] for the film in the United States,<ref>{{cite news|last=Snyder|first=Gabriel|url=https://variety.com/2003/film/markets-festivals/inside-move-col-fish-story-gets-bigger-1117890597/|title=Inside Move: Col 'Fish' story gets bigger|work=Variety|date=2003-08-07|access-date=2009-06-20|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121102111716/https://www.variety.com/article/VR1117890597|archive-date=2012-11-02}}</ref> but ultimately decided on a December 10 ].<ref>{{cite news|last=Linder|first=Brian|url=https://www.ign.com/articles/2003/08/28/burtons-fish-story-shifted|title=Burton's Fish Story Shifted|work=IGN|date=2003-08-28|access-date=2009-06-21}}</ref> The US wide release occurred on January 9, 2004, with the film appearing in 2,406 theaters and earning $13.8 million in its opening weekend. It eventually grossed $66.8 million in the United States and $56.1 million in other countries, for a total of $122.9 million worldwide.<ref>{{cite web|title=Big Fish (2003)|work=]|publisher=]|url=https://www.boxofficemojo.com/movies/?id=bigfish.htm|access-date=2009-07-11}}</ref>

===Critical response===
In his review of the film, ] of '']'' called ''Big Fish'' "a wide-eyed Southern Gothic ] in which each lunatic twist of a development is more enchanting than the last."<ref name="Gleiberman" /> ] of '']'' praised Burton's directing and described the film as a touching father-son drama and a celebration of the art of storytelling.<ref name="Roll">{{cite magazine|last=Travers|first=Peter |author-link=Peter Travers|url=https://www.rollingstone.com/reviews/movie/5947859/review/5947860/big_fish|title=Big Fish|magazine=Rolling Stone|date=2003-11-20|access-date=2009-07-13|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080621142810/http://www.rollingstone.com/reviews/movie/5947859/review/5947860/big_fish|archive-date=June 21, 2008|url-status=dead}}</ref> Mike Clark of '']'' applauded the casting choices. He called the evolution of Alison Lohman's character into an older woman "delightful" and "a metamorphosis to equal any in screen history."<ref name="Mike">{{cite news|last=Clark|first=Mike|url=https://www.usatoday.com/life/movies/reviews/2003-12-10-big-fish_x.htm|title=Fanciful 'Big Fish' swimming in visual delight|work=]|date=2003-12-24|access-date=2009-07-13}}</ref> Gleiberman, Travers and Clark all compared ''Big Fish'' to '']'' (1994).{{efn|Attributed to multiple references:<br><ref name="Gleiberman" /><ref name="Roll" /><ref name="Mike" />}}

] found the film's fairy tale approach reminiscent of '']'' (1987) and the films of ]. He called the film "a clever, smart fantasy that targets the child inside every adult, without insulting the intelligence of either."<ref>{{cite news |last=Berardinelli |first=James |author-link=James Berardinelli |date=2003 |title=Big Fish |url=http://preview.reelviews.net/movies/b/big_fish.html |access-date=2024-08-03 |work=ReelViews}}</ref> In a mixed review, ] wrote, "here is no denying that Will has a point: The old man is a blowhard. There is a point at which his stories stop working as entertainment and segue into sadism."<ref>{{cite news|last=Ebert |first=Roger |author-link=Roger Ebert |title=Big Fish |date=2003-12-24 |work=] |url=https://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/big-fish-2003 |access-date=2007-04-16 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070516121610/http://rogerebert.suntimes.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=%2F20031224%2FREVIEWS%2F312240301%2F1023 |archive-date=May 16, 2007 |url-status=live}}</ref> ] of '']'' magazine was disappointed, finding the father-son reconciliation storyline to be ]. Referencing the fable '']'', Corliss called Edward Bloom "the man who cried fish."<ref>{{cite magazine|last=Corliss|first=Richard|author-link=Richard Corliss|url=http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,1101031215-557084-2,00.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20050310155924/http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,1101031215-557084-2,00.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=March 10, 2005|title=Seven Holiday Treats|magazine=Time|date=2003-12-08|access-date=2009-07-13}}</ref> ] ranked ''Big Fish'' as the 85th best film of the decade 2000–2010.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.slantmagazine.com/film/feature/best-of-the-aughts-film/216/page_2|work=Slant Magazine|access-date=February 10, 2010|title=Best of the Aughts: Film|date=February 7, 2010|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100211121924/http://www.slantmagazine.com/film/feature/best-of-the-aughts-film/216/page_2|archive-date=February 11, 2010|url-status=live}}</ref>

On the review aggregator ], 75% of critics have positively reviewed ''Big Fish'', giving it an average score of 7.2/10.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/1127787-big_fish|title=Big Fish|work=]|date=January 9, 2004 |publisher=]|access-date=March 17, 2020}}</ref> ] calculates an average score of 58/100 based on 42 reviews, indicating "mixed or average reviews".<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.metacritic.com/movie/big-fish |title=Big Fish|work=]|publisher=]|access-date=2009-07-11}}</ref> Audiences polled by ] gave the film an average grade of "B+" on an A+ to F scale.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Home |url=https://www.cinemascore.com/ |access-date=2022-03-24 |website=CinemaScore |language=en-US}}</ref>

===Home media===
The ] DVD was released on April 27, 2004,<ref>{{cite news|last=Buchanan|first=Jason|title=Big Fish (April 27, 2004 Columbia TriStar)|format=Overview|work=]|url=https://www.allmovie.com/dvd/big-fish-50123|access-date=2009-10-13|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091210113350/http://allmovie.com/dvd/big-fish-50123|archive-date=December 10, 2009|df=mdy-all}}</ref> and Region 2 was released on June 7.<ref>{{cite news|title=Big Fish (June 7, 2004 Columbia Tristar)|format=Overview|work=Allmovie|url=https://www.allmovie.com/dvd/big-fish-120761|archive-url=https://archive.today/20120605021101/http://www.allmovie.com/dvd/big-fish-120761|url-status=dead|archive-date=2012-06-05|access-date=2009-10-13}}</ref> The DVD features an ] track by Tim Burton and seven featurettes. A special edition was released on November 1, 2005, with a 24-page hardback book titled ''Fairy Tale for a Grown Up''.<ref>{{cite news|last=Germain|first=David|title=New on DVD|work=]|date=2005-08-30|url=http://www.azstarnet.com/allheadlines/104479|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060106110347/http://www.azstarnet.com/allheadlines/104479|archive-date=2006-01-06}} See also: {{cite news|last=Kuebler|first=Monica S.|title=Big Fish |work=]|date=May 2004|url=http://exclaim.ca/Reviews/Dvd/big_fish-tim_burton}}</ref> The film was released on ] on March 20, 2007.<ref>{{cite news|title=Big Fish (Blu-ray) (Mar 20, 2007 Sony Pictures)|format=Overview|work=Allmovie|url=https://www.allmovie.com/dvd/big-fish-blu-ray-154397|archive-url=https://archive.today/20120605021101/http://www.allmovie.com/dvd/big-fish-blu-ray-154397|url-status=dead|archive-date=2012-06-05|access-date=2009-10-13}}</ref>

==Accolades==
{| class="wikitable plainrowheaders sortable"
|-
! scope="col" | Award
! scope="col" | Category
! scope="col" | Recipient
! scope="col" | Result
|-
| ]<ref>{{cite news|last=Leopold|first=Todd|url=http://www.cnn.com/2003/SHOWBIZ/Movies/03/23/sprj.aa03.oscars|work=]|date=2003-03-24|title='Chicago' triumphs at Oscars|access-date=2009-07-13}}</ref>
| ]
| ]
| {{nom}}
|-
|rowspan=7| ]<ref>{{cite web |title=Film in 2004 |url=http://awards.bafta.org/award/2004/film |access-date=2023-07-21 |work=]}}</ref>
| ]
|
| {{nom}}
|-
| ]
| ]
| {{nom}}
|-
| ]
| ]
| {{nom}}
|-
| ]
| ]
| {{nom}}
|-
| ]
| Jean Ann Black and ]
| {{nom}}
|-
| ]
| ]
| {{nom}}
|-
| ]
| ], Seth Maury,<br>Lindsay MacGowan, Paddy Eason
| {{nom}}
|-
|rowspan=4| ]<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.goldenglobes.org/browse/film/23711|title=Big Fish|work=]|access-date=2009-07-13|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090214000311/http://www.goldenglobes.org/browse/film/23711|archive-date=February 14, 2009|df=mdy-all}}</ref>
| ]
|
| {{nom}}
|-
| ]
| Albert Finney
| {{nom}}
|-
| ]
| Danny Elfman
| {{nom}}
|-
| ]
| ]<br><small>For "]"</small>
| {{nom}}
|-
| ]<ref>{{cite news|last=Morris|first=Chris|work=]|date=2004-12-08|title=Grammy noms pointing West}}</ref>
| ]
| Danny Elfman
| {{nom}}
|-
|rowspan="2"| ]<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.saturnawards.org/past.html |title=Past Saturn Awards |work=Academy of Science Fiction, Fantasy & Horror Films |access-date=2009-07-13 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080511180136/http://www.saturnawards.org/past.html |archive-date=May 11, 2008 }}</ref>
| ]
|
| {{nom}}
|-
| ]
|rowspan=2| Albert Finney
| {{nom}}
|-
| ]<ref>{{Cite web |last=Newcott |first=Bill |date=2004 |title=Movies for Grownups Awards 2004 with Bill Newcott |url=https://www.aarp.org/entertainment/movies-for-grownups/info-2006/movies_for_grownups_2004.html |access-date=2023-07-21 |website=] |language=english}}</ref>
| ]
| {{nom}}
|-
| ]
| Best Foreign Film, Not in the Spanish Language
| Tim Burton
| {{nom}}
|-
|rowspan=5|Awards Circuit Community Awards
| Best Actor in a Supporting Role
| Albert Finney
| {{nom}}
|-
| Best Adapted Screenplay
| John August
| {{nom}}
|-
| Best Cinematography
| ]
| {{nom}}
|-
| Best Original Score
| Danny Elfman
| {{nom}}
|-
| Best Visual Effects
|
| {{nom}}
|-
|rowspan=5|]<ref>{{Cite web |title=9th Critics' Choice Movie Awards |url=http://www.bfca.org/ccawards/2003.php |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://archive.today/20120904224937/http://www.bfca.org/ccawards/2003.php |archive-date=2012-09-04 |access-date=2023-07-21 |website=bfca.org}}</ref>
| Best Picture
|
| {{nom}}
|-
| Best Director
| Tim Burton
| {{nom}}
|-
| Best Writer
| John August
| {{nom}}
|-
| Best Composer
| Danny Elfman
| {{nom}}
|-
| Best Song
| Eddie Vedder
| {{nom}}
|-
| ]<ref>{{Cite web |title=2004 Artios Awards |url=https://www.castingsociety.com/awards/artios/2003 |access-date=2023-07-21 |website=castingsociety.com}}</ref>
| Best Casting for Feature Film, Drama
| Denise Chamian
| {{nom}}
|}

==Thematic analysis==
{{quote box
| width = 26%
| align = right
| quote = ''Big Fish'' is about what's real and what's fantastic, what's true and what's not true, what's partially true and how, in the end, it's all true.
| source = —Tim Burton<ref>{{cite news|last=Hirschberg|first=Lynn|title=Drawn to Narrative|newspaper=]|date=2003-11-09|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2003/11/09/magazine/drawn-to-narrative.html|page=650}}</ref>
}}

The reconciliation between father and son has been called the central theme in ''Big Fish''.<ref>{{cite book |last=Salisbury |first=Mark |title=Burton on Burton |author2=Tim Burton |year=2006 |isbn=0571229263 |location=London |page=XX |chapter=Introduction to the Revised Edition by Mark Salisbury}}</ref><ref name="Fraga">{{cite book|title=Tim Burton: Interviews|series=]|editor=Fraga, Kristian|year=2005|publisher=]|isbn=1-57806-759-6|page=XIX|url-access=registration|url=https://archive.org/details/timburtonintervi00burt}}</ref> Daniel Wallace's interest in the theme began with his own family. He described Edward as similar to his own father, who used charm to keep his distance from people.<ref name="Lundberg">{{cite web|title=Interview: Daniel Wallace |last=Lundberg |first=Jason Erik |date=2004-10-11 |work=] |url=http://www.strangehorizons.com/2004/20041011/dwallace-a.shtml |access-date=2009-10-28 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100103110759/http://strangehorizons.com/2004/20041011/dwallace-a.shtml |archive-date=January 3, 2010}}</ref> In the film, Will believes his father has never been honest with him, using extravagant myths about his past to hide himself.<ref>{{cite journal|last=Kehr|first=Dave|author-link=Dave Kehr|date=Nov–Dec 2003|title=Tim Burton Comes Home with a Story about Tall Tales and Simple Truths|journal=]|volume=39|issue=6|page=14|publisher=Film Society of Lincoln Center|issn=0015-119X}}</ref> Wallace said that Edward and Will each undertake their own quest in the film. Edward's quest is "to be a big fish in a big pond" while Will's quest is to see through his father's tall tales."<ref name="Lundberg"/>

John August identified with Will's character and modeled it after himself. Like Will, August had attempted to get to know his father before his death, but found it difficult. Both Will and August were 28 years old and had studied journalism. In the film, Will says "I didn't see anything of myself in my father, and I don't think he saw anything of himself in me. We were like strangers who knew each other very well." Will's description of his relationship with Edward closely resembled August's relationship with his own father.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |last=August |first=John |title=History of Big Fish |url=https://johnaugust.com/downloads_ripley/big-fish-intro.pdf |access-date=July 8, 2024 |website=JohnAugust.com}}</ref> Burton also used the film to explore his emotions about the death of his father.<ref name="Fraga"/> He said, "My father had been ill for a while ... I tried to get in touch with him, to have, like in this film, some sort of resolution, but it was impossible."<ref name="Faber"/>

The film scholar Kent L. Brintnall claimed that the father-son relationship resolves itself at the end of ''Big Fish''. He suggested that as Edward dies, Will lets go of his anger and begins to understand his father for the first time. Brintnall called Will's willingness to finish his father's story a "gesture of love and comprehension" and an "act of communion and care". Brintnall asserted that Will comes to understand that Edward's stories "gave him a reality and substance ... that was as real, genuine, and deep as the day-to-day experiences that Will sought out".<ref>{{cite journal |last=Brintnall |first=Kent L. |date=April 2004 |title=Big Fish |url=http://www.unomaha.edu/jrf/Vol8No1/Reviews/BigFish.htm |url-status=dead |journal=] |publisher=] |volume=8 |issue=1 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100316031135/http://www.unomaha.edu/jrf/Vol8No1/Reviews/BigFish.htm |archive-date=March 16, 2010 |df=mdy-all}}</ref>

==Notes==
{{Notelist}}


==References== ==References==
{{Reflist}} {{Reflist}}


== External links == ==External links==
* {{Official website|http://www.sonypictures.com/movies/bigfish}}
{{wikiquote}}
* {{IMDb title|0319061}}
*
*{{imdb title|id=0319061|title=Big Fish}} * {{Mojo title|bigfish}}
* {{Rotten Tomatoes|big_fish}}
*'''' at ]
*'''' at ]
*'''' at ]
*''


{{Tim Burton Films}} {{Tim Burton |state=collapsed}}
{{John August}}

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Latest revision as of 23:57, 13 January 2025

2003 film by Tim Burton This article is about the 2003 film. For other uses, see Big Fish (disambiguation).

Big Fish
Theatrical release poster
Directed byTim Burton
Screenplay byJohn August
Based onBig Fish: A Novel of Mythic Proportions
by Daniel Wallace
Produced byRichard D. Zanuck
Bruce Cohen
Dan Jinks
Starring
CinematographyPhilippe Rousselot
Edited byChris Lebenzon
Music byDanny Elfman
Production
companies
Distributed bySony Pictures Releasing
Release dates
  • December 4, 2003 (2003-12-04) (Hammerstein Ballroom)
  • December 10, 2003 (2003-12-10) (United States)
Running time125 minutes
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish
Budget$70 million
Box office$123.2 million

Big Fish is a 2003 American fantasy drama film directed by Tim Burton. It is based on the 1998 novel Big Fish: A Novel of Mythic Proportions by Daniel Wallace. The film stars Ewan McGregor, Albert Finney, Billy Crudup, Jessica Lange, Helena Bonham Carter, Alison Lohman, Robert Guillaume, Marion Cotillard, Steve Buscemi, and Danny DeVito. It tells the story of a frustrated son who tries to distinguish fact from fiction in the life of his father, a teller of tall tales.

The screenwriter John August read a manuscript of the novel six months before it was published and convinced Columbia Pictures to acquire the rights. He began adapting the novel as a screenplay while producers negotiated with Steven Spielberg about directing the film. Spielberg eventually left the project to focus on Catch Me If You Can (2002). Tim Burton and Richard D. Zanuck took over after completing Planet of the Apes (2001), and brought McGregor and Finney on board.

The film's theme of reconciliation between a dying father and his son had special significance for Burton, whose father had died in 2000. Big Fish was shot on location in Alabama in a series of fairy tale vignettes with a Southern Gothic aesthetic. The film premiered on December 4, 2003, at the Hammerstein Ballroom and was released in limited capacity on December 10, followed by a wide release on January 9, 2004. It received various award nominations, including seven BAFTA nominations, four Golden Globe nominations and two Saturn Award nominations. It also received an Academy Award nomination and a Grammy Award nomination for Danny Elfman's original score. A musical adaptation of Big Fish premiered in Chicago in April 2013.

Plot

At William Bloom's wedding party, his father Edward recalls the day Will was born, claiming he caught an enormous catfish using his wedding ring as bait. Will has heard his father's fanciful tales many times, and believes they are lies. Fed up by the stories, Will has a falling out with his father. Three years later, Edward is diagnosed with cancer, prompting Will and his pregnant wife Joséphine to spend time with him in Alabama.

Edward's life is chronicled through flashbacks, beginning with his boyhood encounter with a witch. She shows Edward how he will die, which does not faze him. As he reaches adulthood, he finds his home too confining, and sets out into the world. He meets a giant named Karl, and they begin traveling together. When they find a fork in the road, they take separate paths. Edward traverses a swamp and discovers the hidden town of Spectre, where he befriends the poet Norther Winslow and the mayor's daughter, Jenny. Not ready to settle down, Edward leaves Spectre, but makes a promise to Jenny that he will return.

At Joséphine's request, the bed-ridden Edward tells her how he met his wife, Sandra. In more flashbacks, Edward and Karl visit the Calloway Circus, where Edward falls in love with a beautiful woman. Edward and Karl get jobs in the circus, and the ringmaster Amos Calloway reveals to Edward one detail about the woman each month. Three years later, Edward discovers that Amos is a werewolf, but shows no ill will towards him. In gratitude, Amos reveals the woman's name as Sandra Templeton. Edward confesses his love to Sandra, but she rebuffs him despite his romantic gestures. Sandra's fiancé Don Price beats Edward up, which prompts Sandra to break off their engagement and marry Edward instead.

Shortly after, Edward is conscripted into the army and fights in the Korean War. He parachutes into the middle of a North Korean military show, steals important documents, and persuades the twins Ping and Jing to help him escape in exchange for making them celebrities. Upon returning home, Edward becomes a traveling salesman. In the present, Will investigates the truth behind his father's tales. He meets an older Jenny, who explains that Edward rescued Spectre from bankruptcy and rebuilt it with help from his circus friends. Jenny reveals that although she loved Edward, he remained loyal to Sandra.

Edward has a stroke and Will visits him at the hospital. Unable to speak much, he asks Will to narrate how his life ends. Will tells his father a fantastical tale of their daring escape from the hospital. They travel to a lake, where everyone from Edward's past is there to see him off. Will carries his father into the river, where he transforms into a giant catfish and swims away. Satisfied by Will's story, Edward dies peacefully. At the funeral, Will and Joséphine are surprised to see all the people from Edward's stories, although they appear slightly less fantastical. Later, Will passes on Edward's stories to his son.

Cast

Production

Development

About six months before it was published, the screenwriter John August read a manuscript of the 1998 novel Big Fish: A Novel of Mythic Proportions by Daniel Wallace. In September 1998, August convinced Columbia Pictures to acquire the film rights on his behalf. He worked hard to turn the episodic book into a cohesive screenplay, which he decided needed multiple narrators. In August 2000, the producers Bruce Cohen and Dan Jinks began discussions for Steven Spielberg to direct the film. Spielberg planned to have DreamWorks co-finance and distribute Big Fish with Columbia, and intended to start filming in late 2001, after completing Minority Report (2002).

Spielberg courted Jack Nicholson for the role of the older Edward Bloom. He felt that the script did not give Nicholson enough to do, so he asked August to write new sequences. Spielberg eventually left Big Fish when he became involved with Catch Me If You Can (2002), and DreamWorks also backed out of the project. With Spielberg no longer involved, August and the producers restored the script to its previous version. Spielberg later admitted that he made a mistake by asking August to alter the screenplay. August took his favorite elements from the previous drafts and came up with what he called "a best-of Big Fish script". August, Jinks and Cohen considered Stephen Daldry as a potential director before deciding to approach Tim Burton. At this point, August felt the script was the best it had ever been.

Burton had just finished directing the big-budget film Planet of the Apes (2001), and was ready for a smaller-scale project. He liked the Big Fish screenplay, feeling that it was the first unique story he had been offered since Beetlejuice (1988). The script's combination of an emotional drama with exaggerated tall tales allowed him to tell multiple stories of different genres, which he enjoyed. Burton's father had died recently, and he found that he could process emotions related to his father's death by making the film. He signed on to direct in April 2002, which prompted Richard D. Zanuck, who worked with Burton on Planet of the Apes, to join Big Fish as a producer.

Casting

Ewan McGregor in 2012

For the role of Edward Bloom, Burton spoke with Jack Nicholson, Spielberg's initial choice for the role. Burton had previously worked with Nicholson on Batman (1989) and Mars Attacks! (1996). In order to depict Nicholson as the young Edward, Burton intended to use a combination of computer-generated imagery and prosthetic makeup. Jinks and Cohen, who were working with Ewan McGregor on Down with Love (2003) at the time, suggested that Burton cast both McGregor and Albert Finney for Edward. After viewing Finney's performance in Tom Jones (1963), Burton observed similarities between him and McGregor, and coincidentally found a People magazine article comparing the two. The Scottish McGregor found it easier to perform Edward's Southern American accent than a standard American accent. He said of the Southern accent: "ou can really hear it. You can get your teeth into it. Standard American is much harder."

The same dual casting applied to the role of Edward's wife, Sandra, who would be played by Jessica Lange and Alison Lohman. Both Burton and Zanuck had been impressed with Lohman's performance in White Oleander (2002), and felt she was the ideal candidate for the role. Burton's girlfriend, Helena Bonham Carter, was cast in two roles: Jenny and the Witch. Her prosthetic makeup for the Witch took five hours to apply. She was pregnant during filming and experienced morning sickness, which was exacerbated by the fumes from the make-up.

Burton personalized the film with several cameos. While filming in Alabama, the crew tracked down Billy Redden, one of the banjo players from Deliverance (1972). Redden was a co-owner of a restaurant in Clayton, Georgia, and he agreed to appear in the Spectre sequence. As Edward first enters the town, Redden can be seen on a porch plucking a few notes from "Dueling Banjos". Daniel Wallace makes a brief appearance as Sandra's economics teacher.

Filming

Both costumes and CGI were used to create the effect of conjoined twins.

Principal photography began on January 13, 2003. Big Fish was shot entirely in Alabama except for one week of filming in Paris in May. Most of the Alabama scenes were shot in Wetumpka and Montgomery. Some filming also took place in Tallassee and on the campus of Huntingdon College. Scenes in the town of Spectre were filmed on a custom-built set on Jackson Lake Island. Principal photography continued until the first week of April and is estimated to have generated as much as $25 million for the local economy. The Spectre set can still be found at its original location.

Burton filmed all the hospital scenes and most of Finney's scenes first, before moving on to McGregor's scenes. Scenes with Karl the Giant were created using forced perspective filmmaking. Helena Bonham Carter's prosthetic makeup was designed by Stan Winston Studios, which also created animatronics for the production. Flooding on the set interrupted filming of the circus scenes for several weeks, but Burton managed to deliver the film on budget and on schedule.

Post-production

See also: Big Fish (soundtrack)

Although Burton limited the use of digital effects in Big Fish, he employed color grading to achieve a Southern Gothic aesthetic. The film's musical score was composed by Burton's frequent collaborator Danny Elfman, and Burton approached Pearl Jam to request an original song for the closing credits. After viewing an early print of the film, the group's vocalist Eddie Vedder wrote the song "Man of the Hour". He completed a demo within a day, and the band recorded the song four days later. Pearl Jam's guitarist Mike McCready stated, "We were so blown away by the movie ... Eddie and I were standing around talking about it afterwards and were teary-eyed. We were so emotionally charged and moved by the imagination and humanity."

Release

The world premiere of Big Fish took place on December 4, 2003, at the Hammerstein Ballroom in Manhattan. Columbia Pictures had initially planned a November wide release for the film in the United States, but ultimately decided on a December 10 limited release. The US wide release occurred on January 9, 2004, with the film appearing in 2,406 theaters and earning $13.8 million in its opening weekend. It eventually grossed $66.8 million in the United States and $56.1 million in other countries, for a total of $122.9 million worldwide.

Critical response

In his review of the film, Owen Gleiberman of Entertainment Weekly called Big Fish "a wide-eyed Southern Gothic picaresque in which each lunatic twist of a development is more enchanting than the last." Peter Travers of Rolling Stone praised Burton's directing and described the film as a touching father-son drama and a celebration of the art of storytelling. Mike Clark of USA Today applauded the casting choices. He called the evolution of Alison Lohman's character into an older woman "delightful" and "a metamorphosis to equal any in screen history." Gleiberman, Travers and Clark all compared Big Fish to Forrest Gump (1994).

James Berardinelli found the film's fairy tale approach reminiscent of The Princess Bride (1987) and the films of Terry Gilliam. He called the film "a clever, smart fantasy that targets the child inside every adult, without insulting the intelligence of either." In a mixed review, Roger Ebert wrote, "here is no denying that Will has a point: The old man is a blowhard. There is a point at which his stories stop working as entertainment and segue into sadism." Richard Corliss of Time magazine was disappointed, finding the father-son reconciliation storyline to be cliché. Referencing the fable The Boy Who Cried Wolf, Corliss called Edward Bloom "the man who cried fish." Slant Magazine ranked Big Fish as the 85th best film of the decade 2000–2010.

On the review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes, 75% of critics have positively reviewed Big Fish, giving it an average score of 7.2/10. Metacritic calculates an average score of 58/100 based on 42 reviews, indicating "mixed or average reviews". Audiences polled by CinemaScore gave the film an average grade of "B+" on an A+ to F scale.

Home media

The Region 1 DVD was released on April 27, 2004, and Region 2 was released on June 7. The DVD features an audio commentary track by Tim Burton and seven featurettes. A special edition was released on November 1, 2005, with a 24-page hardback book titled Fairy Tale for a Grown Up. The film was released on Blu-ray on March 20, 2007.

Accolades

Award Category Recipient Result
Academy Awards Best Original Score Danny Elfman Nominated
BAFTA Awards Best Film Nominated
Best Direction Tim Burton Nominated
Best Actor in a Supporting Role Albert Finney Nominated
Best Adapted Screenplay John August Nominated
Best Makeup and Hair Jean Ann Black and Paul LeBlanc Nominated
Best Production Design Dennis Gassner Nominated
Best Visual Effects Kevin Scott Mack, Seth Maury,
Lindsay MacGowan, Paddy Eason
Nominated
Golden Globe Awards Best Motion Picture - Musical or Comedy Nominated
Best Supporting Actor Albert Finney Nominated
Best Original Score Danny Elfman Nominated
Best Original Song Pearl Jam
For "Man of the Hour"
Nominated
Grammy Awards Best Score for a Motion Picture Danny Elfman Nominated
Saturn Awards Best Fantasy Film Nominated
Best Actor Albert Finney Nominated
AARP Movies for Grownups Awards Best Actor Nominated
Argentinean Film Critics Association Awards Best Foreign Film, Not in the Spanish Language Tim Burton Nominated
Awards Circuit Community Awards Best Actor in a Supporting Role Albert Finney Nominated
Best Adapted Screenplay John August Nominated
Best Cinematography Philippe Rousselot Nominated
Best Original Score Danny Elfman Nominated
Best Visual Effects Nominated
Broadcast Film Critics Association Awards Best Picture Nominated
Best Director Tim Burton Nominated
Best Writer John August Nominated
Best Composer Danny Elfman Nominated
Best Song Eddie Vedder Nominated
Casting Society of America Awards Best Casting for Feature Film, Drama Denise Chamian Nominated

Thematic analysis

Big Fish is about what's real and what's fantastic, what's true and what's not true, what's partially true and how, in the end, it's all true.

—Tim Burton

The reconciliation between father and son has been called the central theme in Big Fish. Daniel Wallace's interest in the theme began with his own family. He described Edward as similar to his own father, who used charm to keep his distance from people. In the film, Will believes his father has never been honest with him, using extravagant myths about his past to hide himself. Wallace said that Edward and Will each undertake their own quest in the film. Edward's quest is "to be a big fish in a big pond" while Will's quest is to see through his father's tall tales."

John August identified with Will's character and modeled it after himself. Like Will, August had attempted to get to know his father before his death, but found it difficult. Both Will and August were 28 years old and had studied journalism. In the film, Will says "I didn't see anything of myself in my father, and I don't think he saw anything of himself in me. We were like strangers who knew each other very well." Will's description of his relationship with Edward closely resembled August's relationship with his own father. Burton also used the film to explore his emotions about the death of his father. He said, "My father had been ill for a while ... I tried to get in touch with him, to have, like in this film, some sort of resolution, but it was impossible."

The film scholar Kent L. Brintnall claimed that the father-son relationship resolves itself at the end of Big Fish. He suggested that as Edward dies, Will lets go of his anger and begins to understand his father for the first time. Brintnall called Will's willingness to finish his father's story a "gesture of love and comprehension" and an "act of communion and care". Brintnall asserted that Will comes to understand that Edward's stories "gave him a reality and substance ... that was as real, genuine, and deep as the day-to-day experiences that Will sought out".

Notes

  1. Attributed to multiple references:
  2. During flashback scenes, Edward describes Ping and Jing as "Siamese twins". In these scenes they are depicted as conjoined twins, a reference to the real-life Thai conjoined twin performers Chang and Eng Bunker. In the funeral scene at the film's conclusion, Ping and Jing are depicted as twins who are not conjoined.
  3. Credited as Destiny Cyrus
  4. Attributed to multiple references:
  5. Attributed to multiple references:
  6. Attributed to multiple references:

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