The Old Man and the Sea :the Visual Archetypes

The Old Man and the Sea is based on a Ernst Hemingway novel.The old man sets out to go fishing and finds himself in a middle of a situation.He has gotten a hold of the biggest of fish he's seen.His catch is attacked by sharks,and almost lost.The story is a metaphor for the struggles people face in life and their ability and willingness to strive for dreams no matter what tries to take them away.

Even though the story does not have a definite hero's journey plot or definite situational archetypes,the film (by Alexander Petrov) is very visual .And since much of the visual archetypes(colours,objects in nature) are overlooked,that's what I am going to focus on.

The colour and the use of specific images moves the story along and gives it a metaphorical meaning:

--The mountains where the story is set:represent the ambitions the old man has and his goals of fulfilling his duty as a fisherman.

--The old man sets out tin his boat at night time:The black of night is the unknown and the stars above are his guidance through that unknown.

--The morning colours of the water:The green represents the hope the old man has.He is hopeful he is going to be successful in coming back with some fish.

--The white background :Represents the goodness and the spiritual connection to the sea the old man has.

--The green depth of the water:The old man;s sympathy for the marlin,also hope associated with catching that marlin.

--Constant clouds overhead: Suggest that the sea is sacred to the man.At the beginning the clouds suggest that the man does not know the size of what he is dealing with,or the mystery of the giant marlin.

--Orange sunrise,orange sky:Suggest that the old man takes pride in his catch and is given ambition.He feels stronger.

--Red sky and dark clouds :Something is about to happen.the old man's catch is ripped apart by sharks.

--The lone tree against a background of blue water and sky:The tree represents the knowledge the old man could share with the young boy he took in.the blue represents the truth and the outcome or the soothing of the atmosphere.

There are visual hints in nearly every shot of an animated film,for what is about to happen .It plays a great role in setting the mood for the story .The clear use of specific colours adds more to the animated story than text itself.Archetypal visuals are countless in every film .In this case,the story unfolds primarily by the use of colour and its merging from one to the next.In Samurai Jack colour proves to be a vital part in telling the story.Is there any other films where the use of colour manipulates mood,and the next set of events? Are there specific examples regarding colour in Greek mythology? (Ex. Mount Olympus is always surrounded by white clouds suggesting morality ,spirituality ,peace and purity and its mystery).