Lecture Program & Film Reviews: Lecture #1 Myth & Storytelling

Myth and Storytelling

The session was a detailed introduction to the idea of monomyth, the idea of retelling a story using the same conventions. Joseph Campbell focused his studies on structural linguistics; analysing things to their basic core. He initiated the idea of an 18 step monomyth list, which would later be abbreviated for screenwriters by Chris Volger. Volger aided the transition of the monomyth into mainstream media, and so began the era if repetition in film. 

Christ Volger's monomyth adaption is abundantly clear in the 1977 film Star Wars: a new hope, which follows Volger's list religously. The film's success demonstrates a strong link between successful films and bleak, uncertain historic events; the 70's was a time of violence, famine and economic fluctuation. Volger's monomyth list is also seen in the 1999 film The Matrix and the majority of high grossing blockbusters released within the last 50 years. 

I found this session fascinating, as I noticed a link between the definition of the monomyth and the structuralist art movement, which both share ideologies about 'uncovering the absolute truth' or 'breaking something down to its core'. 'The hero's journey' also has something to be said about our own lives, and the monomyth process can easily be applied to us personally. Campbell and Volger have demonstrated how applying phycological discoveries to film can create huge success and, therefore, impactful reactions within audiences; we, the viewers, are being affected by monomyth films at our very core.