Re: SW v. Kurasowa

In message <3207825A.6C01@iwaynet.net> "J. Scott Miller" writes:
> David Brewer wrote:
> > <SNIP>
> 
> > Let's face it, Star Wars is one of the great manifestations of,
well,
> > I'm sure there's a name it for it, I'd have to check some works by
> > Joseph Campbell, let's call it the Archetypical Hero Story.
> 
> <SNIP>
> 
> The term Campbell used is Monomyth.  It was originally coined by
Joseph 
> Conrad.

That's the boy. Campbell basically reduces the world's great and
powerful mythology into a simple formula showing the common
elements. A similar trick is pulled by Syd Field in his works on
Hollywood screenwriting reducing great films into a similar
formula.

The trouble is, it's easy to pick the common elements out of
umpteen stories and draw a little diagramme, harder to take said
diagramme and write a great story from it. I'm not sure I could
name ten Hollywood action films in the last ten years worth the 
price of admission. Part of the joy of Star Wars is how subversive 
it can be. The Hero goes to Rescue the Helpless Princess... who is 
far from submissive and proceeds to cop off with the supporting 
character.

-- 
David Brewer