Myth & the Movies: Discovering the Myth Structure of 50 Unforgettable Films [Paperback]

Stuart Voytilla (Author), Christopher Vogler (Foreword)

Book Description

Publication Date: November 1999

Designed as a companion to The Writer's Journey, Myth & the Movies analyzes 50 U.S. and foreign films in every cinematic genre.

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

Riffing off ideas articulated in Christopher Vogler's The Writer's Journey, Myth and the Movies serves both as a sequel to that book and a series of examples attempting to demonstrate its validity. In his book, Vogler, borrowing ideas from Carl Jung and Joseph Campbell, argues that every story follows certain patterns--which he collectively characterizes as a mythic "hero's journey." In Myth and the Movies, Voytilla breaks this journey up into stages, using 50 famous films to illustrate the universality of Vogler's method. During the course of the book, he unpacks the mythic structure of horror, war, drama, romance, comedy, science fiction, action-adventure, the western, and the thriller, drawing on films as diverse as Seven Samurai, The Silence of the Lambs, Annie Hall, and Boyz N the Hood. His charts, maps, and consideration of various archetypal characters ("the shadow," "the trickster," "the herald," "the shapeshifter") and narrative devices ("the elixir," "the adventure," "the threshold," "the road back") provide a clear picture of how Campbell's archetypes can be used for film analysis. And who knows? Perhaps as you follow Voytilla's descriptions, you will be inspired to create some myths of your own. --Raphael Shargel

About the Author

Voytilla is a writer, script consultant, and teacher of acting and screenwriting.

Product Details

• Paperback: 300 pages
• Publisher: Michael Wiese Productions (November 1999)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0941188663
• ISBN-13: 978-0941188661
• Product Dimensions: 10 x 7 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.4 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.1 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (19 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #193,779 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

15 of 16 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Worthy companion to Writer's Journey. Highly recommended!, September 30, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Myth & the Movies: Discovering the Myth Structure of 50 Unforgettable Films (Paperback)

Myth and the Movies puts meat on the substantial and influential bones of Christopher Vogler's The Writer's Journey by illustrating the mythic structure of 50 great films. Stuart Voytilla's selection of movies is imaginative and challenging, going beyond the obvious myth-based films to demonstrate mythic structure in the "real" world of story. Voytilla's commitment to this project is impressive. He covers all the genres -- action adventure, western, horror, thriller, war, drama, romance, romantic comedy, and science fiction/ fantasy. The book is invaluable for romance writers. By studying the sections on romance and romantic comedy they will undoubtedly gain a deeper understanding of the complex interplay between the Journey of the Heart and the Journey of the Higher Cause and -- perhaps more fundamentally -- the interplay between human emotion and the mythic structure itself. Using as examples Casablanca, The African Queen, La Strada, Beauty and the Beast, The Piano (for romance)and Bringing Up Baby, Singin' in the Rain, Dona Flor and Her Two Husbands, Annie Hall and Sleepless in Seattle (for romantic comedy), Voytilla heightens the romance writer's understanding of these all-important concepts. A worthy companion to The Writer's Journey. Highly recommended for film buffs, and screenwriters and novelists of all genres.

20 of 23 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The Journey Continues, November 5, 2000

By 

Paul Peterson Jr. (West Hollywood, CA United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Myth & the Movies: Discovering the Myth Structure of 50 Unforgettable Films (Paperback)

Stuart Voytilla's "Myth and the Movies" is a must read for anyone interested in screenwriting, story telling, or simply enjoying movies. Standing on the broad shoulders of Joseph Campbell, Christopher Vogler, and others who have demonstrated how mythology is used, Voytilla brings fresh insight and clarity to the subject. Voytilla's effort is painstaking and enormous. "Myth and the Movies" explores the mythological structure of 50 great and familiar films. Voytilla's vision is clear and precise--demonstrating a great mastery of the art form as well as possessing a lucid and incisive writing style. Voytilla's book is better than any graduate film school curriculum. Best of all, the author wastes no time focusing on non-essential elements. He cuts straight to the chase and doesn't let up throughout this marvelously insightful tome. If you want to learn how to write a story more efficiently, or even if you simply wish to derive more pleasure from watching films at your neighborhood theater, "Myth and the Movies" should be at the top of your reading list. Stuart Voytilla has written a masterpiece for all who are interested in film--whether novice, pro, or fan.

21 of 25 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars Interesting Genre analysis, Nominal story analysis,, March 20, 2005

By 

Enormo "Enormo" (Forest Hll, MD United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Myth & the Movies: Discovering the Myth Structure of 50 Unforgettable Films (Paperback)

After reading Vogler I was interested in how an expert might wholisticly apply his structure to actual movies.

Unfortunately, Voytilla's analysis of individual movies is rather shallow and nominal. i.e. He basically rehashes movie plots using keywords for Voglers book to name them. There is no introspection into how these elements provide drama, work with the theme of the movie, or highten an audience's investment in the hero.

The only parts of the book that I found interesting were Voytilla's analysis of Genres. Here he writes about similar structures, themes, and purposes found within genres such as comedy, adventure, action etc.

If you are at a loss to apply Vogler's works, this book will be helpful. If you are interested in breif and somewhat interesting Genre analysis and don't mind dropping a few bucks then you might pick up a couple of interesting tidbits here and there.

However, if you're looking for an analysis that truly enlightens the dynamics behind the dramatic excellence of a movie, skip this book, rent a bunch of movies and apply Vogler's ideas for yourself. (Disney movies such as the Little Mermaid are a great place to start.)