188 Stage Hero's Journey (Monomyth) - Abbreviated Info 14

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The 188 stage Hero's Journey (Monomyth) is the template upon which the vast majority of successful stories and Hollywood blockbusters are based upon. In fact, ALL of the hundreds of Hollywood movies we have deconstructed (see URL below) are based on this 188+ stage template.

Understanding this template is a priority for story or screenwriters. This is the template you must master if you are to succeed in the craft.

[The terminology is most often metaphoric and applies to all successful stories and screenplays, from The Godfather (1972) to Brokeback Mountain (2006) to Annie Hall (1977) to Lord of the Rings (2003) to Drugstore Cowboy (1989) to Thelma and Louise (1991) to Apocaplyse Now (1979)].

THERE IS ONLY ONE STORY

THE 188 STAGE HERO'S JOURNEY:

a) Attempts to tap into unconscious expectations the audience has regarding what a story is and how it should be told.

b) Gives the writer more structural elements than simply three or four acts, plot points, mid point and so on.

c) Gives you a tangible process for building and releasing dissonance (establishing and achieving catharses, of which there are usually four).

d) Tells you what to write. For example, at a certain stage of the story, the focus should be on the Call to Adventure and the micro elements within.

ABRIDGED TIPS, EXCERPTS AND EXAMPLES (188+ stages of the Hero's Journey (Monomyth) you need to know about...):

(simply go to www.clickok.co.uk for full details)

*****Near Death Experience*****

The Hero's Old Self must die before his (or her) New Self can completely be born. In An Officer and a Gentleman (1982), Zack Maya is beaten to near death by Sgt. Foley - this happens in the martial arts gym, which is representative of Zacks old world - and it happens after his argument with Paula. In Unforgiven (1992), the Sheriff beats Clint Eastwood to a pulp - in the bar that is, in effect "his territory." In A Fistful of Dynamite (1971), John sees Dr. Villega give away his compatriots.

Serpent Battle. It is not unusual for the battle to occur with a serpent like creature and for it to occur underwater. The serpent is representative of the evil and the submergence underwater is symbolic of a baptism. In War of the Worlds (2005), Ray Ferrier is submerged as an Alien sinks the ferry and everything in it. He battles the "serpent like" tentacles of the Alien underwater. In Star Wars (1977), Luke follows the Princess down into the garbage compartment on the detention level where he is submerged by an underwater, tentacles, serpent like creature.

*****Evolution*****

The First Threshold has distinct phases of evolution. When the Hero first arrives in the First Threshold, he (or she) is a Fish out of Water, by the time he (or she) leaves, he is less so. In Brokeback Mountain (2005), Jack learns to control the horse.