Mythos (film)
Encyclopedia
Mythos is a multi-part documentary that consists of a series of lectures given by Joseph Campbell
. Campbell conceived of the original lectures, filmed over the last six years of his life, as a summation of what he had learned about the human mythic impulse, in terms of psychology
, ethnology
and comparative mythology
—what he called "the one great story of mankind."
, the filmmakers who had recorded the lectures quickly cobbled together a much-abridged, hastily edited series for PBS entitled Transformations of Myth Through Time. An even-more-highly redacted version was briefly released under the title The World of Joseph Campbell.
and, eventually, by the Joseph Campbell Foundation
(JCF), asked that these versions, which were unlicensed and did not accurately represent Campbell's thoughts, be pulled from the market, and proposed the production of a twenty-hour television series in four parts that followed Campbell's original vision more closely: Mythos.
Volume One of Mythos was released in 1999. Volume Two was released in 2000. Both parts are narrated by Susan Sarandon
.
After these initial releases, the original distributor, Unipix, promptly went bankrupt, and production on the series halted.
The JCF rerealeased the first two volumes in 2007 and 2008 in conjunction with Acorn Media as part of the Collected Works of Joseph Campbell series; they plan to release the remaining two volumes in 2009-2010.
.
Joseph Campbell
Joseph John Campbell was an American mythologist, writer and lecturer, best known for his work in comparative mythology and comparative religion. His work is vast, covering many aspects of the human experience...
. Campbell conceived of the original lectures, filmed over the last six years of his life, as a summation of what he had learned about the human mythic impulse, in terms of psychology
Psychology
Psychology is the study of the mind and behavior. Its immediate goal is to understand individuals and groups by both establishing general principles and researching specific cases. For many, the ultimate goal of psychology is to benefit society...
, ethnology
Ethnology
Ethnology is the branch of anthropology that compares and analyzes the origins, distribution, technology, religion, language, and social structure of the ethnic, racial, and/or national divisions of humanity.-Scientific discipline:Compared to ethnography, the study of single groups through direct...
and comparative mythology
Comparative mythology
Comparative mythology is the comparison of myths from different cultures in an attempt to identify shared themes and characteristics. Comparative mythology has served a variety of academic purposes...
—what he called "the one great story of mankind."
Transformations: A False Step
After Campbell's death and the posthumous celebrity brought by the airing in 1988 of The Power of MythThe Power of Myth
The companion book for the series, The Power of Myth, was released in 1988 at the same time the series aired on PBS...
, the filmmakers who had recorded the lectures quickly cobbled together a much-abridged, hastily edited series for PBS entitled Transformations of Myth Through Time. An even-more-highly redacted version was briefly released under the title The World of Joseph Campbell.
Mythos Emerges
Campbell's estate, represented by his widow Jean ErdmanJean Erdman
Jean Erdman is a dancer and choreographer of modern dance as well as an avant-garde theater director.-Early years:Erdman was born on February 20, 1916 in Honolulu, Hawaii...
and, eventually, by the Joseph Campbell Foundation
Joseph Campbell Foundation
The Joseph Campbell Foundation is a US not-for-profit organization dedicated to preserve, protect and perpetuate the work of influential American mythologist Joseph Campbell...
(JCF), asked that these versions, which were unlicensed and did not accurately represent Campbell's thoughts, be pulled from the market, and proposed the production of a twenty-hour television series in four parts that followed Campbell's original vision more closely: Mythos.
Volume One of Mythos was released in 1999. Volume Two was released in 2000. Both parts are narrated by Susan Sarandon
Susan Sarandon
Susan Sarandon is an American actress. She has worked in films and television since 1969, and won an Academy Award for Best Actress for her performance in the 1995 film Dead Man Walking. She had also been nominated for the award for four films before that and has received other recognition for her...
.
After these initial releases, the original distributor, Unipix, promptly went bankrupt, and production on the series halted.
The JCF rerealeased the first two volumes in 2007 and 2008 in conjunction with Acorn Media as part of the Collected Works of Joseph Campbell series; they plan to release the remaining two volumes in 2009-2010.
Mythos: Vol. 1, The Shaping of Our Mythic Tradition (1999)
- Mythos - 1.1: Psyche & Symbol - The psychological impulse for and response to myth
- Mythos - 1.2: The Spirit Land - How myths awakened American Indians to the mystery of life.
- Mythos - 1.3: On Being Human - The emergence of myth in early hunter-gatherer societies
- Mythos - 1.4: From Goddesses to God - The gradual shift from the Goddess to male, warlike deities
- Mythos - 1.5: The Mystical Life - Non-biblical mythic strains that helped shape the Western spirit
Mythos: Vol. 2, The Shaping of the Eastern Tradition (2000)
- Mythos - 2.1: The Inward Path - The core myths of the great Asian religions
- Mythos - 2.2: The Enlightend One - The Buddha and enlightenment, East and West
- Mythos - 2.3: Our Eternal Selves - Yoga and transcendence
- Mythos - 2.4: The Way to Illumination - Kundalini yoga and the seven chakras
- Mythos - 2.5: The Experience of God - Tibetan Buddhism and the spiritual journey that is death
Mythos: Vol. 3, The Shaping of the Western Tradition (2011)
- Mythos - 3.1: Love as the Guide - The Arthurian romances, including Tristan and Iseult
- Mythos - 3.2: The Path of the Heart - Parzival and the Grail Quest
- Mythos - 3.3: Beyond Time and Space - The Romantic philosophers
- Mythos - 3.4: Between Pairs of Opposites - Thomas Mann and The Magic Mountain
- Mythos - 3.5: Into the Well of Myth - The Joseph novels and modern myth
Mythos: Vol. 4 (In Production)
This volume will explore the mythic underpinnings of the novels of James JoyceJames Joyce
James Augustine Aloysius Joyce was an Irish novelist and poet, considered to be one of the most influential writers in the modernist avant-garde of the early 20th century...
.
External links
- Mythos Volume One - Boxed Set
- Mythos Volume Two - Boxed Set
- New York Times review
- Mythos page on Joseph Campbell FoundationJoseph Campbell FoundationThe Joseph Campbell Foundation is a US not-for-profit organization dedicated to preserve, protect and perpetuate the work of influential American mythologist Joseph Campbell...
website