Joseph Campbell and the Power of Myth is a PBS documentary from 1988. The documentary was originally broadcast as six one-hour conversations between mythologist Joseph Campbell (1904–1987) and journalist Bill Moyers. It remains one of the most popular series in the history of American public television. A book titled The Power of Myth was published in the same year based on the interviews featured in the documentary.

Overview

The interviews in the first five episodes were filmed at George Lucas's Skywalker Ranch in California, with the sixth interview conducted at the American Museum of Natural History in New York, during the final two summers of Campbell's life. (The series was broadcast on television the year following his death.) In these discussions Campbell presents his ideas about comparative mythology and the ongoing role of myth in human society. These talks include excerpts from Campbell's seminal work The Hero with a Thousand Faces The book follows the format of the documentary and provides additional discussions not included in the original six-hour release. Chapters:

  1. Myth and the Modern World
  2. The Journey Inward
  3. The First Storytellers
  4. Sacrifice and Bliss
  5. The Hero's Adventure
  6. The Gift of the Goddess
  7. Tales of Love and Marriage
  8. Masks of Eternity
  9. The Tale of Buddha

The Power of Myth is based on the interviews between Joseph Campbell and Bill Moyers that were the basis for the acclaimed television series. It deals with the universality and evolution of myths in the history of the human race and the place of myths in modern society. Campbell blends accounts of his own upbringing and experience with stories from many cultures and civilizations to present the reader with his most compelling thesis that modern society is going through a transition from the old mythologies and traditions to a new way of thinking where a global mythology will emerge.

Some of the material in the first chapter comes from Campbell's previously published books, The Hero with a Thousand Faces and The Masks of God. The main theme of the book is the universality of myths—what Campbell calls "mankind's one great story"— that occur throughout the history of mankind, no matter which epoch or whichever culture or society is considered. and the fifth chapter of the book, "The Hero's Adventure," Moyers and Campbell discuss George Lucas' report that Campbell's work directly influenced the creation of the Star Wars films.

Moyers and Lucas filmed an interview 12 years later in 1999, modeled after The Power of Myth. It was called the Mythology of Star Wars with George Lucas & Bill Moyers and further discussed the impact of Campbell's work on Lucas' films.

Errata

The words attributed to Chief Seattle, read by Campbell in the fourth episode of the series, were actually written by Ted Perry for a 1972 ecology film called Home. Perry adapted the text from newspaper accounts that were, in turn, published years after Chief Seattle delivered the actual speech.

Views on religious fundamentalism

During the interview, Campbell reveals his views on religious fundamentalism in the modern world.

Print

: Moyers, Bill and Joseph Campbell. The Power of Myth (1988). Betty Sue Flowers (ed.). New York: Doubleday, hardcover:

Audio

: Joseph Campbell and the Power of Myth with Bill Moyers (2001). Penguin/Highbridge, .

Video

: Joseph Campbell and the Power of Myth with Bill Moyers (2010). Bonus Interview with George Lucas on Mythology from The Mythology of Star Wars, conversation with Campbell from 1981 Bill Moyers Journal. Acorn Media/Athena.

See also

  • The Hero's Journey: The World of Joseph Campbell (1987)
  • Comparative Mythology

References

  • Joseph Campbell Foundation Power of Myth page
  • About.com review of 2011 DVD (retrieved from web.archive.org)
  • San Francisco Chronicle review
  • Powell's review (book)