From our deconstruction of hundreds of Hollywood blockbusters....

The Hero's Journey is the template upon which the vast majority of successful stories and Hollywood blockbusters are based upon. In fact, ALL of the Hollywood movies we have deconstructed are based on this template.

Understanding this template is a priority for story or screenwriters.

The 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) Interpreted metaphorically, laterally and symbolically, allows an infinite number of varied stories to be created.

and more...

The Wild Bunch (1969) - Hero's Journey [basic deconstruction]

FADE IN: meeting the (anti) heroes: the wild bunch freeze frames.

New World: riding into town.

Developing the (anti) heroes: sacrificing the people in the bank; shooting their way out.

Meeting the Shape Shifter: Pike glimpses Thornton.

Forced onto a Journey: forced out of town by Thornton et al.

Developing the antagonism: Thornton's dumb ass men and Harrigan.

Developing the heroes: Pike kills one of his own; you wanna give him a decent burial.

Developing the Shape Shifter: Thornton's reasons for working with Harrigan.

Time Pressure: 30 days to get Pike or back in jail.

New World from afar: nothing Lindo about it; just looks like more of Texas as far as I'm concerned.

Marker of the Crossing: the river.

World of the Supernatural Aid: by the well.

Supernatural Aid: the old man waiting.

Developing characters and relationships: I either lead this bunch or end it right now.

Magical Gift: steel washers, not gold.

Supernatural Aid: who are "they?"; railroad men, bounty hunters.

Trial: come on boys, don't kill me; easy boys.

Developing characters and relationships: Talking about whores.

Hero's Status: What kind of man is Pike; the best; he didn't get caught.

Foreshadow of the Trials and Transformation: every one of them will have a payroll delivered; they'll be waiting for us; I wouldn't have it any other way.

Hero's backstory: Pike and Thornton with the whores; Thornton gets caught.

Antagonism's Motivation: damn you sure must have hurt that railroad.

Conscious Decision: I wouldn't have it any other way either.

New World: riding the sand dunes.

Warning / Danger: falling over the dunes.

Rules: when you ride with a man you stick with him.

Physical Change: Pike falls and hurts himself.

Pushed Forward by the Antagonism: Thornton et al riding.

Developing the Shape Shifter: no, we wait.

Developing the Mentor and his backstory: how did my boy do?

First Threshold: in the Mexican village.

Romantic Challenge: the girl.

Foreshadow of the Transformation: who killed my father.

Developing Characters and Relationships: you know what we are then.

Resistance to the Transformation: you get over it or we leave you here.

Departing the First Threshold: the celebration.

Entering the Belly of the Whale: the town full of Federales.

Warning: I don't like Americanos.

Physical Separation: shooting the girl and engaging with the Federales and the general.

Guided to the Trials and Transformation: to steal the guns.

Developing Characters and Relationships: in the sauna; give him a crate of g

Developing the Shape Shifter: Thornton negotiates with Harrigan.

Time Pressure increases: what you've got is 24 days.

Journey to the World of Trials: on their way to rob the train.

Hero's Romantic Challenge / Backstory: the woman he wanted to marry; getting shot in the leg.

Trial and Transformation 1:

Outer Cave: robbing the train.

Middle Cave: pursued by Thornton and loading the goods.

Inner Cave: trapped and escaping from the bridge.

Foreshadow of the Resolution: he'll be along.

Transformation: sharing whisky; laughing.

Trial and Transformation 2:

Developing the Shape Shifter: why the hell did you have to shot at the army you idiots.

Developing the Antagonism: the general is under attack; runs out of ammunition and retreats; need Pike's weapons.

Outer Cave / Pushed: Pike et al watch Thornton following.

Developing the Shape Shifter: Thornton could pint to them if he wanted.

Transformation [Tornton]: the next time you make a mistake I'm going to ride off and let you die.

Preparing for the Inner Cave: Pike booby traps the weapons.

Middle Cave: the Mexicans take their share.

Push: general, without the guns this would never happen.

Inner Cave: taking control in the canyon.

Developing the Antagonism: quien fue; matalo; killing one of their own.

Trial and Transformation 3:

Pike exchanges some of the guns for some of the money.

Tector throws dynamite at the Old Man.

The General plays with the machine gun.

Transformation: the guns are sold for money.

Meeting the Oracle: the general takes Angel.

Resisting the Sword: how the hell are we gonna go after him; they got guns and 200 men.

Pushed to the Sword: I am sick of being hunted; protection in the General's camp.

Foreshadow of the Resolution: the old ma gets away.

Foreshadow of the Near Death Experience and Rebirth: I want to buy Angel.

Seizing the Sword: plenty of muchachas

Night Sea Journey: lets go.

Rebirth through Death: the General kills Angel.

Atonement with the Father: battling the General and his men.

Apotheosis: Thornton finds Pike and sends Harrigan's men along.

Ultimate Boon: Harrigan's men die; the Old Man returns and asks Thornton to join him.

FADE OUT:

Learn more…

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Kal Bishop

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