Saturday 21 October 2017

Film Review - Hero's Journey - Hercules


Hercules (1997) is an animated feature film released by Walt Disney Pictures. The movie is loosely based on the hero Hercules, son of Zeus, in Greek mythology.


Hercules is a great example of The Hero’s Journey as the story is about a legendary hero having to complete tasks to earn the rights to live amongst the gods. Below is a chart of Joseph Campbell's version of the Hero's Journey.


1 Call to Adventure – The Call to Adventure in this film is when the young Hercules visits the temple of Zeus looking for answers and finds out that that Zeus is his long lost father. Zeus then tells Hercules that In order for him to return home and live amongst the gods Hercules would have to become a true hero.
2 Refusal of the
3 Supernatural Aid Call – After speaking with Zeus, Hercules goes to find the most famous hero trainer (Philoctetes). What he found was a perverted old goat spying on a group of nymph as they were bathing.
4 Crossing the Threshold – As Hercules spoke with Zeus he found himself in-between to world, the ordinary farm boy and the young demi god. He then decides to go down the path of becoming a hero.
5 Belly of the Whale – When Hercules was tricked into freeing the hydra, he got swallowed by the beast and so he cuts the hydra’s neck from the inside. Moments later he finds himself in more trouble as the hydra comes back to life with more heads.  
6 Road of Trials – After Hercules defeats the hydra and the citizen of Thebes begins to recognise him as a hero. The music starts and we see the heroic Hercules goes through the literal “Trials” of the “Twelve Labours”.
7 Meeting the Goddess – Hercules met Meg for the first time as she was in the hands of a monstrous centaur. At this part of the film there are two meanings to the term goddess. One being Meg as the physical meaning and the other being the opportunity Hercules to become the hero and save the damsel in distress.
8 Woman as temptress – After Hercules saves Meg from the centaur he cur comes to Megs charms and begins to like her.
9 Atonement with Father – Hercules and Phil have a falling out and Meg persuades Phil to go back and help Hercules.
10 Apotheosis – Meg gets hurt thus breaking the deal with Hades and Hercules’s strength returns to him. As she lies the in his arms Meg confesses her love to Hercules which gave him a boost of motivation.
11 The Ultimate Boon – With the noble act of self-sacrifice to save Meg, Hercules has become a “True Hero” thus returning his god hood and becomes immortal.
12 Refusal of Return – With his powers taken away Hercules refuses to stay out of the fight with the Cyclops.
13 Magic Flight – Hercules regains his strength and flies off on Pegasus to rescues the gods.
14 Rescue from Without – Meg pushes Hercules out of the way of a falling column which results in herself getting badly injured.
15 Crossing the Return Threshold – Hercules defeats the titans and successfully save Olympus.
16 Master of Two Worlds – In the end, Zeus offers Hercules a place in mount Olympus to live amongst the gods.
17 Freedom to live – Hercules refuses the offer because he wants to live his life as a mortal with Meg.




Tuesday 17 October 2017

Character Design - Week 3 - Environment



In this lesson we got given 3 things (mad, water treatment plant, wild west) that we're supposed to base our environment on. I made up a story of a sheriff going insane and kills his family and hangs them from a water tower.