Joseph Campbell on The Power of Myth with Bill
Moyers (1988/Acorn Media/Athena
DVD Set)
Picture:
B- Sound: B- Extras: B+ Episodes: A
Joseph
Campbell’s ability to bring world mythology to life, and to link it with world
religions and mankind’s common origin made him a transcendent figure in his
field. In 1983, journalist Bill Moyers
conducted a series of interviews with Professor Campbell that covered a range
of topics and chiefly addressed how the various myths in mankind’s history
reflect who we are as a people and where we might be headed. This six-part series of interviews, broadcast
in 1998 as Joseph Campbell & The
Power of Myth, consumes the better part of six hours, but the discussions
are so compelling that viewers will likely lose track of the time.
Anyone
with even a casual interest in mythology, comparative religion, or world
history will find much to like in this series. Campbell deftly
relates tales of ancient times to more modern myths like those found in George
Lucas’ Star Wars, and indeed the
journey of Luke Skywalker in those films is much like the ones of the
archetypal heroes in Campbell’s
The Hero With a Thousand Faces. Moyers conducts his interviews with aplomb and
agility, wringing from Campbell all the wit and
wisdom that made him a favorite teacher among his students at Sarah Lawrence
College.
Athena
has done a wonderful job assembling this package. They have included a number of excellent
extras, including: a newly released and rarely seen interview with Campbell from Moyers’ journal, selected excerpts from
Moyers’ interviews with George Lucas, profiles of some of Campbell’s
biggest influences (James Frazer, Adolf Bastian, and Otto Rank) and a 12-page
viewer’s guide with profiles of artists influenced by Campbell.
Many
viewers might have been lucky enough to have been exposed to this series in
high school, or perhaps during a college course on mythology. This wonderful release allows folks to
rediscover these important interviews, or engage them for the first time. Either way, we’re all a little richer for
having Joseph Campbell on Power of Myth
with Bill Moyers available again.
- Scott Pyle
