Film Genre Analysis - Epic Fantasy

For my analytical discussion of film genre, I have chosen to examine the themes and characteristics found in Epic Fantasy films, which should come as no surprise to people who know me even marginally well.

I'm not completely sure what it is about the Epic Fantasy genre that draws me to it so strongly.  I've always had a very active and strong imagination, and from a very young age I've been intrigued by mythology and grand tales of good versus evil.  I think it's the larger-than-life scale of these stories with magic and monsters and warriors that I find so appealing.  Also, the struggle to become more than what we are, and to accomplish things greater than ourselves, are themes than span time and culture, and seem to be hardwired into the psyches of all civilizations.

Most fantasy films and stories possess very similar traits and characteristics, following a general outline that can be found throughout all mythology.  There is always an over-arching struggle between Good and Evil, and very often the Evil entity is supernaturally powerful, and is threatening to destroy the world, or at least enslave it.  (i.e. Sauron in The Lord of the Rings, or Voldemort in Harry Potter).  

We always experience the unfolding of the story line through the eyes of the protagonist, or Hero.  This character almost always starts out as an inexperienced youth, a character who is usually weak and callow, and very unlikely to be heroic in any way.  Throughout the course of events comprising the tale, this character faces numerous challenges and trials, helping them to grow and develop as an individual, thereby gaining the skills and experience that will ultimately allow them to defeat the Evil.  This process usually begins with the character being thrust into an unexpected adventure through circumstances completely out of their control.  Since the hero is a regular person, whose life had previously been quite boring and banal, we can relate to the excitement and distress they must be experiencing.

Along the hero's path he or she meets a variety of other archetypical characters who contribute to the diversity and interest of the storyline.  Almost without exception, the hero will meet a wise old guide of some sort, a mentor-figure who is very experienced and initially helps the hero understand what he or she must do. (i.e. Gandalf the Gray in Lord of the Rings, Obi-Wan Kenobi in Star Wars, or Morpheus in The Matrix).  One of the functions of this character is to introduce the protagonist to some sort of mystical or supernatural power that the hero must master if they are to reach their full potential and "save the day".

Another archetypical character that commonly joins our hero at some point in the journey is the world-weary cynic (i.e. Han Solo in Star Wars or Boromir in Lord of the Rings).  This character provides a dramatic counterpoint to the idealistic optimism that usually characterizes the protagonist, and usually serves as a narrative vehicle for getting the hero either into, or out of, deep trouble.

Through a series of adventures and journeys, the hero and his or her allies must face a variety of challenges and trials, each of which brings the hero closer to the ultimate goal of defeating the Evil.  There may be setbacks, losses and betrayals along the way, and the hero grows and develops as an individual because of these experiences.  By the story's end, our protagonist who started as a weak, frightened rookie has progressed and metamorphosed into a powerful, confident warrior, who ultimately comes face to face with the Evil and defeats it, thereby ensuring peace or justice or freedom for the rest of the world. 




This genre has existed for thousands of years, from back in ancient oral tradition, up through the Greek and Roman periods, to the Renaissance, and all the way to today.  The themes and motifs present in Epic Fantasy span time and culture, because they tap into the very "nuts and bolts" of what makes us Human.  The intrinsic need for Good to overcome Evil, the desire to be part of something greater than our own individual little lives, the excitement of facing mortal danger and persevering; all these ideas are hardwired into our consciousness, regardless of what time or place we were born in.  Thus, we identify with the hero, regardless of whether his sword's blade is made of steel, or a laser beam...  :)


UPDATE:
So, I hated the PowerPoint slideshow I had going, thus, I deleted it from GoogleDocs. I was really impressed with that Prezi format, so I went and created my own in that format. Tragically, my 10-year-old Mac doesn't have the horsepower or RAM to make the program run very smoothly, so my Prezi is quite basic, sparse, rudimentary, and imperfect. But I must say that I really like this program, and I definitely look forward to using it with much greater depth and dynamics in the future...
My "Epic Fantasy Genre" Prezi...