Hero's Journey: 100 Greatest Films Deconstructed - Wild Bunch (1969)

From our deconstruction of hundreds ofChallenge: the girl.Foreshadow of the
Hollywood blockbusters at Hero's Journey is theTransformation: who killed my father.Developing
template upon which the vast majority ofCharacters and Relationships: you know what we
successful stories and Hollywood blockbusters areare then.Resistance to the Transformation: you
based upon. In fact, ALL of the Hollywood moviesget over it or we leave you here.Departing the
we have deconstructed are based on thisFirst Threshold: the celebration.Entering the Belly
template.Understanding this template is a priorityof the Whale: the town full of Federales.Warning: I
for story or screenwriters.The Hero's Journey:a)don't like Americanos.Physical Separation: shooting
Attempts to tap into unconscious expectationsthe girl and engaging with the Federales and the
the audience has regarding what a story is andgeneral.Guided to the Trials and Transformation:
how it should be told.b) Gives the writer moreto steal the guns.Developing Characters and
structural elements than simply three or fourRelationships: in the sauna; give him a crate of
acts, plot points, mid point and so on.c)guns.Developing the Shape Shifter: Thornton
Interpreted metaphorically, laterally andnegotiates with Harrigan.Time Pressure increases:
symbolically, allows an infinite number of variedwhat you've got is 24 days.Journey to the World
stories to be created.and more...The Wild Bunchof Trials: on their way to rob the train.Hero's
(1969) - Hero's Journey [basicRomantic Challenge / Backstory: the woman he
deconstruction]FADE IN: meeting the (anti) heroes:wanted to marry; getting shot in the leg.Trial and
the wild bunch freeze frames.New World: ridingTransformation 1:Outer Cave: robbing the
into town.Developing the (anti) heroes: sacrificingtrain.Middle Cave: pursued by Thornton and loading
the people in the bank; shooting their waythe goods.Inner Cave: trapped and escaping from
out.Meeting the Shape Shifter: Pike glimpsesthe bridge.Foreshadow of the Resolution: he'll be
Thornton.Forced onto a Journey: forced out ofalong.Transformation: sharing whisky; laughing.Trial
town by Thornton et al.Developing theand Transformation 2:Developing the Shape
antagonism: Thornton's dumb ass men andShifter: why the hell did you have to shot at the
Harrigan.Developing the heroes: Pike kills one of hisarmy you idiots.Developing the Antagonism: the
own; you wanna give him a decentgeneral is under attack; runs out of ammunition
burial.Developing the Shape Shifter: Thornton'sand retreats; need Pike's weapons.Outer Cave /
reasons for working with Harrigan.Time Pressure:Pushed: Pike et al watch Thornton
30 days to get Pike or back in jail.New Worldfollowing.Developing the Shape Shifter: Thornton
from afar: nothing Lindo about it; just looks likecould pint to them if he wanted.Transformation
more of Texas as far as I'm concerned.Marker of[Tornton]: the next time you make a mistake I'm
the Crossing: the river.World of the Supernaturalgoing to ride off and let you die.Preparing for the
Aid: by the well.Supernatural Aid: the old manInner Cave: Pike booby traps the weapons.Middle
waiting.Developing characters and relationships: ICave: the Mexicans take their share.Push: general,
either lead this bunch or end it right now.Magicalwithout the guns this would never happen.Inner
Gift: steel washers, not gold.Supernatural Aid: whoCave: taking control in the canyon.Developing the
are "they?"; railroad men, bounty hunters.Trial:Antagonism: quien fue; matalo; killing one of their
come on boys, don't kill me; easy boys.Developingown.Trial and Transformation 3:Pike exchanges
characters and relationships: Talking aboutsome of the guns for some of the money.Tector
whores.Hero's Status: What kind of man is Pike;throws dynamite at the Old Man.The General
the best; he didn't get caught.Foreshadow of theplays with the machine gun.Transformation: the
Trials and Transformation: every one of them willguns are sold for money.Meeting the Oracle: the
have a payroll delivered; they'll be waiting for us; Igeneral takes Angel.Resisting the Sword: how the
wouldn't have it any other way.Hero's backstory:hell are we gonna go after him; they got guns
Pike and Thornton with the whores; Thorntonand 200 men.Pushed to the Sword: I am sick of
gets caught.Antagonism's Motivation: damn youbeing hunted; protection in the General's
sure must have hurt that railroad.Consciouscamp.Foreshadow of the Resolution: the old ma
Decision: I wouldn't have it any other waygets away.Foreshadow of the Near Death
either.New World: riding the sand dunes.Warning /Experience and Rebirth: I want to buy
Danger: falling over the dunes.Rules: when you rideAngel.Seizing the Sword: plenty of muchachasNight
with a man you stick with him.Physical Change:Sea Journey: lets go.Rebirth through Death: the
Pike falls and hurts himself.Pushed Forward by theGeneral kills Angel.Atonement with the Father:
Antagonism: Thornton et al riding.Developing thebattling the General and his men.Apotheosis:
Shape Shifter: no, we wait.Developing the MentorThornton finds Pike and sends Harrigan's men
and his backstory: how did my boy do?Firstalong.Ultimate Boon: Harrigan's men die; the Old
Threshold: in the Mexican village.RomanticMan returns and asks Thornton to join him.