Commonalities and Change: Formulas Survive Despite Variances

“Up” and “Star Wars” Each Showcase Beliefs,

Myths, Heroes, Rituals and Stereotypes

John J. “Jack” Crowley

HUMN240-F2WW (F14)

Professor Harlan Schottenstein

Nov. 2, 2014

    Both Up and Star Wars are excellent movies in their own genre of animation and science fiction respectively.  Though Star Wars is an older movie, good still triumphs over insurmountable evil.  A young dreamer becomes a battle-tested Jedi Knight.

   In Up, there is a love story chronicled between two kids, Ellie and Carl. They build a fort together, and though they can’t have kids they dream of visiting picturesque Paradise Falls far away. Alas, Ellie dies, but Carl persists even in his old age.  The conflict peaks after Carl accidentally injures a construction worker who wants to tear down the homestead. He must flee literally in his house in order to avoid a nursing home.

   Ed Asner’s animated curmudgeon Carl has other rituals, but different than Luke’s coming of age in Star Wars. Carl must get over the death of his beloved lifelong partner – and learn to tolerate Russell, a pesky, well-meaning Boy Scout. Ellie is gone, but Carl sets off with Russell to South America to fulfill his promise to Ellie.  Stereotype subtlety also is evident in that Carl looks like Spencer Tracy.

     In each movie, there are formulas: romantic love; betrayal;  heroes; and dark challenges (Darth Vader or Up’s evil explorer Charles Muntz). In addition, each fulfills our view of stereotypes. Obi Wan is the wise and sage adviser to the young Luke Skywalker. Carl is the typical grump, battling hearing aides, arthritis and his own emotional baggage.  And both Muntz and Vader are deceptive and purely mean-spirited.  Christopher Plummer’s Muntz wants to return with Kevin the rare bird to show Muntz’s not crazy, and to ruin mankind. Vader just wants to destroy the rebels, and anyone who gets in the Emperor/his way.  Both have henchmen (even if Muntz’s are dogs that talk.)

   Whether it’s an animated old widower, or a young futuristic space warrior, heroes in each movie confirm our beliefs and reinforce our myths. They also deliver rituals of passage while entertaining us. And the protagonists triumph in the end, a hallmark of any enduring action-adventure formula. The bad guys are mad with power and malevolence.

    I’ll answer three questions about each movie:

What formula can you identify?    

 

     Star Wars has adventure, boy-pursues-girl and the stereotypical rogue with a soft heart (Hans Solo). Luke learns from the older Obi Wan, embraces adventure to make himself a man, and confronts the evil of Darth Vader’s Empire. (Later he will find out that Darth is his father.)

   Up also has adventure involving a love-lost Carl. He’s intent to turn his house into a flying airship buoyed by helium balloons. He will keep his promise to the departed Ellie and fly his home all the way to South America’s Paradise Falls.

What are the commonalities (in each column of the grid)?

    In each movie, the male character seeks their “leading lady.” For Luke, it is Princess Leia (later found to be his sister), but he is bested by Solo. For Carl, his lost compass is the late Ellie for whom he still opines. Other likenesses are the stereotypes: young warrior versus old “fart.” Myths surface in the pursuit of Up’s Carl of a special place Ellie and he will never see together. Luke has a myth both about the ease of becoming a Jedi – and the real fate of his lost father.

How do formulas change over the years?

    I don’t think they do. In popular culture there always is implied optimism, as our various readings seem to indicate. In every action movie there is an ultimate desirable outcome. And even animated movies such as Up can teach a valuable real-life lesson.

HUMN240, Jack Crowley, 11-2-2014

Grid for Formula Analyses of Star Wars and Up

Artifact	Beliefs	Myth	Hero	Setting	Ritual	Stereotype	Formulas
Movie
Up	1. You can adopt a child, even if you can’t have your own. 2. Beneath the gruff surface is Carl’s alter ego "good man."	Happiness in old age Nursing homes beat living at home. Not all old people are “disposable.”	Carl and Kevin, persistent against odds Possesses qualities our culture values: Boy Scout ingenuity and wisdom in old age	A bustling city that wants to move an old man who has no usefulness. A far-away paradise, with bad guys and animals to save.	Rites of Passage: Aging and Russell growing up with a father figure, even an old one. Rites of Unity Strength in numbers, shared experiences and mutual assistance of young with old.	Nerd Boy Scout; and Selfish old man. Villain who is misguided, and will do anything to prevail over his critics. (Carl Muntz)	Animated Action-Adventure Youth and Age begrudgingly work together. Old man intent on keeping lifelong promise, learns to accept help from a  boy.
Star Wars	1. Travel is always fun. 2. Team work can defeat any evil, it just takes persistence.	Rebellion is romantic, easy. Bad guys like Darth Vader never had a good side; there is never a reason for their downward spiral.	Luke, Obi Wan, Princess Leia and Hans Solo  each doing their part to push for the goal. Change, survive or die trying to defeat evil. Self-evaluational learning and coming of age as well as maturity (Hans and Luke).	A limitless universe caught in desperate good v. evil battle. Still-relevant lessons about pushing toward a good goal – even in a place far away.	Passage: Becoming a Jedi, acting like a princess, or Hans’ becoming less selfish. Shared suffering that bears fruit after tough fights, & cooperation.	Cocky pilot, All-seeing bad guy and youthful bliss.  Opportunism: Lando Calrizzian, Hans and even Darth Vader seeking their own glory.	Sci-Fi Action &Adventure Good has to fight to overcome evil, but does eventually. Romantic tension and competition; victory despite overwhelming odds.