Larsen maintains that Campbell assumed that the human spirit has always been as textured and refined as it is now, and walking amongst the boundaries of modern disciplines, he made connections that others did not. “As a comparative mythologist, if he had known of the archaeological findings of Marija Gimbutas for example, they would have changed his appreciation of Paleo- and Neolithic archaeology entirely.” Meanwhile, Campbell’s greatest inspiration was in literature and the arts. George Lucas acknowledges that reading Campbell’s Hero inspired the whole Star Wars trilogy.
Rooted in personal accounts and timeless stories, Finding Joe shows how Campbell’s work is relevant in today’s world and how it provides a narrative for how to live a fully realized life. A statement from the film’s trailer encapsulates why this is possible: “We’re not separate from the characters we see in our movies and our novels. They are us. It’s one journey.”
The film will be followed by a question-and-answer session by Stephen and Robin Larsen, along with Richard Schwab, research scholar at CSS and the leader of the Joseph Campbell Roundtable of New Paltz. Tickets are $10 for general admission or $8 at the CSS website, www.symbolicstudies.org, and $5 for seniors and kids.
CSS, a not-for-profit healing and performing arts center exploring the psyche through the window of myth, was originally inspired by the work of Campbell. The monthly Roundtable meets each third Sunday in the Fireplace Room at the CSS Seminar Center, with lectures by Stephen and Robin Larsen along with guest presenters. CSS is located at 475 River Road Extension in Tillson, about five miles north of New Paltz. Call (845) 658-8540 for further information.
