All Rise...

Judge David Johnson was a guest lecturer at Clown College. He was booed out of the funhouse.

The Charge

The shaping of the Western tradition.

The Case

Joseph Campbell, the renowned writer, speaker, and philosopher, embarked on a speaking tour in the 1980s and here you go: two DVDs worth of lecturing!

I wish there was more I can give you, but that's what this set is, five hour-long lectures, soaked in content, sure, but fairly dry. Some nifty slides, photos, and cameos by Susan Sarandon break it up a bit, but make no mistake: what you're signing up for is 285 minutes worth of an elderly gentleman talking.

Obviously, this is geared to a specific fanbase, and if you find yourself interested in heavy-duty academic ruminating on the evolution of Western literary culture, there is great value housed on these DVDs.

Joseph Campbell: Mythos III consists of…

Disc One
• Love as a Guide: The Arthurian romances, including Tristan and Iseult.
• The Path of the Heart: Parzival and the Grail Quest.
• Beyond Space and Time: The Romantic philosophers.

Disc Two
• Between Pairs of Opposites: Thomas Mann and The Magic Mountain.
• Into the Well of Myth: The Joseph novels and modern myth.

Thick stuff there. Though Campbell isn't an electrifying speaker, he is a fine transmitter of knowledge. If you're pining for the glory days of the campus lecture hall, and the subject matter appeals to you, pick up this set.

The DVD presentation is straightforward, starting with a full frame, VHS-quality transfers (it is what it is), and ending with a stereo mix. No extras.

The Verdict

Not Guilty. Most viewers will be bored out of their skulls, but this isn't for them. So why don't you leave us academics alone and go play your Call of Halo games?

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