Rise (and fall?) of Trilogies

David GoerzCom 329

Dr. Neuendorf

Background

● A Trilogy can refer to nearly any related set of three works, although they are often the product of the same creator.

● Trilogies themselves have existed for thousands of years, occurring in ancient theater

● Ancient Greek theater made extensive use of the trilogy format, including Sophocles' famous Oedipus trilogy, and Aeschylus' Oresteia trilogy.

● Trilogies in novels are quite common, though not quite as old as their theatrical counterparts, and often (though certainly not exclusively) fall into the Science Fiction and Fantasy genres.

Background● Film trilogies, of course, are somewhat more

“modern”

● As with novels, film trilogies have a rich history in Science Fiction and Fantasy.

● Film trilogies are sometimes part of a longer series (which can create a degree of contention as to what is and is not a trilogy)

● Although they have always been a part of film, many of film's best-known trilogies can be grouped together by era.

● For the sake of poetry, let us organize these into a trilogy of groups: Early Trilogies, Middle-Era Trilogies, and Modern Trilogies

Early Trilogies: Frankenstein

● Frankenstein (1931)Bride of Frankenstein (1935)Son of Frankenstein (1939)

● The trilogy follows the classic tale of Dr. Frankenstein and his undead monster.

● Although the third installment had a different director Boris Karloff's recurring role as the Monster, and arc of the stories, tie the films together

● As with many early trilogies, this was a trilogy of opportunity, wherein a film which did well is given a sequel, which then is given another if the market allows.

Middle-Era Trilogies● Roughly stretching from the 60's through to the early 90's.

● Characterized by an increased number of trilogies which wander more often from the bounds of Sci-Fi/Fantasy, and are intended to be trilogies.

● Included a significant number of action trilogies (The Dollars Trilogy, The Lethal Weapon Trilogy, The Indiana Jones Trilogy)

Middle-Era Trilogies:Star Wars

● A New Hope (1977)The Empire Strikes Back (1980)Return of the Jedi (1983)

● Tells the pseudo-Arthurian story of a young man from a desert planet who discovers his destiny as a Jedi Knight.

● Not only originally imagined by George Lucas as a trilogy, but imagined as a sequence of trilogies.

● In many ways encapsulates the trilogy's ability to create a cohesive story arc.

Modern Trilogies

● Marked by a further broadening of the possibilities of a trilogy.

● Coincides with a sharp rise in comic book films, creating a number of comic book trilogies.

● Coincides also with the advent of the “reboot”, allowing for trilogies like the Dark Knight to show a new take on established series.

Modern Trilogies:The Lord of the Rings

● The Fellowship of the Ring (2001)The Two Towers (2002)The Return of the King (2003)

● A young Hobbit sets out to save a magical land from a being of unspeakable evil. Aided by brave warriors, and a great wizard, he must navigate a perilous landscape filled with savage foes – and a few treacherous friends.

● Re-kindled the trilogy's role as the home of the epic narrative, and tells a story in which the individual parts, while strong on their own, truly rely on each other for completion.

The Death of the Trilogy?● Many trilogies are finding themselves extended

beyond three films.

● In some cases, this seems to serve to genuinely supplement the narrative of the existing trilogy (The Hobbit [2012])

● In others, this seems extraneous, and detracts from the overall experience (Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull [2008])

● Still more trilogies are seeing reboots and even remakes of their stories, which (The Amazing Spider Man [2012], The Evil Dead [2013])

The Death of the Trilogy?● With more franchises seeing a fourth

part, and the juggernaut that is the Summer Blockbuster Comic Book Movie, the prominence of the trilogy seems to be fading once more.

● Whether franchises will begin to trend toward the three-part format again in the near future is anyone's guess, but the potential remains.

References● http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/trilogy?s=t

● http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trilogy

● http://www.huffingtonpost.com/quora/why-is-the-second-movie-i_b_2370654.html

● http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0021884/?ref_=sr_5

● http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Star_wars

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