The script potential score of The Sting is 1.15, a blockbuster (predicted 131-144MM; actual 156MM)
The Sting's script will appeal to 34.56 – 38.19% of the population
96% events in The Sting are borrowed from 4 mythological tales
The Sting's script will appeal to 34.56 – 38.19% of the population
Any story is the quest to fulfil a human desire. We have identified universal quests for every human desire. These universal quests reveal the invisible plot structure of stories. An analysis of Blockbuster, Hit & Flop plots led to the discovery of Mythosis Code. The Code reveals the story principles shared by all Blockbusters. We use the Code to estimate and unlock a story’s Blockbuster potential.
All Blockbusters have at least 3 universal quests. The Sting has 4 universal quests of Tranquillity, Preservation, Honour & Power.
In Blockbusters, each universal quest is mirrored by ONLY ONE character. Gondorff mirrors the universal quest of Power. Hooker mirrors the quest of Tranquillity. Lonnegan mirrors the quest of Preservation & Twist mirrors the quest of Honour.
Every Blockbuster character borrows at least 35% of the universal quest. Gondorff’s character borrows 40% of the universal quest of Power. Hooker borrows 56% of the quest of Tranquillity. Lonnegan borrows 28% of the quest of Preservation. Twist’s character borrows 29% of the quest of Honour.
Blockbusters interweave different quests to create a tight plot structure. Interweaving occurs when Events of 2 quests occur simultaneously in the story. Blockbusters have a quest interweaving threshold of 0.5. The Sting’s quest interweaving score is 0.83 and is above par. An example of interweaving of Hooker’s & Lonnegan’s quests:
Blockbusters have a script score of at least 0.64 whereas The Sting’s script score is 1.15. Based on the script score we estimate that the movie will appeal to 34.56 – 38.19% of the population.
The plot structure of The Sting borrows from 4 universal quests which are interwoven & have an average depth of 38%. The quests of Gondorff & Hooker are extremely well developed.
96% events in The Sting are borrowed from 4 mythological tales
At Mythosis, we have identified 32 mythological tales. Each mythological tale uniquely represents a human quest to fulfil a desire. These tales are the super set of thousands of tales across cultures.
We have codified the events of each mythological tale. Every tale has 5 major arcs. Each arc has a sequence of events. These events culminate into a major event. Here is the mapping of each character’s quest to the major events in their respective mythological tale.
Quest 1: Gondorff mirrors 40% of Circe’s quest for Power (above threshold of 35%)
Gondorff’s desire for Power stems from the need to dominate others. The tale of Circe from Greek mythology is the universal quest for Power.
Quest 2: Hooker mirrors 56% of Odysseus’ quest for Tranquillity (above threshold of 35%)
Hooker’s desire for Tranquillity stems from the need to be in secure surroundings. The tale of Odysseus from Greek mythology is the universal quest for Tranquillity.
Quest 3: Lonnegan mirrors 28% of Kans’ quest for Preservation (below threshold of 35%)
Lonnegan’s desire for Preservation stems from the need to survive a threat. The tale of Kans from Hindu mythology is the universal quest for Preservation.
Quest 4: Twist mirrors 29% of Hanuman’s quest for Honour (below threshold of 35%)
Twist’s desire for Honour stems from the need to be loyal to a clan/order. The tale of Hanuman from Hindu mythology is the universal quest for Honour.
Tags:1973, Box office, Character development, Circe, George Roy Hill, Hanuman, Honour, Kans, Movie Review, Mythology, Odysseus, Power, Preservation, Script, Story plot, The Zanuck/Brown Company, Tranquillity, Universal Pictures
