Publisher's Synopsis
British filmmaker Peter Greenaway says life offers only two subjects: ""One is sex and the other is death."" Greenaway uses both and romanticizes neither; indeed, his goal is the antithesis of the sanitary and sentimental portrayal of humanity. Although his films have met with outrage from some viewers, cult audiences praise them for insightful messages: that people are detached from violence because they fail to see others' bodies as identical to their own; that predatory capitalism has caused humans to lose sight of our shared physicality and mortality; and that taboos are simply a system allowing people to exercise power over others. This book examines nine of Greenaway's feature films, dedicating a chapter to each: ""The Draughtsman's Contract""; ""A Zed and Two Noughts""; ""The Belly of an Architect""; ""Drowning by Numbers""; ""The Cook, the Thief, His Wife and Her Lover""; ""Prospero's Books""; ""The Baby of Macon""; ""The Pillow Book""; and ""8-1/2 Women"". The author examines the characters and plot, studies the structure and elements of the story, explores Greenaway's motives and reactions, and reveals audience reactions, including comments from viewers. A filmography lists films written and directed by Peter Greenaway from 1962 to 2004.
