Dealing with some of the major themes in film narratives, this book
draws on the theories of French psychoanalyst Julia Kristeva. It looks
at how narratives have changed over time, and considers the sources of
our variable reactions to themes and representations of horror,
strangers, and love.
In addition to a selection of contemporary mainstream films, the major
films for analysis are New Zealand "New Wave" films such as Alison
Maclean's Kitchen Sink and Crush; Vincent Ward's Vigil; and Jane
Campion's Sweety, An Angel at My Table, and The Piano.