"Mind-tricking narratives almost redefine the concept of spoilers."
Films with a surprise ending have become rather frequent in recent
years. They are particularly interesting when they offer one plot that
contains two storylines, though the second story becomes apparent only
in retrospect after this twist ending. The author calls these
mind-tricking narratives. This volume contributes to recent discussions
of complex storytelling in film by naming, classifying, and deftly
analyzing the "mind-tricking narrative" that is a more precise filmic
category than the "twist" or "puzzle" film that other film scholars have
identified. The list of films belonging to this category include M.
Night Shyamalan's The Sixth Sense (1999), David Fincher's Fight Club
(1999), and Christopher Nolan's The Prestige (2006). It also
successfully challenges the widespread belief that popular culture
equals dumb entertainment and draws upon traditional narratology and
cognitive film theory to serve this end.