num_pages: 239
description: British filmmaker Peter Greenaway says life offers only two "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 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 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 ½ 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.
language: English
title: The Films of Peter Greenaway: Sex, Death and Provocation
titlecomplete: The Films of Peter Greenaway: Sex, Death and Provocation
genres: Nonfiction
ratings_count: 4
publisher: McFarland