The Films of Peter Greenaway: Sex, Death and Provocation

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 Mâcon; 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.