The Films of Nicholas Roeg

Audiences respond to three things in the films of Nichoas Roeg. The first is their extraordinary power, the second their vivid style. The third has to do with the fact that they present the viewer with puzzles (often about people whom audiences half recognise, but cannot immediately understand). The author argues that all three elements are tied together, with the power of the films springing from their source in ancient mysteries. By adapting the methods of the psychoanalyst C.G.Jung, he shows how Roeg reworks myth in order to reach into the unconscious of late 20th century humanity. These new, cinematic myths do more than reveal the motivation of Roeg's characters - they so excite the desire for greater understanding that spectators become involved in a quest of their own and seek out improved self-knowledge.