Based on Madness at the Movies, a course the author taught at Yale College for 13 years, he discusses classic films that portray serious mental illness, and examines what they get right about the illnesses and what they get wrong. And if it is wrong, exploring why?
In addition he discusses how each film conveys the experience of the madness. The film craft involved, to immerse us in the story and the character we will be living with for the next two hours. These are casual essays for a general audience (no experience necessary), but are rigorous enough to be used in classrooms. He demonstrates that learning to read a film can be as absorbing as watching one.