The virgin suicides: reverie, sorrow and young love - 7

Based on the best-selling novel by Jeffrey Eugenides, 'The Virgin Suicides' is director Sofia Coppola's evocative debut feature of young love, sex, loss and family pressures in mid-1970s America.

Acclaimed by both critics and audiences on release, the film is now viewed as a remarkable and bold feature by a significant female director addressing many issues related to youth, female sexuality and family.

This book helps readers understand the film's significance and the stylistic and storytelling choices made by director Coppola.

The analysis of the film occurs around three interlocking arguments: the unusual structuring absence in the film, the intricate manner through which music is used in the drama, communication and character creation, and the film's careful and specific referencing of advertising in the 1970s (the decade of the film's narrative).