Walt Disney Studio's animated Beauty and the Beast (1991), and its live-action remake (2017) are considered with respect to post-feminism, the mythopoetic men's movement, the crisis of masculinity, second-wave feminist constructions of masculinity and uses of myth and fairy tale in second-wave feminism.
The book delves into the interplay of gender, race, and place as depicted in significant Australian films across different eras. It examines works starting from Charles Chauvel's 'Jedda' in 1955, through the New Wave period films of the 1970s, to the contributions of Indigenous filmmakers since the 1990s, and into the current landscape of transnational productions in Australia. This exploration highlights the evolving narratives and representations within Australian cinema.