This title addresses issues such as - hitchcockian influences, the sense of place in the visual discourse, and the characterisation of the serial killer Hilditch, as constructed initially by Trevor and interpreted by Egoyan. Eschewing a crude 'fidelity' model of adaptation, the study explores Egoyan's screen version as a commentary on, or significant reworking of the original book. In particular, Egoyan's extension of the mother figure, through his creation of Gala, opens questions about memory, representation and cinema's capacity as a reflexive medium, which is a central feature of his film art.