R. W. Watkins

View from the Cellar: a Critical Analysis of Laird Koenig's the Little Girl Who Lives Down the Lane R. W. Watkins

In 1974, Laird Koenig published the novel The Little Girl Who Lives Down The Lane. A film version, directed by Nicolas Gessner and starring Jodie Foster, appeared two years later. A dramatic adaptation by Mr. Koenig was published decades after in 1997. Considered a one-of-a-kind thriller and cult classic, TLGWLDTL now undergoes a considerably extensive analysis by Canadian poet R. W. Watkins. A longtime fan of writer Koenig and actress Foster, Watkins examines the story from various angles, pointing out its Judeo/Christian themes, Holocaust symbolism, film continuity errors, similarities to Ayn Rand's objectivism, etc. Many of these essays originally appeared in Watkins's 2003 fanzine Cellar. Watkins drew upon TLGWLDTL for his 2005 haiku chapbook, New England Country Farmhouse. The introductory essay from that volume is collected in this book. Rewardingly eccentric, View From The Cellar is essential reading for any hardcore fan of Koenig's tale and 1970s pop culture in general.