Review of Peeping Tom (1960) by I Don't Know W — 29 Oct 2011

SPOOK-A-THON!

October 2011.

REVIEW #:030.

Michael Powell's PEEPING TOM [1960]: "Do you know what the most fighting thing in the world is? It's fear" - Mark Lewis ( Carl Boehm) PEEPING TOM [1960]-.

In the year of 1960 the annuals of Horror movie history were forever changed by two films. Two shocking films broke new ground for the advent of the modern horror film; one of course was the immortal classic film from the master of suspense Alfred Hitchcock with his legendary film PSYCHO. 51 years ago audiences were shocked by the still chilling murder scene of the supposed protagonist Marion Crane in the shower of the Bates motel set to a blood curdling score by Bernard Herrmann. PSYCHO was a major box office smash hit for Hitchcock but the critics of the time were less than friendly to such a shocking film.

Back in Hitchcock's native homeland of England another talented filmmaker called Michael Powell only a month before PSYCHO impending release Powell's latest film called PEEPING TOM another disturbing film wasn't to have the same box-office success. When Powell's latest film was shown to the conservative members of the press back in 1960, no sooner had the press had seen the film Powell who had been behind other great films suffered a great tragedy. Due to the films underlying themes and depictions subject matter like pornography, child-abuse, voyeurism, violence in a chilling manner and Snuff films caused the press to rise up against the film in a way not seen since Todd Browning's film FREAKS back in 1932.

Powell in one swift action had himself ousted from England's film industry and his carrier as a director was effectively over until the late 1970's when an American distributor got the help from the Great Martin Scorsese (who was a fan of the film) to re-realise PEEPING TOM to an new generation of audience members and critics who discover that this seemingly sick film was in fact a masterpiece. Today this film remains in the eyes of many as a masterpiece of cinema and having seen this film PEEPING TOM in my eyes deserves that title.

PEEPING TOM: A REVIEW.

Frank in its depiction of then taboo subjects, PEEPING TOM is like a very fine wine in that it only gets better with age. Today a film buff such as myself has the luxury of viewing this Powell masterpiece on the comfort of Home Video were as until it's before 1978 re-evaluation this film was so hard to come by due to its mislabelled reputation. And I'm grateful to say this is easily one of my new found favourite films. But aside from its themes what makes this movie great?

THE PLOTLINE; in some Industrial city, a prostitute is killed by a disturbed killer who films his crime. The killer is a loner camera obsessed young man called Mark Lewis (Carl Boehm) who spends his time shooting soft-core pornographic images for a local Newsagent and working at a film studio. Mark's home is a boarding house who he never associates with the other guests until Helen (Anna Massey) befriends him on the night of her 21st birthday. After Anna enters Mark's room Mark decides to show her a home movie of him as a kid being a test subject for his father's sick psychological experiments into the subject of fear. Helen shocked by what she has seen takes greater pity upon Mark (as do the audience by this point).

As the two starts to develop a deeper relationship, Mark's dark habit of spying on people and filming them continues. Helen's blind mother who lives down starts is very suspicious of Mark and after confronting him one night not long after he has killed for a second time (This time a Female stand-in played by the star of one of Powell's other films THE RED SHOES Moira Shearer) and believes he needs help. Mark tries to get help but is unsuccessful and by that point the police hunt is closing on him.

OVERALL THOUGHTS: To start with Carl Boehm as Mark Lewis is by far one of the most intriguing antagonists ever put to screen. Much like Robert De Nero in TAXI DRIVER [1977] Boehm as Lewis really invokes as sense of pity upon him after first seeing him brutally kill a lone prostitute with a sharp object while filming her death. As the movie progresses we get to see the character is a victim of being a test subject in his father's barbaric psychological experiments into fear upon him as a small boy it's no wonder why this character is compelled to kill using a camera (and making a snuff film). Along with a wide array of fine performances from the main cast and Powell's brilliant direction, PEEPING TOM is truly one of the greatest movies ever made which is why it gets a solid 100% from me.