I don't often feel like an old man, but Peeping Tom made me feel that way. It's from 1960, which is only 20 years old than me - it couldn't even drink when I was born! (Okay, it's British - so it could drink thanks to reasonable liquor laws. I mean, movies can't drink, but you get what I mean.) But then realizing it's 56 years old... that's getting into "so old it's irrelevant territory" for some people. Which means I'm approaching "so old it's irrelevant territory." Oh well.
So it's no surprise that Peeping Tom feels dated. It's certainly no children's film, but it's hard to believe that it was critically despised upon its release and considered (nearly universally) to be vile, depraved, and without value. It essentially halted director Mike Powell's UK career for about 10 years until people got over it. Peeping Tom feels pretty tame by today's standards, but that's not to say that it doesn't work as an unnerving portrait of a mild-mannered serial killer.
My Synopsis: Mark Lewis is our titular Peeping Tom - a quiet, well kempt gentleman who works at a film studio as a focus puller/camera man. He shoots nudie photographs on the side, and is obsessed with the camera's gaze - and more specifically, the look of fear. And he gets his best shots of that look with a set up on his camera that allows him to film people while he's murdering them! But when he begins a relationship with a young woman that lives in his building, we see his softer side. Will his serial killing be an obstacle to them growing as a couple?
Elaborate Genre: Dramatic Serial Killer Character Study
Overall: Quite good. In the included documentary (on the Criterion DVD) Peeping Tom is likened to Psycho, which is apt. While Tom doesn't have the any iconic setpieces or music like Hitchcock's classic, it's got a similar vibe - like it's simply transcending what else was happening in cinema at the time. While you're watching Peeping Tom, you can feel the horror/suspense picture evolving into something new.
Probably the most effective thing in the film - and perhaps what was so troubling about it at the time it was released - is the way you get to know Mark Lewis (Carl Boehm). He's not presented as a good guy by any means, but he's not just a faceless killer. You learn early on that he's the killer, but he's often presented in kind of a sympathetic light. He has a troubled past, and is actually kind to some people. It's not just a black/white thing with him.
But his kindness brings about the biggest problem in the film. Mark meets Helen, his downstairs neighbor, and the two begin a relationship of sorts. He's nice to her, and she's clearly interested in him. But Mark throws up some BIG red flags that Helen just ignores. Like, there are some things you shouldn't do the first time you meet, which would include showing films of you being experimented on as a kid. That's like a third date thing. The film *needs* some sort of relationship for the whole thing to work, but I just wasn't buying that Helen would have put up with Mark's weirdness after that first encounter.
Aside from that, Peeping Tom is really good. It's got that "classic" film feel and look - I'm not enough of a film historian to know what's what, but the color, tone, and grain of the film just looks classy. It's an interesting juxtaposition next to the subject matter. The film is very well shot and lit - Mark's darkroom (where a lot of the action takes place) could easily be a nothing hole in the wall. But it's seen here as rather spacious and kind of inviting, despite being inherently creepy (being dark and all). The way it's done provides a nice parallel with Mark's character. Sure, the darkroom seems mysterious, but you could be doing totally benign and innocent things in there. Same with Mark - his quietness is a little off putting, but he's probably a good guy. You have to dig a little to find the the troublesome stuff.
I'd also think that Peeping Tom can claim a couple of firsts - if not very first, amongst the first. Apparently, it was the first mainstream British film to feature female nudity (per imdb), which would I guess contribute to the critical vitriol thrown it's way. But to me the most striking was the fact that you get some first person shots of Mark stalking/killing (he's got a handheld camera he's using to film it all), which really makes it feel a little like an early slasher film.
All this talk of killing doesn't mean it's an overly violent film. There's a little blood here and there, but most of the nasty happens offscreen. And even with the offscreen violence, the body count is pretty low. I wouldn't say Peeping Tom is ever a viscerally thrilling film, but it's just very well crafted and you get invested in the characters. You find yourself inhabiting Mark in a way, and feel a lot of tension about if he'll get caught and who he'll end up going after next. It ends up leaving you in an interesting headspace, and I've honestly been thinking about it quite a bit since finishing it up.
Much like Psycho, some people today would probably find Peeping Tom boring. And whatever, I get that. Old movies aren't for everyone. But if you are inclined to enjoy classic cinema, Peeping Tom is absolutely worth it.
I would recommend this film.
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