Peeping Tom – Review

Released the same year as Psycho, both movies scarred audiences with unique horror and alarming plots, and both received mixed receptions at-best. It’s hard not to know that Psycho is now hailed as a classic, however Peeping Tom went under the radar for years, as audiences found the distressing plot material too creepy and troubling. Eventually it has earned its accolades also, and for good reason.

In a film told through the killer’s eyes, Peeping Tom is an unsettling affair from beginning to end. Psychotic voyeur Mark Lewis (Böhm) doubles as a film crew worker during the day and midnight murderer at night, with his trusty camera never leaving his side. His obsession with killing has a twist, as he looks to capture the look of fear on his victim’s faces as they expire so he can rewatch the experience later. He recklessly roams the streets of London looking for his targets.

His daytime persona remains socially awkward, however there is at least some reason for his behavior as his murky past is revealed throughout the film. He tries to help on-set and mostly is deemed as harmless by those around him. If only they knew what his film rolls held…

The themes of voyeurism, fear and compulsion are strong throughout the picture, and the presentation of the story puts the viewer in the driver’s seat along with Mark. This creates a very strange atmosphere where even viewing the movie itself feels almost forbidden and corrupt.

While it’s not too gruesome or gory, the disconcerting nature of the story’s reveals are distressing. Finding out about Mark’s background is fascinating, yet horrifying. While there are answers to be had by the end, they do not make the killer’s actions any less frightening.

While the movie may be a tad slow moving by modern standards, it is fully worth viewing for those that are used to the pacing of classic films.