Apparently it shocked the "good people" of Britain with its unsettling, disturbing, and unforgettable psychological and visual exploration into the sadistic obsession with fear experienced by a psychopathic killer.
http://www.sensesofcinema.com/contents/cteq/05/36/peeping_tom.html Comparisons can be made between Peeping Tom and Psycho, as both these films share a fascination with voyeurism. The two main characters of Peeping Tom and Psycho (Mark and Norman Bates respectively) are both voyeurs. However, Powell takes this voyeuristic notion significantly further in Peeping Tom by implicating both himself and the spectator. For example, at the beginning of the film when Mark murders a prostitute we are implicated as voyeurs. Powell lets us see exactly what Mark is visualising through the lens of his camera as he prepares to film her gruesome death. Powell focuses on the camera as a crucial prop in the representation of voyeurism. Mark demonstrates this voyeurism through his involvement with the camera and with the filmmaking process. In addition, this fascination with the camera also signifies the transition of Peeping Tom into a film-about-film. Mark's disturbing and bizarre filmmaking project can be viewed is a highly mechanised, yet intensely private, experiment in artistic self- expression. This voyeuristic notion is also demonstrated by the scene in which Mark, having filmed the horrific murder, sits at home in a private cinema to watch his "documentary". The murder is shown from three different perspectives. We see what Mark is visualising from his viewpoint. We also see what Mark's camera is viewing and thus his "directorial" vision. In addition, we see what the murder victim saw at the precise moment of her death. This was heavy stuff back in 1959. ~rave! --- In scifinoir2@yahoogroups.com, [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: > > what's wrong with "Peeping Tom"? Especially compared to "Psycho"? > > -------------- Original message -------------- > From: "ravenadal" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > You fail to mention it is directed by Michael Powell (the British > Hitchcock - which is an oxymoron since Hitchcock was British, too). > This is a great filmmaker: "The Red Shoes," "Black > Narcissus," "Peeping Tom." His pictures seemed to bleed with color. > "Peeping Tom" rivals "Psycho" as a showcase for creepy horror. But > while Hitchcock was hailed for his "shocking" twist, Powell was > reviled for his ("Peeping Tom" all but destroyed his career). > > --- In scifinoir2@yahoogroups.com, Daryle <yokozuna@> wrote: > > > > > > > > My wife and I came across a movie that I cannot believe I didn't > see in > > school. I've never seen this before. It would have completely > turned up my > > passion for science fiction filmmaking had I seen this in college. > I have > > just seen a film made in 1946 that could have very well have been > made the > > other day. It is called "A Matter of Life And Death", which is > sometimes > > referred to as "Stairway To Heaven", and it is one of the most > ambitious > > science fiction pictures I've seen in a long time. > > > > http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0038733/ > > > > So it's "the war". There's a squadron leader, an English dude, > played by > > David Niven. His plane's going down. His crew is dead. He has no > parachute > > but doesn't want to burn up when the plane hits. So he jumps. > Before he > > jumps, he gets on the radio and tells whoever answers of his > situation and > > his plan. It's an American woman stationed near the island he's > going down > > near. This is important, but later. > > > > He jumps. The plane crashes...and the dude lives. In 2007, this > would be the > > end of the movie. But dig it. Cut to: HEAVEN. His squad is in the > afterlife > > and they are all waiting on him, because according to the book of > > life...he's supposed to have died in the crash. So they messed up, > and he's > > still alive. They have to go get him to balance out the books. > There's one > > problem. Not only has the dude survived, but he ends up on the same > island > > as the American woman. They fall in love. The American woman's hair > does not > > move for 2 hours. I mean, her hair should be in the credits. > Outside, > > inside, 100% humidity...it's all good! > > > > Anyway, There are some really trippy scenes and some "this is a > science > > fiction movie" clichés that I won't ruin for you, but I have to > tell you the > > good part. There is a TRIAL. Because, you see had he died, as > scheduled, he > > would not have fallen in love with ol' girl, and so now that he > has, he > > feels that he has a case...against the Afterlife. > > > > This movie was a lot of fun to watch. I love Turner Classic Movies > channel > > because there are no commercials and every now and again they pull > some real > > gems out to show. This was one. You can get this movie on VHS and > DVD at > > Amazon. > > > > http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0001GV0JI/ref=pd_cp_d_0/103- > 4719542-527502 > > 1?pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_s=center- > 41&pf_rd_r=0H3GRG8XRCH7AZMB2VFY&pf_rd > > _t=201&pf_rd_p=316286001&pf_rd_i=B0001LJCQG > > > > Many of you HAVE to have seen this movie already, but if you're > like me, > > and this is news, do yourself a favor and track it down. It is the > perfect > > date movie if you married to someone who is so-so about sci-fi but > digs an > > old romance movie. > > > > > > > [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] >
