 |
| DIRECTED BY |
| Michael Powell |
| STARRING |
| Carl Boehm |
Moira Shearer| Anna Massey |
| Maxine Audley |
 |
|
It is an interesting notion to theorize that by viewing this film�s depiction of voyeuristic sadism we are in fact being voyeurs ourselves by spying upon Mark�s own sadistic obsessions with him.
Those who claim that this film makes an important statement concerning the marginalization and complacency of studio systems and the British film industry in general are completely wrong, and if that was Powell�s intention with �Peeping Tom� then his film failed miserably. Sure, everyone who works at this particularly film studio is indifferent and completely unaware of the atrocities that are being committed by one of their own � but nobody would ever suspect someone as ostensibly benign as Mark Lewis of murder anyhow.
This guy is just a nut, and that�s all there is to it. Therefore, what does work here is its uncompromising depiction of a man�s psychological trauma and the chaos that results from it. The main character simply happens to be working in a film studio, and the extent to which �Peeping Tom� makes any sort of commentary on the film industry ends right there.
Powell�s stylizations here are great fun to watch; the film is an obvious technical achievement. Powell�s masterful use of projections, black-and-white home video style stock, sound bites, unique lenses (used creatively in a first person �stalking� style � la Brian de Palma,) and dexterous dolly movements propel this film far above a standard schlock/slasher flick (which it isn�t anyhow.)
If I really disliked this film then there wouldn�t be much of a point in writing anything about it, as it already has been defamed for quite a few decades until Martin Scorsese decided to resurrect it from its cinematic grave. And, after viewing �Peeping Tom,� I realized just how much those pragmatic film critics from the 1960s over-reacted. Less theoretically, the film was a lot less graphic than I had initially expected � in fact, it�s so tame that it�s sometimes phony, particularly evidenced by the conspicuously �unbloody� final scene. �Peeping Tom� offers a fascinating character study and not much else. If what the detractors of this film were whining about those many years ago was how wrong it was to demoralize their film industry, then they really were far off track because, in the grand scheme of things, this film has little to do with that at all.
Although the dialogue and exaggerations sometimes cause �Peeping Tom� to look a little less than authentic, it�s still a very creepy film to watch today (specifically creepy are Mark�s home videos.) What it all ultimately leads up to is a bold character study of a tragic figure who, through the toils of his own childhood, has become a heartfelt murderer, and I can�t thank Michael Powell enough for having the balls to make it.
