SMALL'S FRIGHT FEST: PEEPING TOM

 Welcome back, ghosties and ghoulies!!!! It's so nice to see you all again. That was quite a hibernation, but I'm back and boy does it feel good. Let's start this year's Fright Fest off with a bang by taking a look at Peeping Tom. Don't get caught!

Psycho if Psycho was a character study. Don’t expect many deaths or scares (There are a grand total of 3 deaths), though there is a good deal of tension throughout. Carl Boehm plays our protagonist/antagonist, Mark Lewis, who is very Norman Bates coded. Mark is an awkward, lonely “peeping tom” who works as a cinematographer by day and kills women for his “documentary” at night. He kills them either his camera, forcing them to watch the fear in their faces as they are being murdered.

Despite Mark being an unwell killer, he’s likable and sympathetic while still managing to be unsettling and creepy when he needs to be. It’s revealed that Mark spent his whole childhood being filmed by and tormented by his father, a biologist who wanted to study fear while also recoding a young boy’s maturation. The result leaves Mark emotionally stunted, and practically unable to go to most places without his beloved camera attached to his hip. Boehm plays the role exceptionally well and reminded me of Peter Lorre. 

Mark’s love interest, 21 year old Helen, is played by Anna Massey. Helen is Mark’s opposite as she is outgoing and lively. Both Mark and her are kind people, and Mark continually struggles to be a good person. Helen challenges Mark in fundamental and healthy ways. Massey is great in the role. 

Maxine Audley makes a strong impression as Helen’s blind mother, who, much like her daughter, challenges Mark in healthy ways. She inspires Mark to consider getting help before it’s too late. Maxine rounds out the strong cast. She makes for another very memorable character.

The cinematography doesn’t call attention to itself, though there are occasionally impressive uses of lighting and color. The cons here are some over-acting typical of the time period. The deaths all essentially occur off camera as well. This film might as well be rated PG. Peeping Tom is technically a “horror movie”, but don’t expect a typical one.

The aim here is to get audiences to sympathize and empathize with Mark, a big ask considering the very first scene is one of Mark’s murders. That said, Peeping Tom succeeds in its goal. You do feel for Mark (and Helen) by the end. Peeping Tom also explores themes of voyeurism and how it relates to filmmaking. 

Movies are an inherently voyeuristic medium that places the audience in the role of voyeur. What is a movie if not the viewer “peeping” in on someone’s private life without their knowledge or consent? Peeping Tom came out two months before Psycho, technically making it the first “slasher” movie. Some horror experts consider it the first found footage film as well since some scenes are shot from the POV of Mark’s camera. Peeping Tom is an influential and important horror film that is recommended viewing for film students, horror students, and fans of horror.