Peeping Tom: Criterion Collection

Criterion | minutes | | | Standard DVD reviewed by: Fusion3600

As a child, Mark Lewis (Carl Boehm) was exposed to cruel experiments by his own father, who had an interest in the human nervous system. His father would involve him in these horrific experiments, just to observe and record Mark's reactions to the elements involved. Now Mark has become an adult and since both of his parents have died, he is alone in the world and is still haunted by his troubled youth. His main interests rest with film and cameras, as he works as a film puller in the daytime and at night, he takes risque photos with beautiful women. But this is not all that he does with his cameras, as he also likes to murder young women and record their final moments, one of his favorite activities, in truth. He has killed a number of women over time and in various fashions, but still remains a normal person in all other respects. When he rents a room to a woman named Helen Stephens (Anna Massey), he is given a glimpse at a possible new life. But will she prove to be his redemption, or simply the star of his latest snuff film?

This twisted thriller was greeted with repulsed audiences back in 1960, but has become quite respected as times have changed. Although the film isn't as shocking in this day & age, it is easy to why viewers were so unsettled by it, as it does touch upon some horrific issues. But this is by no means a simple shock or exploitation picture, as director Michael Powell infuses Peeping Tom with visual flair and atmosphere to spare. This is one very well made film in all respects, but the real essence of the project lies with Powell's superb direction. Instead of creating a normal horror movie with a lunatic madman, Powell bases Peeping Tom in the real world, as his killer is a normal man, even likable most of the time. This is what makes the murders so off-putting, as we can handle a vicious killer, but a normal person makes it much harder to swallow, I think. So Peeping Tom takes a different approach to the serial killer genre and if you ask me, it still stands as one of the finest thrillers in all of cinema. As such, I highly recommend the picture to those interested and since this disc is loaded, there's no reason to let this one pass you up.

This film was a massive risk for those involved, but no one took more of that risk on than director Michael Powell. As Powell had been involved in a number of successful projects with Emeric Pressburger, this film stood to push him out in new directions, at least in terms of subject matter and approach. But in the end, the viewers were displeased with the angles used by Powell and as such, his career was pretty much chopped off at the legs. I have to think that Powell made the right choice in laying it all on the line, as Peeping Tom is an excellent film and one of Powell's signature efforts, to be sure. Other films directed by Powell include The Red Shoes, Tales of Hoffmann, The Edge of the World, The Life and Death of Colonel Blimp, Black Narcissus, I Know Where I'm Going, and A Canterbury Tale. The cast includes Carl Boehm (Playgirl After Dark, Swedish Girl), Moira Shearer (Black Tights, The Red Shoes), Jack Watson (Schizo, The Gorgon), and Anna Massey (Five Days One Summer, Mountains of the Moon).

Peeping Tom is presented in a 1.85:1 anamorphic widescreen transfer. I was quite surprised by how clean and refined the image was here, as I had expected a good, but troubled visual presentation. There is some grain present and some specks here & there, but on the whole, the print looks clean and I doubt anyone will be disappointed there. The image has a soft look at times, but remains refined most of the time and detail never dips much, which is good news. The colors have stayed brighter than expected, while contrast is stark and never obscures detail. Given the age and nature of this film, I think Criterion has done some terrific work here and I think fans will be most pleased with the results.

The included mono track is not too memorable on the whole, but it is clean and effective, so no real complaints here. I heard minimal signs of wear, so no distortion or hiss is present, even in the slightest. The elements seem distinct, but never too much so, as they never overstep the intended boundaries at all. The dialogue remains crisp here and sounds much better than expected, with no volume errors to contend with. As I mentioned, this track has no real bells & whistles, but it is up to the task, so I doubt anyone will be let down here. This disc also includes English subtitles, which are always nice to have on deck.

This disc houses some rare production photos, the film's theatrical trailer, and an audio commentary track with film theorist Laura Mulvey. I found Mulvey's session to be informative and brisk, but some may dislike her tone at times, as she can become rather dull. Even so, there's plenty of insight to be gained through this track, so if you're a fan of this film or even Powell's work in general, you won't want to skip this one. The main bonus here is A Very British Psycho, an excellent Channel 4 U.K. documentary on screenwriter Leo Marks. This is a superb piece that really delves into the subject matter and since Marks' life has some interesting moments, it never becomes boring even for a second.