Peeping Tom (1960)

 Michael Powell's "Peeping Tom"

Although Michael Powell would go on to direct films for the next two decades, his last great work is probably widely considered to be 1960's "Peeping Tom." Bearing similar themes to Alfred Hitchcock's "Psycho" from the same year, "Peeping Tom" has an unnerving central protagonist that serial murders due to a having a tormented childhood. Both films deal in voyeurism, as well. 

It centers on Mark Lewis, who finds women to film on his portable motion picture camera. He films their deaths and keeps the film for himself. After falling in love with the woman who lives downstairs, he decides that change is possible for him. However, his sick perversions begin to close in around him.

My stance on this film might be a bit controversial, given its lauded nature. But, I feel that the film shows real promise in the first half until ultimately unravelling into something more silly and eye-rolling. While much of the film is deeply unnerving and psychologically interesting, the condition of our creepy protagonist seems far more convoluted than anything else. 

I much more respect the thematic point of the film itself. It turns the viewer into the voyeur, illustrating our innate desire for disturbing imagery. I think this is most demonstrative during the scene in which Mark is showing his love interest, Helen, disturbing footage of him as a child being psychologically tortured by his father. He is about to stop the film, until Helen stops him. She finds the disturbing imagery fascinating.

However, the process by which they determine Mark's behavior is incredibly convoluted and takes away from the simplicity of its themes. Had Mark been simply way too obsessed with capturing unsettling imagery, it may have been an easier way to connect to the idea of modern voyeurism and fascination with the dark subject matter.