The Heights Theatre along with Take-Up Productions is proudly presenting the British noir classic Peeping Tom from famed director Michael Powell. The film is now known for killing Powell’s illustrious career due to its graphic and disturbing images of a serial killer who films his victims as he kills them. The film was so reviled by critics, that Alfred Hitchcock decided not to screen Psycho for them because he was so worried his film would receive the same treatment and kill any chances it would have to find box office success.
Some time ago I reviewed this now legendary film, and while I found it fascinating, the film is harmed by the fact that nearly every thriller has blatantly cribbed from this rather impressive source material, neutering the film to some degree compared to its modern counterparts, yet the film still is unquestionably a must see film for those who appreciate thrillers. Tickets are just $8 and there will only be one showing this upcoming Monday so make sure to make the time to see this fascinating film.
Peeping Tom
The Heights Theatre
January 25th
7:30 pm | $8
Anna isn’t typically a fan of most of the movies I pick out to watch. Since I tend to gravitate towards genre and exploitation films, which are prone to bouts of graphic violence and the occasional derogatory nudity, and she finds both stupider then stupid. It has gotten to the point that she simply assumes that any film that gravitates to the top of our queue is over populated with T&A and gore. So when Peeping Tom crept towards the coveted top spot she was noticeably leery. With such a salacious title, how could it not be a film that focused on gratuitous sex and nudity? But Peeping Tom had something far more disturbing in store for me.
Peeping Tom was something unlike anything audiences had ever seen when it was released. Focusing on a killer that used his daytime job as a photographer as a way to get closer to models, actresses and even the occasional streetwalker in order to kill them. Using a concealed razor sharp spike within the tripod of his camera, he slowly stalks his prey as they cower in fear, and just before he kills them he shows them something which serves to further fuel his murderous desires. But what was he showing them that causes them to be powerless with fear?
I’ve been slogging through genre films for much of the last month or so, thus I think it is high time that I try and find some culture. Unfortunately, my idea of culture is watching a movie considered so shameless when it was made that it effectively ended director Michael Powell’s career. What could possibly be so awful?
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