Tuesday, May 14, 2024

Everything You Ever Need To Know About Life...

 ... you can learn from:

Peeping Tom (1960)

Mrs. Stephens: I visit this room every night.
Mark Lewis: Visit?
Mrs. Stephens: The blind always live 
in the rooms they live under.

Michael Powell' 1960 horror masterpiece Peeping Tom has hit 4K Criterion this very day -- if you haven't already done so go snatch up a copy of it right here, right now. A movie whose nasty reputation basically destroyed its legendary director's career, I'd honestly call it the horror movie of 1960 knowing full well that a little movie called Psycho also came out in 1960. Lord knows I love me a Psycho but Peeping Tom genuinely disturbs me every time I re-watch it in a way that Psycho doesn't -- Psycho is thrilling in its construction and performances and Hitch's attention to the most minute of its clockwork details, but I get so lost in the Master's wizardry there that I am thinking about things besides being scared when I watch Psycho now. Peeping Tom, on the other hand? It creeps me the fuck out every time. And Criterion's 4K restoration presented here is mind-blowingly gorgeous to boot. This movie is everything!



2 comments:

Pierce said...

Creepiest movie I've ever seen. This and the silent film M are truly disturbing!

Anonymous said...

I don't understand why the main character of Peeping Tom has an accent. I don't recall it ever being explained. Great movie though.