History Main / PeepingTom

* ThePeepingTom: A [[CharactersAsDevice character trope]] covering voyeurs with this specific brand of [[ThisIndexIsFullOfPerverts perversion]].

* ''Film/PeepingTom'': The 1960 [[HorrorFilms horror film]] directed by Michael Powell.

[[quoteright:358:http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/peeping-tom.jpg]]

''Look out! You're being watched!''

Peeping Tom is a 1960 British film by the legendary director Michael Powell. The movie can be considered, along with {{Psycho}}, as a precursor of the slasher genre. It also triggered [[{{Understatement}} a little controversy]].

Mark Lewis is a man who tends to courts women, usually prostitutes. They usually consider him some kind of creep with his obsession of bringing his camera with him everywhere and film their encounters. But they don’t realize the kind of deal he has in mind until they’re alone and he kills them with his tripod, but not before frightening them with something that makes them cringle with terror.

Turns out he works with a film crew and is a filmmaker aspirant. Some day he engages in conversation with the family downstairs and befriends, and eventually forms a relationship with Helen. He shares some of his home movies with her, along with his childhood problems created by his father. Turns out he [[spoiler:used his son as an experiment in psychological fears [[AbusiveParents putting him in stressful situations and filming everything with his camera]]]].

The police start suspecting a man who barely talks with other people and has his camera always running (that would be Mark), and eventually they find enough evidence to convict the man. Mark, knowing this, takes cover in his house and when Helen follows him, trying to help him, she finally witnesses what he has been doing. [[spoiler:He’s making a documentary, [[InTheBlood like his father before him]], of the fear of death, using a mirror to show the soon-to-be victims their faces full of terror. When the police find him, [[DrivenToSuicide he commits suicide]], giving his documentary an appropriate ending]].

The film made such a controversy that it practically destroyed Powell’s career. Eventually it was VindicatedByHistory and now his considered one of the best films ever.

A personal favorite of MartinScorsese. It’s also one of the Greatest Films of RogerEbert.

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!!!'''This movie contains examples of:'''
* AbusiveParents: His father is the main reason Mark is the way he is.
* [[spoiler:AlasPoorVillain]]: You can’t help but feel sorry for Mark at the end.
** {{YMMV}}, sharply.
* {{Bowdlerise}}: When it was first released, the censors cut shots of the murders, nudity and [[spoiler:Mark’s suicide]].
* {{Camera Fiend}}: Of course.
* CreatorCameo: Powell is Mark's father.
* CruelAndUnusualDeath: To die watching [[spoiler:the reflection of your horrified face]] seems to be horrible.
* DisposableSexWorker
* DrivenToSuicide
* {{Fanservice}}: The nudity in this film, tame for modern standards, shocked the censors in 1960.
* ForScience: It seems to be [[spoiler:his father]]’s motto.
* {{Foreshadowing}}:
-->[[spoiler:“He has his father’s eyes.”]]
* FreudianExcuse
* GenreLaunch: Along with {{Psycho}}, it can be considered a proto-slasher.
* HighOctaneNightmareFuel
* ImprobableWeaponUser: Who could have thought of using a tripod’s leg as a butcher’s knife?
* InTheBlood
* MadScientist
* {{Moe}}: The heroine.
* [[spoiler:NightmareFace]]
* NightmareFuel: [[spoiler: The face in the distorted mirror.]]
* NightmareRetardant: Most of the 'horror'. [[spoiler: the movie's about as scary as an [[LawAndOrderSVU SVU]] episode.]]
** [[YourMileageMayVary YMMV]]. This troper, who doesn't scare easily, found it to be [[HighOctaneNightmareFuel ''very'' frightening indeed]].
* ThePeepingTom: Mark.
* PsychologicalHorror
* SlasherMovie: Possibly a TropeMaker.
* SnuffFilm: [[spoiler:Mark's documentary.]]
* [[StuffedIntoTheFridge Stuffed Into The Coffin]]: Only because Mark needed to dispose of the body quick.
* TakeThat: The character of the director is supposed to be a parody of mogul John Davis (the director’s name is Don Jarvis, making it not too subtle).
* ThereAreNoTherapists: Averted; there is a psychiatrist, but it’s more helpful to the police than to Mark.
* [[TrailersAlwaysSpoil Posters Always Spoil]]: As you can see in the poster above, it indirectly reveals the secret weapon of Mark.
* VindicatedByHistory

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<<|{{Film}}|>>
<<|OneHundredScariestMovieMoments|>>

%% There are much more tropes, but it has been a long time since I watched it. So go ahead and help this page to grow!

The police start suspecting of they man who barely talks with other people and has his camera always running (that would be Mark), and eventually they find enough evidence to convict the man. He, knowing this, takes cover in his house and when Helen follows him, trying to help him, she finally witnesses what he has been doing. [[spoiler:He’s making a documentary, [[InTheBlood like his father before him]], of the fear of death, using a mirror to show the soon-to-be victims their faces full of terror. When the police find him, [[DrivenToSuicide he commits suicide]], giving his documentary an appropriate ending]].

** [[YourMileageMayVary YMMV]]. This troper, who doesn't scare easily, found it to be [[HighOctaneNightmareFuel''very'' frightening indeed]].

** [[YourMileageMayVary YMMV]]. This troper, who doesn't scare easily, found it to be ''very'' frightening indeed.

** YMMV, sharply.

A personal favorite of MartinScorsese. It’s also one of Greatest Films of RogerEbert.

Proto-slasher flick about a camera man who kills women...and films their reactions. Ahead of its time.

* OneHundredScariestMovieMoments: Number 38