Written by: Leo Marks

Directed by: Michael Powell

BBD Comments:

As the film ended, Mr. Wiener remarked to me that he feared ‘Peeping Tom’ too much of a film schoolish entry to our Canon. While I know what he’s talking about, I have to say, I’m glad he chose it. If I have any issue with the Selection, it was how poorly it was served by the venue last night.

If we had only known how terribly loud it was going to be, we might have realized it was the best night ever to show Murnau’s ‘Nosferatu,’ or any other magnificently frightening film from the Silent Era. As it was, with the helicopters literally hovering directly overhead, I was surprised our cherished sheet didn’t blow away.

‘Peeping Tom’ may be thought to be an obscure film, but within the circles of filmmakers and film historians it is as well known as ‘Citizen Kane.’ It holds a great deal of fascination for their ilk as it, in the end, is a story about a “true” artist. Artists make sense of the pain in their life by expressing it in a finished thought. Van Gogh tried to contain his pain within the confines of a frame, Thomas in the structures of a poem, Belushi in the shelter of an audience’s laughter. Artists make an aesthetic whole of their existence, and can take hope within the throes of their deepest depressions that they may one day make “use” of such struggle. ‘Peeping Tom’ explores this idea in a brutal manner. Mark has been raised entirely in front of a camera. His father records every moment of his existence, and the only palpable affection he receives is the gift of his own camera. As an adult he has become an artist. He is a working cinematographer living the dream of every struggling artist (getting paid), but unable to connect with the world without a camera to his eye.

If there is any innocence to his killings it is in his desperate desire to connect. As he lacks the human tools a traditional upbringing (hopefully) provides, he creates his own methodology of human intimacy. He has watched his youth over and over on the screen to the point one expects any conventional sense of memory does not exist for Mark. Experience itself is that which he seeks to find in the documentary he labors on. Perhaps before his inevitable death he can make someone understand the pain he has endured, he can communicate the harshness of the world as he knows it, he can fulfill the artist’s mission of utilizing his own pain, and the pain he now inflicts, to create an aesthetic whole.

The tragedy is all the more fulfilling as he comes closer to the end of his film, and his life, he is forced to interact with the world in a human way at last. There is some solace to the bleakness of this tale in that the lovelorn Helen joins Mark at his end. Anna Massey does a remarkable job of making her ridiculous role seem credible. Hers’ is the finest performance in the film.

As I read over my thoughts on Wiener’s Selection, it may be that he did choose a film more suited to a college curriculum than to Movienight’s Back Yard. Still, I admire the Pick and it worked well for me. If there was one flaw with Mr. Wiener’s effort it was that despite the helicopters rattle and parade route noise, none of the distractions was more troublesome than the flashlight-like glare of his repeated Blackberry messaging.

Criticism aside, it truly was a remarkable, one-of-a-kind evening (sucks for you, Netti). Great thanks to the Eisenberg’s for welcoming us into their home for an unforgettable Halloween.

I cannot tell you how excited I am about next week, Movienight’s 100th should be a Pick for the ages… with luck I will deliver on that hope.

Onwards.

Brandon Comments:

The Night: Halloween

A handful of the Crew arrived at the Eisenberg’s homestead early for a feast of friends and fine food after a jaunt through the sleepy streets of West Hollywood for a trick-or-treating outing with the kids. I wish I could say that this nostalgic and magical precursor to MovieNight was only topped by a great movie Selection, but I cannot.

 

It was Halloween, and I wanted a true Halloween classic…or at least something that would scare the living shit out of me. What we got was ‘Peeping Tom,’ a dated English film that was heralded in its day but lost a lot in the 48 years since its debut. Yes, it’s a neat film and I probably would watch it again at some point, but it was Halloween, for crying out loud! I wanted a hockey mask and a machete, or severed limbs, aliens being born in the esophagus of a human, undead zombies, anything that would reflect the 2nd greatest holiday of the year. ‘Peeping Tom’ is not a terrible film by any means; it’s actually really good. But, with all the recent talk of ‘Night of the Demon’ being too old and too soft, I thought for sure we’d be treated to some blood and guts from at least the past 25 years.

 

Wiener, I thank you for the delicious BBQ meal you served us that night, but ‘Peeping Tom’ was a cold dish with more gristle and bone than good meat.

 

And Nubs and Joby, thank you for being so hospitable to us LA orphans in need of some quality family time.

Nubs Comments:

Halloween was truly a magical and momentous evening for Movienight. It was great to have the majority of the Membership with us all night for trick or treating, dinner, and, of course, the movie. Reflecting the themes in our jam session of films recently, we were able to blend reliving the best parts of our childhood with the best parts of our adulthood, mainly trying to be a child again. Thanks to the Wieners for supplying and cooking the dinner, Joby for organizing, Tooda for the usual set-up and piggy-back rides, Slim for pushing our baby stroller all night, Amy for wearing a costume, Buffy and all of you who braved the traffic to hang at Dicks on this special occasion. It was a group effort that paid off.

Now for the finale of the night, the once in a lifetime, Halloween pick. Wiener asked me, somewhat knowingly, at the end of his ‘Peeping Tom’ if it was “too film school?” Though I think Wiener is often too hard on himself and his Picks, I would have to admit this timely cult-classic may have been a little heady for where our immature hearts were this All Hallows Eve. I would grant that Wiener had every excuse in the world with the helicopters, the late start, the distracting P.A. system from the parade, the hype and fight for this coveted pick, the sugar, and, my god, more helicopters! Nothing, but perhaps ‘Apocalypse Now,’ as Slim suggested, would work in that environment. Furthermore, as I was deliberating over possible Halloween picks, one realizes the inevitable question does any good horror/thriller live up to the first time? 

Wiener was asked to provide the impossible trick or treat by finishing off our holiday with a great Halloween movie. The thought gives you chills, but ‘Peeping Tom’ provided few chills. If not chills, I was hoping for a film that conjured the traditions of Halloween or something that referenced the jam session of our Movienight recently. Sadly, ‘Peeping Tom’ did none of those. It did provide some intriguing history into the horror genre and some great self-reference to our culture obsessed with it. I have to admit for its time it displayed some hilarious self-awareness, and maybe two chilling moments (the opening and the climax). There was clearly reasoning for Wiener’s choice. I believe this could have been a fun pick on say, September 31st or November 31st, just not October 31st.

With so many odds and helicopters against us, I was really just pleased as pumpkin pie that we all went through with the night and would deem it a great success. I couldn’t think of a better way to spend Halloween except maybe ten miles away from the parade.

Good job, Crew.

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