58 Peeping Tom

[Florinaldo]

I own the Optimum DVD and it is an excellent presentation of the film. I saw the movie only once in a theater and I don't remember the cinematography as being the sharpest, so the slight softness visible (to varying degrees) in the captures from the various DVD editions is probably simply faithful to the original film. The Optimum is certainly more focused than the Criterion, which I watched a few years ago, and the colors looked more true. And it is loaded with interesting and relevant extras.

If you regret missing the Laura Mulvey commentary from the CC, you'll find it adapted almost verbatim for her contribution to "Michael Powell: International Perspectives on an English Film-maker", edited by Ian Christie, a very fine book which amazon.ca usually stocks (probably the same for amazon.com).

Usually not very expensive on amazon.co.uk, at the present price (5 £, less for North-American orders since the VAT is deducted for us), this DVD is truly a steal.

And contrary to what the DVDBeaver site states, this is a single-disc edition.

[movielocke]

I've long been intrigued by this title, though I only recently caught up with it. Somewhere along the way--perhaps because of mis-remembered stories about how this destroyed Michael Powell's career--I had come under the impression that this was an explicit, stomach churning take on voyeurism, potentially as bad as Salo in challenging audiences.

Suffice to say, I was rather surprised to find out that this is a methodical and reserved little film about a budding serial killer who uses his camera to photograph and kill his victims. I can see where it would have been shocking for its era (prior to watching, I also thought the film was late sixties, for some reason), but it doesn't retain the same ability in this day and age. I loved the central performance, a great bit of acting that treads a fine edge of someone trying to pretend to be 'sane' which often doesn't work, but here comes across perfectly. I particularly liked how some things were kept backgrounded, like the repeated motif of women with red-hair, which goes unmentioned within the text of the film. I was also particularly taken by the scene when he hands his camera over to the investigator in an attempt to appear casually unconcerned about the investigation, only to realize soon after letting the camera out of his touch triggered major anxiety; combined with the scenes of his onanistic fondling of the camera lens, Powell did a great job establishing what the camera means to him, which is much more than what women mean to him. He's taken the camera as his lover, metaphorically, and it is a harsh and jealous taskmaster.

It's not Powell's best effort, but it's certainly not his worst (graf spree, ugh), and there is certainly more depth to the film than you usually find in the genre, I can definitely see this being a film that gets better and better with repeated viewings.

[zedz]

It's not Powell's best effort, but it's certainly not his worst (graf spree, ugh)

Is that the heist film where a bunch of old codgers try to steal a battleship?

[knives]

I'm pretty sure that's an alt for The Battle of River Plate. It's an alright movie though I agree that it's basically the bottom of the Archer barrel.

[Tommaso]

It's an alright movie though I agree that it's basically the bottom of the Archer barrel.

As far as The Archers are concerned, yes. But wait till you've seen Powell's 1961 solo effort "The Queen's Guards", released after "Peeping Tom", btw. "Guards" understandably sank like a stone, and was the real cause for Powell becoming unable to find work in England, even though the scandal around "Peeping Tom" certainly wasn't helpful, either.

[zedz]

I'm pretty sure that's an alt for The Battle of River Plate. It's an alright movie though I agree that it's basically the bottom of the Archer barrel.

I was kidding about the typo.

[The Doogster]

But wait till you've seen Powell's 1961 solo effort "The Queen's Guards", released after "Peeping Tom", btw. "Guards" understandably sank like a stone, and was the real cause for Powell becoming unable to find work in England, even though the scandal around "Peeping Tom" certainly wasn't helpful, either.

Wait till you see Age of Consent, which Powell made in 1969 when he came to Australia after his 'banishment' from England. Man-o-man that is a steaming pile of crap of a movie. English actors attempting - and failing - to do Aussie accents is cringe-making. It's hard to believe it's the same Powell who made Colonel Blimp and The Red Shoes.

[hearthesilence]

Wow, I have to disagree. It's not one of his masterpieces, but accents aside, the film is surprisingly good.

[tojoed]

Wow, I have to disagree. It's not one of his masterpieces, but accents aside, the film is surprisingly good.

You're right. It also has the greatest dog in film history.

[colinr0380]

I take it none of you have seen They're A Weird Mob! With the classic exchange from the trailer: "Are you fair dinkum?", "No, I'm Italian".

[The Doogster]

Wow, I have to disagree. It's not one of his masterpieces, but accents aside, the film is surprisingly good.

What's surprisingly good about it? Is it that all the Australian characters are patronisingly portrayed, in speech and action, as if they are borderline retarded six year olds? Is it the complete absence of a coherent story? Or maybe the on-the-nose dialogue? Or is it the hammy acting? I'm surprised they didn't have someone in blackface pretending to be an Aborigine.

On the plus side, you do get to see Helen Mirren naked

[Tommaso]

No, it's the way how Powell smuggles many of his usual considerations about art and artists into it, the beauty of much of its imagery, and indeed Helen Mirren is a plus. By no means up to what he was able to do when he had a Pressburger script, but it certainly makes me regret that he never managed to get his planned adaptation of "The Tempest" financed.

[FrauBlucher]

I saw the restoration this afternoon. It looks very strong. The detail is brilliant. It will be interesting to see if Criterion upgrades all the way to UHD when they re-release it

[Finch]

I figure most Americans and Canadians who are 4k capable are likely aware of the European Studio Canal UHD so if Criterion were somehow to only offer a BD upgrade, I can't imagine people with the superior hardware choosing Criterion's BD instead unless Studio Canal completely botched their global 4k. So outside of commercial concerns that Peeping Tom might not shift enough UHD units for their domestic market, there is no reason for Criterion not to license or at least try to license the 4k from Studio Canal. They got The Trial earlier in the year so it'd be really baffling for the Powell not to be upgraded to 4k too in North America.

[Finch]

4k upgrade in May



4K UHD + BLU-RAY SPECIAL EDITION FEATURES
New 4K digital restoration, with uncompressed monaural soundtrack
One 4K UHD disc of the film presented in Dolby Vision HDR and one Blu-ray with the film and special features
Two audio commentaries, one featuring film scholar Laura Mulvey and one featuring film historian Ian Christie
Introduction by filmmaker Martin Scorsese
Interview with editor Thelma Schoonmaker
Documentary about the film’s history, featuring interviews with Schoonmaker, Scorsese, and actor Carl Boehm
Documentary about screenwriter Leo Marks
Program on the film’s restoration
Trailer
English subtitles for the deaf and hard of hearing
PLUS: An essay by author Megan Abbott

New cover by Eric Skillman

[ryannichols7]

nice of them to port over the Ian Christie commentary, but I'll probably just grab the Studiocanal disc. better cover on that one too I'd say

[therewillbeblus]

How's Laura Mulvey's commentary, assuming its archival and available? The SC looks great already, but that seems like a key addition

[Matt]

The Mulvey commentary is actually pretty good if you're looking for a scholarly, psychoanalytically-informed analysis. It's from the 1994 laserdisc release and akin to her classic "Visual Pleasure and Narrative Cinema" essay. You can listen to it in full on the Internet Archive (pm me if you need a link, but it's easy to find).

[therewillbeblus]

Thanks Matt! I've read various comments she's made related to the film based on how it responds to her essay, and was curious to hear more

[Feego]

I like Mulvey’s commentary too. It’s very on-the-nose the camera equals male gaze/penis, but if ever a movie welcomed that reading…

[ryannichols7]

I'm not a fan of that track, but I'm also generally not a fan of Mulvey. I think it just depends on whether you like her work or not

this movie obviously fits that, but any kind of analysis like that (ala Marion Keane on anything) is not my cup of tea. I haven't heard Christie's track but I generally love his contributions to any Powell and Pressburger work. he's a great go-to much like Joseph McBride is for Wilder, Ford, or Lubitsch, or Tag Gallagher is for Ford, Von Sternberg, or Rossellini.

[Jean-Luc Garbo]

Of course this is announced after I buy the SC release. So it looks like A Very British Psycho couldn't be included here?

[midnitedave]

If you're like me and wanted to see what specs/extras overlap between the StudioCanal release, I've placed the differences in bold (assuming the restoration programs will be the same).

StudioCanal:
New 4K restoration of Michael Powell's iconic serial killer classic PEEPING TOM, restored by The Film Foundation and BFI National Archive (in Dolby Vision HDR; Back of packaging confirms English SDH subtitles and LPCM Mono 2.0 audio track)
32-page booklet with introduction from Martin Scorsese, brand new essays and original press book.
New Visions of Voyeurism: Peeping Tom by Sir Christopher Frayling
New Take Me To Your Cinema: The Legacy of Peeping Tom
New Restoring Peeping Tom
2023 Trailer
London Easter Egg (UK menus)
The Eye of the Beholder
Intro by Martin Scorsese (2007)
Interview with Thelma Schoonmaker (2007)
Audio Commentary by Professor Ian Christie
Original Theatrical Trailer
Behind the Scenes Stills Gallery

Criterion:
New 4K digital restoration, with uncompressed monaural soundtrack
One 4K UHD disc of the film presented in Dolby Vision HDR and one Blu-ray with the film and special features
Two audio commentaries, one featuring film scholar Laura Mulvey and one featuring film historian Ian Christie
Introduction by filmmaker Martin Scorsese
Interview with editor Thelma Schoonmaker
Documentary about the film’s history, featuring interviews with Schoonmaker, Scorsese, and actor Carl Boehm (i.e. The Eye of the Beholder)
Documentary about screenwriter Leo Marks
Program on the film’s restoration
Trailer
English subtitles for the deaf and hard of hearing
PLUS: An essay by author Megan Abbott


edit: Eye of the Beholder is confirmed to be on both releases.

[senseabove]

If you're like me and wanted to see what specs/extras overlap between the StudioCanal release, I've placed the differences in bold (assuming the restoration programs will be the same).

StudioCanal:
The Eye of the Beholder

Criterion:
Documentary about the film’s history, featuring interviews with Schoonmaker, Scorsese, and actor Carl Boehm

Per the BD.com description of the former, I'd guess these are the same feature:

The Eye of Beholder - in this archival featurette, produced by Canal+ and Image UK Ltd., director Martin Scorsese, film critic Ian Christie, Thelma Schoonmaker, Prof. Laura Mulvey, and Karlheinz Bohm (who plays Mark Lewis) discuss the fascinating history of Peeping Tom and the devastating impact it had on Michael Powell's career in the UK. In English, with optional German and French subtitles. (19 min).

[Randall Maysin Again]

So it looks like A Very British Psycho couldn't be included here?

I think this

Documentary about screenwriter Leo Marks

is what you're looking for.