Blurb

Hi, I'm an AS Media student, and this blog contains research into the different aspects of film and media, specializing in the Slasher genre. The research has all been put towards the development of my coursework production 'Camp Ivy', which I co-produced with Poppy and Millie. Our coursework has been influenced by the rural locations and mise-en-scene in Friday the 13th and Eden Lake.

Thursday 17 January 2013

Slasher EG4: Peeping Tom

Peeping Tom (Michael Powell, 1960)
PRODUCED BY: Michael Powell (Theatre).
DISTRIBUTED BY: 20th Century Fox, Canal+Anglo-Amalgamated Film Distributors (click here to see the full list).
BUDGET: £135k.
BOX OFFICE: $83k (USA).
RATINGS: 7.7 (IMDb).



  • The first shot is an extreme close up of a closed eye. The music is non-diegitic with strings. As the eye opens, the notes become higher.
  • Music fades out, as the next shot is of a dark street is shown. There's a blonde woman, in a red skirt looking into a window and a man is whistling and walking towards her. She is pacing around, as if she's waiting for someone.
  • We see a camera, hidden in a coat, and a hand adjusts the coat so the camera is more hidden.
  • The camera then changes to what the camera hidden in the coat is seeing. The man walks towards the woman, and stands right behind her. She turns around and simply says 'It'll be 2 quid'. Her blonde hair and tight clothing signify she is a scream queen character, and this line also gives the audience the impression she is a prostitute and is sexually active, although this impression is not anchored.
  • The man follows the woman down an alley way and into a building. They both advance into a bedroom, and she beings to undress herself. 
  • As she takes off her belt, we see a shadow of the mans hand reaching into his coat pocket and grabbing something. There's a sharp noise, and a light shines onto the woman's face. The audience do not know what the man is holding, but the woman is scared, and she begins to move back. As the man gets closer, we see more emotion on her face. She begins to scream, then the camera switches to a projector.
  • The man is now watching the film, but there's use of narrative enigma as we only see the back of the mans head.
..Credits:
  • The titles appear as he is re-watching what he filmed. As the title 'Peeping Tom' appears, high pitched fast piano notes begin to play.
  • The font is sans-serif.
  • The man stands up as she begins to undress on the film, then sits down as she is killed. It is unclear how she's being killed.
  • The last credit to appear is for the director, then the screen fades to black.

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