Clayton George Wickham - final thesis

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What is important though is the psychological structure of the entire
product and that is certainly interesting. The film offers a nice
representation of the boundaries between utter madness and normal life...
It is a pity that Powell has not succeeded in keeping his film entirely free
of melodramatic effects, especially towards the end... Despite these
weaknesses and mistakes the film succeeds in presenting the main issue
of pain through mental illness. And doing that Peeping Tom distances
itself a long way from the average exciting thriller. (Ouwendijk, 1961)
While not all of the contemporary film reviews are negative, the majority
were particularly scathing. The London Evening News published a review saying, “I
am only too sorry to see Powell's fine technical qualities and some good acting
lavished on such a dreary idea of entertainment as this is.” (Harman, 1960) Len
Mosley of the Daily Express writes, “I am a glutton for punishment, and I never
walk out of films or plays no matter how malodorous. But I must confess that I
almost followed suit when I heard my distinguished colleague Miss Caroline
Lejeune say "I'm sickened" just before her indignant exit.” (1960) The reviewer for
the Sunday Dispatch writes that Peeping Tom “is not only drivel, it is crude
unhealthy sensation at its worst.” (Anonymous, 1960) For a thorough account of the
initial reception of Peeping Tom, see Ian Christie’s “The Scandal of Peeping Tom”
in Powell, Pressburger and Others (Christie; 1978).
Few critics and analysts of horror would now disagree with the consideration
of Peeping Tom as a sophisticated and unique example of the genre. Radio Times
featured it as film of the day on 10 October 2008, giving it the highest possible
rating: 5 stars. The review by Tom Hutchinson explains, “Only recently has it been