10 Meta Horror Movies That Deserve More Attention
2. Peeping Tom
Nowadays, meta-horror is more popular than ever. And yet, few films have come close to matching the original slasher, Peeping Tom.
Released mere months after Psycho, Michael Powell's masterwork centres around a scopophiliac cameraman called Mark Lewis, who records women while murdering them. After falling for a young woman, Mark's personal life starts to collide with his sadistic side.
Even though Peeping Tom is regarded as a classic, it's never reached the level of fame it deserves. This is an enormous pity, since it directly inspired an entire sub-genre of cinema. This voyeuristic tale doesn't just play with film conventions, but implicitly comments on them. Although Mark's compulsion is regarded as monstrous, it reflects how horror fans are drawn and entertained by sexually and violent material.
Rather than ramming the meta angle down ours throats, the self-referential elements are conveyed subtly, to the point where some viewers won't pick up on them. Because of this, the movie's self-awareness never gets in the way of the story or come across as gimmicky.
It may be over 60 years old, but Peeping Tom hasn't lost any of its edge.