The 10 Most Disturbing Movies About Neighbors Voyeurism goes never out of fashion

The grass is always greener on the other side, says an ancient proverb. In these weeks of house confinement, neighbours have become the new protagonists in the comedy (or perhaps the tragedy) that takes place within the walls of our houses. And it could be the reason why the history of cinema is full of movies that focused their attention (that sometimes becomes a real obsession) towards all the variety of people living next door.

It all started - obviously - with Rear Window by Alfred Hitchcock, which the American Film Institute included in the 100 Years... 100 Movies list, a list of the 100 best American movies of all time. It was just the beginning: Hitchcock's work of art started a real cultural strand about voyeurism. From Rosemary’s Baby by Roman Polański to Suburbicon by George Clooney, going through the fake respectability seen in American Beauty and the sadistic killers of Funny Games, the myth of the neighbour has quite changed over the years, becoming a monster with many faces. The only trait that has been constant is that neighbours are scary as hell.

nss magazine has selected (and put down in chronological order) the 10 best (and most disturbing) movies that shined the light on the folks living next door. 

Rear Window, Alfred Hitchcock (1954)

Following the taste of his mentors Joel and Ethan Coen (who actually wrote this script), George Clooney (not at his first directing job) has learned his lesson. Inspired by a true story, the biggest star of Hollywood serves a great denunciation of American racism. By his side, some of his long-time Hollywood friends: Matt Damon, Julianne Moore, Oscar Isaac and the baby new-entry Noah Jupe (recently seen in the autobiographic movie written by Shia LaBeouf).