The documentary Voyeur, directed by Myles Kane and Josh Koury, follows journalist Gay Talese as he reports on Gerald Foos, who bought a motel so that he could spy on the privacy of his guests while they had sex. Both of the main characters in this documentary, the peeping tom and the journalist, are eccentric characters and shameless about their lifestyles.
There is just as much of an emphasis on the journalist reporting the story as the peeping tom himself. Talese and Foos were in contact for over thirty years before anything was ever published on Foos’ lifesyle. The documentary covers the sexual development of Foos and how he developed a habit of what he considers voyeurism. Foos thinks of himself not as a peeping tom but rather a researcher and observer of people. He would observe of between 2,000 and 3,000 people a year according to his own records. Foos not only saw sexual acts but observed the tedious aspects of people’s lives and even witnessed a murder.
The story delves into some of the pitfalls of reporting and captures the challenges of how to separate fact from fiction in utilizing a single source for a story. Talese becomes challenged in discerning whether Foos is being truthful in regards to the stories he’s telling him and the relationship between reporter and source becomes strained. Small discrepancies in Foos journals and records of the motel reveal underlying flaws in the legitimacy of Foos’ entire story that the media latch onto to discredit Talese with.
Overall, the documentary was a little unsettling to watch but really interesting. It delved into the process of how stories are created and how some of them go viral. It’s really well edited, with good sound and supplemented by archived photos as well as interviews from both subjects. The documentary is a case study of how delicate the relationship between reporter and source can be. The plot of the documentary develops organically, from publishing the initial article to a book, and it’s a good example of directors following the story as it develops. When articles are published, feelings can be hurt, and people can feel betrayed, ultimately impacting friendships and relationships.