The Film: Hitchcock thriller where housebound James Stewart becomes increasingly obsessed with the activities of his neighbours as observed through their windows, eventually uncovering what he believes to be a murder. 

The Neighbours: Never trust a salesman.  After Lars Thorwald’s bedridden wife mysteriously vanishes, he’s seen cleaning a rather large knife, disposing of a mysterious packing crate, and possibly killing a dog.  Wife-killer or not, this bloke is not good neighbour material.

How To Avoid: Curiosity didn’t just kill the cat, it also broke Jimmy Stewart’s one good leg.  Next time the temptation to spy on your neighbours strikes, close the blinds and turn on some reality telly – it’ll give you the same voyeuristic buzz without the risk factor.