He is known for his early socially-conscious documentary films that touch on topics such as opposition to United States involvement in the Vietnam War, gentrification of Chicago, racism, and social class.
He is best known for his work on the film The End of the Nightstick (1993) with Cindi Moran and Eric Scholl, which documented police brutality in Chicago and torture allegations against commander Jon Burge.
[2] Kuttner has worked with many collaborators including Kartemquin Collective founder Gordon Quinn, and filmmakers Haskell Wexler and Robert Kramer.
During this time he taught and collaborated with African-American students from Dillard University in New Orleans on the films Tackle is a Girl’s Best Friend (1965) and Mary Had a Little Lamb (1965).
[7] After leaving WTTW in the fall of 1967, Kuttner became interested in political activism and eventually reconnected with some Canadian Cinéma vérité filmmakers he had worked with before, who were filming a piece about Norman Mailer out of the Toronto offices of Allan King.
[4][10] The group had connections to anti-war protestors David Dellinger, Rennie Davis, and Tom Hayden, who would eventually be named as part of the Chicago Seven conspiracy.
[15] Peter Kuttner's connection to Rise Up Angry sparked the creation of the film,[16] as it was originally a Newsreel project that had been left unfinished when the group dissolved.
In 1994 Kuttner collaborated with Chicago Torture Justice, an organization dealing with the aftermath and recovery of brutality experienced at the hands of police officers like Jon Burge.
Others that were filmed in and around Chicago were Man of Steel (2013), Cheaper by the Dozen (2003), Proof (2005), The Break-Up (2006), Eagle Eye (2008), Traitor (2008), Barbershop 2: Back in Business (2004), and Mad Dog and Glory (1993).