The 10 Best Serial Killer Movies Of All Time 2023

There’s something disturbingly appealing about serial killer movies. Movies about crazy killers and psychotic people can be difficult to watch but allow us to explore the dark side of humanity.

Throughout the history of cinema, serial killers have dominated the screen. From seductive cannibal Hannibal Lector to real-life murderer Aileen Wuornos, these evil people have terrified us both on and off screen.

The Federal Bureau of Investigation lists the primary motives of serial killers as anger, thrill seeking, financial gain, and attention seeking; qualities often found in murderers in movies.

Like most genres, there are dozens of amazing serial killer movies and hundreds of not so good ones. So, to help you out, here are the 10 best serial killer movies we recommend you watch. Just make sure to lock your door.

1. Psycho (1960)

Psycho is a classic slasher movie whose plot takes place in a quiet little motel off the highway. After a strange encounter between the shy young man who owns the motel and the mischievous woman who rented a room, the woman goes missing. A private investigator, the woman’s lover, and her sister rush to the location to search for clues about her whereabouts.

If you’re looking for an iconic slasher movie with plenty of scares and intrigue, Psycho is right up your alley. This film is an adaptation of the 1959 novel of the same name by Robert Bloch. It is considered one of the original slasher films and has been preserved by the National Film Registry. The cast includes Anthony Perkins, Janet Leigh, Vera Miles, John Gavin and Martin Balsam.

Alfred Hitchcock was the producer and director of this black-and-white serial killer film. Since 1980, there have been a number of films and television spin-offs that pay homage to or are related to Psycho, but none have come close to the original.

2. Se7en (1995)

Se7en is a psychological crime thriller film written by Andrew Kevin Walker and directed by David Fincher. The story revolves around a series of murders committed by a serial killer and a pair of detectives trying to stop him. One of the detectives is about to retire, while the other just moved to the city.

Serial killers commit murders according to the seven deadly sins; greed, gluttony, laziness, lust, pride, envy and wrath. One of the two detectives suddenly appears in the case, but to say more would ruin this unforgettable movie.

Starring Brad Pitt, Morgan Freeman, John C. McGinley and Gwyneth Paltrow as the main characters, Se7en ranked seventh on the list of highest-grossing films in its release year and is considered a classic. dictionary of serial killers.

3. Zodiac (2007)

David Fincher is mentioned again with his attractive Zodiac. This is a mystery thriller film adapted from the non-fiction book of the same name by Robert Graysmith.

Based on the real-life serial killer known as the Zodiac, who committed a list of murders in the San Francisco Bay Area from the late 1960s to early 1970s, this is Fincher at the time of his appearance. the sharpest.

The film’s story revolves around Zodiac evading and taunting the police and authorities with cryptic letters, bloody clothes, and codes. San Francisco police detectives David Toschi (Mark Ruffalo) and Bill Armstong (Anthony Edwards) are assigned to investigate the case.

Jake Gyllenhaal plays political cartoonist Robert Graysmith while Robert Downey Jr. takes on the role of Paul Avery, an alcoholic crime reporter. The two also follow the story closely but meet different fates throughout the film. You’ll definitely want to watch this celebrity-filled movie.

4. American Psycho (2000)

American Psycho was Christian Bale’s big break in 2000. This dark comedy about slashers stars a Manhattan investment banker named Patrick Bateman, whose content involves prostitutes. prostitutes, his coworkers, and other random individuals he feels like killing. Bateman seems like a regular guy doing the same things people in the investment industry do – hustling in the office all day and relaxing in bars and restaurants at night.

The film recounts his daily life, but as night falls, the plot thickens. The self-proclaimed American psychopath committed heinous crimes and openly shared stories about them with his colleagues, who unfortunately did not take his words and stories seriously. This misunderstanding allows him to get away with his sinister actions.

When he tried to confess all his wrongdoings to his lawyer, the confession fell on deaf ears. This leads him to return to the film’s starting narration as if nothing had happened.

The film adaptation of American Psycho, directed by Mary Harron, is based on the 1991 book by Bret Easton Ellis. The all-star cast includes Willem Dafoe, Jared Leto, Josh Lucas, Samatha Mathis, Matt Ross, Bill Sage, Chloe Sevigny, Cara Seymour, Justin Theroux, Guinevere Turner, Reg E. Cathey and Resse Witherspoon.

5. Henry: Portrait of a Serial Killer (1986)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IU3P6WXzvXU

If controversial films pique your interest, then the MPAA-rated X film Henry: Portrait of a Serial Killer is for you. In this psychological thriller, serial killer Henry commits his crimes as if he were exempt from all punishment or had nothing left to lose. He performs his actions alone or with his cellmate, Otis.

Otis initially did not intend to kill without punishment but eventually succeeded thanks to Henry’s persuasion. The two men lived with Otis’ sister, Becky, who was fully aware of what the two men were doing.

John McNaughton directed Henry: Portrait of a Serial Killer in 1986. This film was loosely adapted from the real-life stories of convicted serial killers Henry Lee Lucas and Ottis Toole. Michael Rooker, Tom Towles and Tracy Arnold play characters in this film, including the incredible Rooker. Ten years later, a sequel, Henry: Portrait of a Serial Killer 2 – Mask of Sanity, was released to poor reviews.

6. Murder in Tuyet Street (2011)

The Snowtown Murders is another movie based on true events. The story revolves around a series of brutal murders in Snowtown, South Australia, from August 1992 to May 1999. John Bunting was the main perpetrator of the crimes, along with Robert Wagner and James Vlassakis.

The trio filled a barrel with the remains of 12 victims and stored them in an abandoned bank vault in Snowtown. Mark Haydon was an accomplice in disposing of the body and was also convicted.

Since none of the four men had relationships or homes at that location, they argued that hiding evidence there would cloud the investigation. Most of the murders were committed near Adelaide, Australia, 100 miles from Snowtown.

Justin Kurzel makes his directorial debut with the Australian crime biopic written by Shaun Grant. The Snowtown Murders stars Daniel Henshall, Lucas Pittaway, Aaron Viergever and David Walker as four men involved in horrific crimes and are also known as Snowtown.

7. Monster (2003)

The only movie on this list to feature a female serial killer, Monster is about former Daytona prostitute Aileen Wuornos, a con artist who murdered seven of her clients. She turned her back on prostitution after killing a customer who brutally raped her one night. It was an act of self-defense.

After leaving, it was difficult for her to find a new source of income because of her background. Wuornos returned to prostitution, but unable to escape the idea that all her customers were trying to rape her, she started killing again. Wuornos, who was eventually arrested for his crimes, was executed in 2002 in Florida.

Charlize Theron won an Oscar for her role as Wuornos, while Christina Ricci played Wuornos’ real-life girlfriend, Tyria Moore. A powerhouse from both women, this film was also written and directed by Patty Jenkins, who later directed Wonder Woman. This is one of the 10 best films of 2003 by the American Film Institute and deserves a place on this list.

8. Leo (2014)

If you’re looking for a flick that falls within the slasher/serial killer genre, then you have to watch Creep. Patrick Brice directed this 2014 American psychological thriller. He and lead actor Mark Duplass co-wrote the film.

Duplass plays Josef, an eccentric character who posts a job posting on Craigslist looking for a videographer to record him. Patrick Brice plays Aaron, the unsuspecting cinematographer who applies for the job.

The film takes place in a remote cabin where the character Duplass resides. Aaron, the cameraman, comes in under the premise that Josef needs someone to document a day in his life so he can save it as a gift for his unborn son.

Aaron immediately sensed something ominous about the place, but he dismissed that thought until he found a sinister wolf mask. Wanting to leave, Aaron discovered his phone and keys were missing. Despite this, Aaron still manages to escape, but Josef has other plans than keeping him in the house. Josef finds another victim in the worthy sequel to Creep, released in 2017.

9. Sam’s Summer (1999)

This installment of Spike Lee focuses on a group of Italian-Americans living in the Bronx during the summer of 1977. The film is about New York City’s blackouts, the New York Yankees’ winning season, and a serial killer The infamous Son of Sam, real name David Berkowitz, tells the story of two men forced to make some life-changing decisions.

In the film, the men are not involved in the murders committed by the .44 Caliber Killer but are indirectly affected by the killings. Sam’s Summer features an engaging plot, incredible dialogue, and a great cast including John Leguizamo, Adrien Brody, Mira Sorvino, Jennifer Esposito, and Michael Rispoli.

10. The Silence of the Lambs (1991)

The The Silence of the Lambs is an absolute classic that we’ve saved for last. A psychological thriller from 1991, The Silence of the Lambs follows the FBI’s hunt for Buffalo Bill, who had a habit of skinning his female victims after killing them.

The main character is a young female FBI intern named Clarice Starling (Jodie Foster), who forges a Faustian pact with a cannibal serial killer and psychiatrist named Dr. Hannibal Lecter ( Anthony Hopkins). Lecter offers to help her find Buffalo Bill on the condition that he will be transferred from Dr. Chilton, head of the Baltimore State Hospital for the Criminally Insane, whom he absolutely hates.

The film is rooted in the relationship between the naive Starling and the calculating Lector, the two forming an unlikely bond.

Based on the 1988 novel by Thomas Harris, The Silence of the Lambs written and directed by Ted Tally and Jonathan Demme, respectively. Foster and Hopkins have never been better, while Ted Levine’s turn as serial killer Buffalo Bill is hauntingly mesmerizing.

Categories: Entertainment
Source: Tekmonk Bio