Films About Serial Killers
Films about serial killers delve into the dark complexities of the human psyche, exploring themes of obsession, morality, and the nature of evil. These films often blend psychological thrillers with horror elements, providing audiences with a chilling glimpse into the minds of notorious murderers. They can be deeply unsettling, raising questions about the nature of humanity and the circumstances that lead individuals down such dark paths. Below is a list of notable films in this genre:
“Psycho”, 1960
Director: Alfred Hitchcock
Directed by Alfred Hitchcock, this classic thriller follows Marion Crane, who ends up at the mysterious Bates Motel, run by the disturbed Norman Bates. It explores themes of identity and madness, culminating in one of cinema's most iconic moments.
Starring: Anthony Perkins, Vera Miles, John Gavin, Janet Leigh, Martin Balsam, John McIntire, Simon Oakland, Frank Albertson, Patricia Hitchcock, Vaughn Taylor, Lurene Tuttle, John Anderson, Mort Mills, Fletcher Allen, Walter Bacon, Prudence Beers, Kit Carson, Francis De Sales, George Dockstader, George Eldredge, Harper Flaherty, Sam Flint, Virginia Gregg, Paul Jasmin, Lee Kass, Frank Killmond, Ted Knight, Pat McCaffrie, Hans Moebus, Jeanette Nolan, Lillian O'Malley, Robert Osborne, Don Ross, Fred Scheiwiller, Helen Wallace;
Production year: 1960;
Genre: thriller, horror, detective;
MPAA rating: r;
Duration: 109 min.;
Rating: IMDB: 8,5;
More information about the film “Psycho” on the website imdb.com
“The Silence of the Lambs”, 1990
Director: Jonathan Demme
This psychological horror film features FBI trainee Clarice Starling as she seeks the help of imprisoned cannibalistic serial killer Dr. Hannibal Lecter to catch another murderer. The film is renowned for its chilling performances and complex characters.
Starring: Jodie Foster, Anthony Hopkins, Brooke Smith, Scott Glenn, Ted Levine, Anthony Heald, Kasi Lemmons, Diane Baker, Charles Napier, Roger Corman, Dan Butler, Paul Lazar, Pat McNamara, Tracey Walter, Frankie Faison, Ron Vawter, Danny Darst, Jeffrie Lane, Chris Isaak, Lawrence A. Bonney, Lawrence T. Wrentz, Don Brockett, Frank Seals Jr., Stuart Rudin, Masha Skorobogatov, Leib Lensky, George «Red» Schwartz, Jim Roche, James B. Howard, Bill Miller, Chuck Aber, Gene Borkan, Kenneth Utt, Darla, Adelle Lutz, Obba Babatundé, George Michael, Jim Dratfield, D. Stanton Miranda, Rebecca Saxon, Cynthia Ettinger, Brent Hinkley, Steve Wyatt, Alex Coleman, David Early, Andre B. Blake, Bill Dalzell, Daniel von Bargen, Tommy Lafitte, Josh Broder;
Production year: 1990;
Genre: thriller, detective, crime, drama, horror;
MPAA rating: r;
Duration: 118 min.;
Rating: IMDB: 8,6;
More information about the film “The Silence of the Lambs” on the website imdb.com
“Se7en”, 1995
Director: David Fincher
In this dark and gritty crime thriller, two detectives, played by Morgan Freeman and Brad Pitt, hunt a serial killer who uses the seven deadly sins as his modus operandi. The film is known for its shocking climax and atmospheric tension.
Starring: Brad Pitt, Morgan Freeman, Gwyneth Paltrow, Kevin Spacey, R. Lee Ermey, John C. McGinley, Richard Schiff, Richard Roundtree, Mark Boone Junior, Reg E. Cathey, Daniel Zacapa, John Cassini, Bob Mack, Peter Crombie, George Christy, Endre Hules, Hawthorne James, William Davidson, Bob Collins, Jimmy Dale Hartsell, Charline Su, Dominique Jennings, Allan Kolman, Beverly Burke, Gene Borkan, Julie Araskog, Mario Di Donato, Alfonso Freeman, Harrison White, Bob Stephenson, Michael Reid MacKay, Richard Portnow, Tudor Sherrard, Pamala Tyson, Lennie Loftin, Sarah Reinhardt, Emily Wagner, Martin Serene, Michael Massee, David Correia, Ron Blair, Jennifer Mueller, Leland Orser, Lexie Bigham, Evan Mirand, Paul Eckstein, Harris Savides, Rachel Flanagan, Heidi Schanz;
Production year: 1995;
Genre: thriller, drama, crime, detective;
MPAA rating: r;
Duration: 127 min.;
Rating: IMDB: 8,6;
More information about the film “Se7en” on the website imdb.com
“American Psycho”, 2000
Director: Mary Harron
Based on Bret Easton Ellis's novel, this film follows Patrick Bateman, a wealthy New York City investment banker who leads a double life as a serial killer. It serves as both a satire of the yuppie culture of the 1980s and a disturbing character study.
Starring: Christian Bale, Willem Dafoe, Josh Lucas, Reese Witherspoon, Cara Seymour, Justin Theroux, Jared Leto, Chloë Sevigny, Samantha Mathis, Matt Ross, Bill Sage, Stephen Bogaert, Monika Meier, Reg E. Cathey, Blair Williams, Marie Dame, Kelley Harron, Patricia Gage, Krista Sutton, Landy Cannon, Park Bench, Catherine Black, Margaret Ma, Peter Tufford Kennedy, Mark Pawson, Jessica Lau, Lilette Wiens, Glen Marc Silot, Charlotte Hunter, Kiki Buttignol, Joyce R. Korbin, Reuben Thompson, Bryan Renfro, Ross Gibby, Christina McKay, Alan McCullough, Anthony Lemke, Connie Chen, Marilyn Burns, Doshia Darmane, Brett Alexander Davidson, Peter Loung, Joseph Oliveira, Leanne Poirier Greenfield, Ronald Reagan, Somaya Reece, Jackson Rothery, Devin Schumacher, Kate Steen;
Production year: 2000;
Genre: drama, crime, thriller;
MPAA rating: r;
Duration: 102 min.;
Rating: IMDB: 7,6;
More information about the film “American Psycho” on the website imdb.com
“Zodiac”, 2007
Director: David Fincher
Directed by David Fincher, this film is based on the real-life Zodiac Killer who terrorized the San Francisco Bay Area in the late 1960s and early 1970s. It chronicles the obsessive quest of journalists and police to uncover the killer's identity.
Starring: Jake Gyllenhaal, Mark Ruffalo, Anthony Edwards, Robert Downey Jr., Chloë Sevigny, John Carroll Lynch, Brian Cox, Elias Koteas, Dermot Mulroney, Donal Logue, Richmond Arquette, Bob Stephenson, John Lacy, Ed Setrakian, John Getz, John Terry, Candy Clark, June Diane Raphael, Ciara Moriarty, Lee Norris, Patrick Scott Lewis, Pell James, Philip Baker Hall, David Lee Smith, Jason Wiles, Charles Schneider, James Carraway, Tom Verica, Jimmi Simpson, Doan Ly, Karina Logue, Joel Bissonnette, Zach Grenier, John Mahon, Matt Winston, Jules Bruff, John Ennis, J. Patrick McCormack, Adam Goldberg, James Le Gros, Charles Fleischer, Clea DuVall, Paul Schulze, Adam Trese, Penny Wallace, John Hemphill, Michel Francoeur, Thomas Kopache, Barry Livingston, Christopher John Fields;
Production year: 2007;
Genre: thriller, detective, drama, crime;
MPAA rating: r;
Duration: 158 min.;
Rating: IMDB: 7,7;
More information about the film “Zodiac” on the website imdb.com
“Monster”, 2003
Director: Patty Jenkins
This biographical crime drama tells the harrowing story of Aileen Wuornos, a female serial killer who murdered several men. Charlize Theron’s haunting performance earned her an Academy Award for Best Actress.
Starring: Charlize Theron, Christina Ricci, Bruce Dern, Lee Tergesen, Annie Corley, Pruitt Taylor Vince, Marco St. John, Marc Macaulay, Scott Wilson, Rus Blackwell, Tim Ware, Stephan Jones, Brett Rice, Kaitlin Riley, Cree Ivey, Catherine Mangan, Magdalena Manville, T. Robert Pigott, Romonda Shaver, Glenn R. Wilder, Elaine Stebbins, Kane Hodder, Christian Stokes, Lyllian Barcaski, Nonalee Davis, Bubba Baker, Al, Cannonball, Chad Vaccarino, Gene R. Stephenson, Jesse Stern, Bill Boylan, Jim R. Coleman, Chandra Leigh, Lori McDonald, Adam Brown, Robb Chamberlain, Ed Donovan, Khris Gibston;
Production year: 2003;
Genre: thriller, drama, crime, biography;
MPAA rating: r;
Duration: 109 min.;
Rating: IMDB: 7,3;
“The Texas Chain Saw Massacre”, 1974
Director: Tobe Hooper
A landmark in horror cinema, this film follows a group of friends who encounter a family of cannibals, including the iconic character Leatherface. It’s known for its gritty realism and shocking violence.
Starring: Marilyn Burns, Allen Danziger, Paul A. Partain, William Vail, Teri McMinn, Edwin Neal, Jim Siedow, Gunnar Hansen, John Dugan, Robert Courtin, William Creamer, John Henry Faulk, Jerry Green, Ed Guinn, Joe Bill Hogan, Perry Lorenz, John Larroquette, Levie Isaacks;
Production year: 1974;
Genre: horror;
MPAA rating: r;
Duration: 83 min.;
Rating: IMDB: 7,4;
“Mindhunter”, 2017
Director: David Fincher, Carl Franklin, Andrew Douglas, Asif Kapadia
Though not a film, this Netflix series is a must-mention for its exploration of the early days of criminal psychology and criminal profiling at the FBI. It features interviews with infamous serial killers, delving into their minds and the impact of their crimes.
Starring: Jonathan Groff, Holt McCallany, Anna Torv, Sonny Valicenti, Stacey Roca, Hannah Gross, Joe Tuttle, Zachary Scott Ross, Cotter Smith, Albert Jones, Lauren Glazier, Michael Cerveris, Dohn Norwood, Gareth Williams, June Carryl, Cameron Britton, Nate Corddry, Sierra Aylina McClain, Siovhan Christensen, Katherine Banks, Alex Morf, Erik Jensen, Christopher Grove, Regi Davis, Christopher Livingston, Blythe Howard, Darrin Giossi, Bryan McClure, Crystal Lee Brown, Patrick Jordan, Joseph Cross, Marc Kudisch, Happy Anderson, Duke Lafoon, Jesse C. Boyd, Trey Teufel, Peter Murnik, Don O. Knowlton, Michael Park, George R. Sheffey, Brent Sexton, Paul Carafotes, Megan McQuillan, Drew Seltzer, Lila Lazarus, Bobby Liga, Emily Bergl, Michelle Davidson, Ricardo Miguel Young, Tammy Felice;
Production year: 2017;
Genre: thriller, drama, crime, detective;
Rating: IMDB: 8,6;
More information about the film “Mindhunter” on the website imdb.com
“Nightcrawler”, 2013
Director: Dan Gilroy
This film follows Lou Bloom, a driven man who enters the world of crime journalism in Los Angeles. While not a serial killer himself, his morally ambiguous actions and obsession with sensationalism echo the traits of a killer.
Starring: Jake Gyllenhaal, Rene Russo, Riz Ahmed, Bill Paxton, Michael Papajohn, Marco Rodríguez, James Huang, Kent Shocknek, Pat Harvey, Sharon Tay, Rick Garcia, Leah Fredkin, Bill Seward, Rick Chambers, Holly Hannula, Jonathan Coyne, Nick Chacon, Kevin Dunigan, Eric Lange, Alex Ortiz Jr., Carolyn Gilroy, Kevin Rahm, Ann Cusack, Kiff VandenHeuvel, Christina de Leon, Juan M. Fernández, Dig Wayne, Myra Turley, Merritt Bailey, Lisa Remillard, Jamie McShane, Manuel Lujan, Christopher Wolfe, Michael Hyatt, Price Carson, Artur, Bill Blair, Aaron Bledsoe, Greg Caldwell, Viviana Chavez, Tyler Cole, Emily Dahm, Chad Guerrero, Jason Heymann, Liz Imperio, Danny Kaye, David Dustin Kenyon, Jeffrey James Lippold, Anne McDaniels, Sandra Rosko;
Production year: 2013;
Genre: thriller, drama, crime;
MPAA rating: r;
Duration: 118 min.;
Rating: IMDB: 7,8;
“The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo”, 2011
Director: David Fincher
In this gripping thriller, journalist Mikael Blomkvist teams up with hacker Lisbeth Salander to solve the mystery of a missing woman, uncovering a series of murders in the process. It blends elements of mystery and psychological horror.
Starring: Daniel Craig, Rooney Mara, Christopher Plummer, Stellan Skarsgård, Steven Berkoff, Robin Wright, Yorick van Wageningen, Joely Richardson, Geraldine James, Goran Višnjić, Donald Sumpter, Ulf Friberg, Bengt C.W. Carlsson, Tony Way, Per Myrberg, Josefin Asplund, Eva Fritjofson, Moa Garpendal, Maia Hansson Bergqvist, Sarah Appelberg, Julian Sands, Anna Björk, Gustav Hammarsten, Simon Reithner, David Dencik, Marcus Johansson, Mathilda von Essen, Mathias Palmér, Martin Jarvis, Inga Landgré, Reza Dehban, Anders Berg, Mats Andersson, Anders Jansson, Jürgen Klein, Kalle Josephson, Sandra Andreis, Arly Jover, Pierre Sjö Östergren, Tess Panzer, Neil Duncan, Alan Dale, Julia Rose, Peter Carlberg, Jan Abramson, Lena Strömdahl, Matthew Wolf, Anne-Li Norberg, Leo Bill, Marco Albrecht;
Production year: 2011;
Genre: detective, thriller, drama, crime;
MPAA rating: r;
Duration: 158 min.;
Rating: IMDB: 7,8;
More information about the film “The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo” on the website imdb.com
These films not only entertain but also provoke thought about the darker aspects of human nature, making them a compelling subject in cinema.
The selection of films about serial killers is a chilling exploration of the human psyche and the darkest corners of the human experience. From psychological thrillers to true crime dramas, these films delve into the complexities of obsession, morality, and the thin line between good and evil. They offer a haunting and thought-provoking look at the minds of those who commit unspeakable acts, challenging audiences to confront the depths of human depravity while also grappling with themes of justice, redemption, and the resilience of the human spirit. These films serve as a stark reminder of the fragility of the human condition and the enduring fascination with the enigma of serial killers in popular culture.
