10 Best Serial Killer Movies Based on True Stories

Movies have always reflected people’s morbid fascination with serial killers, with some movies focusing on real-life killers rather than fictional characters. Even some of the most iconic fictional movie serial killers have taken inspiration from real killers, like Norman Bates in Psycho and Hannibal Lector in The silence of the lambs. There are relatively few on-screen killers who are directly drawn from real life, however.

Depicting real serial killers on film has always been controversial. Some feel that molding murderers in this way gives them a level of prestige they don’t deserve, and they can often come off as sympathetic if a movie isn’t careful. In any case, this can come across as insensitive to the families of the victims, who are too often excluded from the narrative. Only the best serial killer movies can explore criminal psychology without crossing the line.

10

No Man of God (2021)

Based on Ted Bundy

Very few serial killers have captured the American public imagination like Ted Bundy. There have been dozens of Ted Bundy movies, TV shows and documentaries over the years. The most famous recent example is Extremely bad, shockingly evil and vile, which stars Zac Efron as Bundy. 2021s No man of God is arguably the best Bundy movie, however, starring Luke Kirby.

A lot of dialogue in No man of God is taken directly from the transcripts of Bundy’s interviews with FBI analyst Bill Hagmaier, who is played by Elijah Wood. With two brilliant central performances, No man of God Offers an unglamorous examination of Bundy. The serial killer is often mythologized, however No man of God Uses his own words to explain how other fictitious accounts have erased his victims from history and massively suggested his accomplices.

9

The City That Dreaded Sandown (1976)

Based on the Texarkana Moonlight Murders

The city that dreaded Sandown is often credited as one of the first slasher movies, made a few years earlier Halloween And Friday the 13th. While the latter two films took inspiration from real-life killers, The city that dreaded Sandown is the only one that is a direct retelling of a historical case. The Texarkana Monthlight Murders took place in a small Texan town in 1946, with five people killed by an unknown criminal.

The city that dreaded Sandown Established many of the reliable tropes of slasher movies, and the framing of the masked killer is still effective. With an unknown identity and motive, the killer takes on a quasi-supernatural feel as he stalks the city. The city that dreaded Sandown Ends with the killer showing at the premiere of the movie itselfEmphasizing the fact that he was never caught and he could be anywhere.

8

The Snowtown Murders (2011)

Based on the Snowtown murders

The Snowtown murders are not particularly famous outside of Australia, but they were huge national news in the 1990s. The murders were carried out by three young men and one accomplice who helped them dispose of the bodies by hiding them in bars in a bank vault. The trial caused a media frenzy, however The Snowtown Murders Looks at the series of crimes before the people are caught.

The Snowtown Murders – Also known simply as Snowtown – Is concerned with the backgrounds of the killers. There is a question, what could make four friends start together in such a great undertaking. There is so much of the movie’s runtime devoted to their upbringing and the shifting nature of their relationship that it almost comes as a shock when the first body turns up.

7

Boston Strangler (2023)

Based on the Boston Strangler

The Boston Strangler is an intriguing case, as it has been hotly debated for so long. In the years following Albert DeSalva’s arrest and conviction, serious doubts were cast on the investigation, and many believed that DeSalva was not the only person responsible for the deaths of the 13 women in Boston in the early 1960s. DNA evidence has since proven that DeSalvo was the culprit of the final murder at least.

Boston Strangler is a dramatic retelling of the investigation into the murder that two reporters carried out, despite the pressure from the police and their own bosses to drop the story. Loretta McLaughlin and Jean Cole reveal the incompetence in the police force, and some details that suggest there may have been multiple killers. Boston Strangler is an effective crime dramaEspecially as the two women delve deeper into the investigation and find themselves face-to-face with their prime suspects.

6

Henry: Portrait of a Serial Killer (1986)

Based on Henry Lee Lucas and Ottis Toole

Henry Lee Lucas confessed to over 600 murders when he was eventually caught, but investigators were able to quickly rule out the possibility. He was convicted of 11 murders, although it is likely that there were several more that he was responsible for. His false confessions have made it difficult to ascertain the true number, and since he died in prison in 2001, it is unlikely that the extent of his crimes will be known for certain.

Henry: Portrait of a Serial Killer is a biopic about Lucas’ life and his relationship with Ottis Toole, who became his accomplice. There are parts of the story that are completely fabricatedEither because the truth is so hard to find or simply because Henry: Portrait of a Serial Killer Try to look into the mind of Lucas. No matter how much of the movie is true, it’s still a chilling depiction of evil, with a career-defining performance from Michael Rooker.

5

My Friend Dahmer (2017)

Based on Jeffrey Dahmer

Jeffrey Dahmer is one of the most notorious serial killers in American history, however My friend Dahmer Shows a relatively unknown side to him. Based on the graphic novel and memoir by John Backderf, My friend Dahmer Looks back on Backderf’s friendship with Dahmer during his teenage years. Dahmer would begin his killing spree shortly after leaving high school and cut contact with his friends.

My friend Dahmer Provides some fascinating insight into what makes a serial killer. It contributes to the age-old question of nature versus nurture without ever conclusively coming down on one side or another. Although Dahmer is presented as a troubled adolescent with many problems at home, Ross Lynch’s performance also shows flashes of some evil in him that cannot be attributed to his home life.

4

The Honeymoon Killers (1970)

Based on Raymond Fernandez and Martha Beck

The Honeymoon Killers was a shockingly violent movie for the era, with gruesome depictions of murder that stood out from most other movies. The movie was inspired by Raymond Fernandez and Martha Beck, a couple known as the “Lonely Hearts Killers” who met their victims through personal ads. They may have committed up to 20 murders across the United States, but have only ever been conclusively linked to three.

Martin Scorsese was originally attached to direct The Honeymoon Killers, But he was fired midway through filming for working too slowly. His version may be very different from the finished product. The Honeymoon Killers is filmed in black-and-white, and there are some sections made to look like a documentary. This gives the movie a naturalistic feel that makes the killings even more horrific.

3

Monster (2003)

Based on Aileen Wuornos

The overwhelming majority of serial killers are men, which is part of what makes the case of Aileen Wuornos so fascinating. Monster Depicts her as a traumatized sex worker who kills her clients as an act of vengeance and revenge. It caused controversy over the years, with some claiming it was too sympathetic to a woman who killed seven people in increasingly violent ways.

Despite the controversy, Monster is a captivating exploration of the mind of a serial killer. Charlize Theron’s Oscar-winning performance is key, as she completely disappears into the role of Wuornos. Each of her movements are carefully observed to portray Wuornos’ volatile mix of fragility and rage. Some elements of Monster are fictionalizedLike the name and role of Wuornos’ partner, but it is mostly faithful to the real-life case.

2

Memories of Murder (2003)

Based on the Hwaesong serial murders

Memories of murder was one of Bong Joon-ho’s earliest hits years before Snowpiercer And parasite Raised his profile on an international stage. The film focuses on the investigation into the Hwaesong serial murders, which took place in South Korea between 1986 and 1994. At the time Memories of murder was made, the killer remained unknown, but he has since been identified.

Memories of murder is a tough thriller with a lot of intrigue. The details of the murder are made all the more disturbing by the real-life context that the killer evaded capture for so long. Bong uses this knowledge to his advantage, creating an unsettling mystery in which the detectives and the public often go through periods of simply waiting for the next body to be discovered. Memories of murder is one of the best movies about unsolved crimes.

1

Zodiac (2007)

Based on the Zodiac Killer

David Fincher has made several outstanding movies about criminal pathology, including Se7en, the girl with the dragon tattoo And Gone girl. with ZodiacHe takes on one of America’s most notorious unsolved mysteries. In keeping with the real-life case, Fincher never reveals the killer’s identity. There are several suspects, but each one has just as much evidence to discount them.

Zodiac is one of David Fincher’s best movies. The performances are all top notch, and Fincher’s recreation of San Francisco in the 1960s and 1970s is remarkably convincing. above all, Zodiac is an interesting meditation on the very nature of people’s engagement with true crime. It is a serial killer story told from the perspective of an uninvolved civilianAs he falls down the rabbit hole of a riddle without an answer.