The best serial killer movie of every decade for the last 100 years

Serial killer movies have always been popular, since they speak to common fears and the common fascination with the dark side of the human soul. Since the dawn of cinema, there have been crime movies. In fact, some of the most influential movies of a century ago dealt with serial killers, showing the timeless appeal of these ideas. As movies have evolved over the years, there have always been serial killers on screen, just in different guises.

The changing faces of movie killers over the years have reflected the filmmaking trends and social attitudes of the time. Starting in the 1920s, serial killer movies were used as a way to explore the dehumanizing destruction of World War I. Serial killers were later seen in screwball comedies of the 1940s, gritty detective dramas of the 1990s, and superhero movies of the 2020s. Throughout every era of film history, there have been movies about the universal fear of people who kill.

11

1920s – The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari (1920)

Serial killer movies have been around since the dawn of cinema

The cabinet of Dr. Caligari Represents the pinnacle of German Expressionismmaking it one of the great totemic landmarks of early cinema. This silent horror film follows a bloodthirsty hypnotist who brainwashes his sleepwalking victim into committing a series of gruesome murders all for his own self-aggrandizement. The cabinet of Dr. Caligari It’s not as scary for modern audiences as it was over 100 years ago, but it’s still a must-watch for anyone with an interest in the history of cinema.

While The cabinet of Dr. Caligari Helping shape the language of cinema with its dark themes and its tense plot, the movie’s greatest and most eye-catching quality is its disturbing visual style. Director Robert Wein uses long shadows, exaggerated physical forms and unusual angles to create an unnecessary spectacle. This ties in with the movie’s themes, vi The cabinet of Dr. Caligari Explores different perspectives, and the surreal destruction of Europe after the First World War.

10

1930s – M (1931)

Fritz Lang’s seminal serial killer movie established some of the genre’s traditions

Fritz Lang had already made a seismic contribution to the rise of cinema with 1927’s sci-fi masterpiece Metropolis. His first “talkie” proved to be so influential. M Established many of the techniques that are still used by serial killer movies almost 100 years later. The plot follows a child murderer played by Peter Lorre, and the frenzied attempts of law enforcement to catch him.

M Contrast the pathetic, lonely life of the murderer with the way the media portrays him. It explores the role the media has in creating ongoing crime narratives, something other filmmakers have taken inspiration from. The terror of the killer on the loose is not nearly as terrifying as the sense of paranoia and distrust that quickly grips a once peaceful community. M is often listed among the greatest movies of all time.

9

1940s – Arsenic and Old Lace (1944)

Cary Grant stars in a screwball comedy about serial killers

Arsenic and old lace is an adaptation of a very successful Broadway show of the same nameWith some of the original cast reprising their roles. The big addition is Cary Grant, who has a lot of experience as a leading man in screwball comedies such as Bring up baby. Arsenic and old lace But is much darker than his usual fare, as he plays a man who discovers that his family is full of murderers.

Arsenic and old lace Plays on the idea that every family is crazy in their own way. In the Brewster family, it’s more than just quirky family traditions and competitive game nights. The two aunts of the family have taken to killing older bachelors to relieve them of the misery of one life, while their nephew is another serial killer who has had plastic surgery to look like Boris Karloff. Grant is good for many laughs as the one normal character on show.

8

1950s – Night of the Hunter (1955)

The Night of the Hunter has stood the test of time

The night of the hunter had two lives. First, it was savaged by critics upon release, and it ended Charles Laughton’s directorial career on his debut. Years later, however, the film was reevaluated as an underappreciated classic. It enjoys a sparkling reputation these days, and It counts Martin Scorsese, Spike Lee and other influential filmmakers among its fans.

The night of the hunter It stars Robert Mitchum, who gives a chilling performance as a callous serial killer disguised as a priest. His image is so reptilian that The night of the hunter Often seems like a monster movie, albeit one with a human antagonist. Many of Laughton’s directorial choices are deliberately old-fashioned, creating an expressionist story that has stood the test of time far better than more grounded stories of the era.

7

1960s – Psycho (1960)

Alfred Hitchcock creates a terrifying horror movie and a compelling detective story in one

Psycho is one of Alfred Hitchcock’s best movies, and it perhaps showcases his flair for depicting the nature of human evil better than any other film. Thanks to an iconic performance by Anthony Perkins, Psycho Creates a truly disturbing serial killer, and Hitchcock’s mastery of suspense makes it look for a long time as if he could get away with each of his crimes.

Psycho It starts out like a gorgeous horror movie, with Hitchcock’s claustrophobic direction turning the Bates Motel into a monster’s dangerous lair. Shortly after the unforgettable shower scene, Psycho Changes tact and becomes a detective movie, without losing any of its vitality. Only the audience knows the true danger as Detective Arbogast starts to sniff around. The powerful soundtrack is just the cherry on top.

6

1970s – Halloween (1978)

John Carpenter created the slasher playbook with Halloween

The long-run Halloween The franchise has since become more complex and supernatural, but John Carpenter’s 1978 original remains a simple, classic slasher. Halloween Created one of the most recognizable serial killers in film history, with Michael Myers escaping from captivity and donning a creepy William Shatner mask before going on a killing spree.

Jamie Lee Curtis established herself as a true scream queen with Halloween. The movie also set the tone for many other slashers and horror movies, as countless filmmakers borrowed Carpenter’s creepy POV shots, and his idea of ​​opening the movie with a scene of shocking violence. Halloween has earned its place as required viewing for horror fans, and a classic that is still rolled out in repertory cinemas around the world every October.

5

1980s – Friday the 13th (1980)

Camp Crystal Lake is the ideal setting for a gory mystery

The Friday the 13th Franchise shares a lot in common with these Halloween franchise, and it has been accused of copying John Carpenter’s formula. Both slasher franchises have become less grounded over the years, and their timelines have become irretrievably tangled. In both cases, the original is the best. Friday the 13th Do borrow a few of these Halloween playbook, but it has many ideas of its own to sustain itself.

The mystery element in Friday the 13th is part of what makes the slasher stand out from so many of its contemporaries. Each of the counselors at Camp Crystal Lake is a potential suspect and a potential victim, although there is always the lingering suggestion that the deaths may be caused by some phantom force from beyond. Friday the 13th is a brutal serial killer movie and a satisfying mysteryWith a bitter final scene that lives long in the memory.

4

1990s – The Silence Of The Lambs (1991)

Anthony Hopkins created one of the most terrifying movie serial killers of all

The 1990s were a great time for gritty crime dramas, and The silence of the lambs is not the only classic serial killer movie of the decade. David Fincher S Se7en Digs deep into criminal psychology, Denzel Washington and Angelina Jolie shine in the bone collector, And scream Takes a comical view of the slasher genre. The silence of the lambs Might be the best of all, though, creating an iconic movie serial killer.

Anthony Hopkins’ Oscar-winning performance as cannibalistic killer Hannibal Lecter is enhanced by Jonathan Demme’s direction. Demme often chooses to frame Hopkins in an extreme close-up, giving the illusion that there is no escaping his intense gaze. Jodie Foster is also superb as the subject of this look: the rookie FBI profiler who becomes the lead detective in a twisted serial killer case. None of the sequels quite managed to live up to The silence of the lambs.

3

2000s – American Psycho (2000)

American Psycho is the darkest of dark comedies

American Psycho has been divisive since its releaseWith a Rotten Tomatoes score of only 68% highlighting how critics have failed to agree on its quality. The audience score of 85% shows that American Psycho has found a cult following over the years that appreciate Mary Harmon’s movie for what it is. Although it was difficult to categorize, American Psycho is as much a dark satire of corporate America as it is a horror movie.

American Psycho Takes the audience into the mind of Patrick Bateman, Christian Bale’s slick serial killer with a love of Huey Lewis and custom business cards. The story draws a lot of comedy from Patrick’s inner monologue. Split between thought-provoking philosophy and trivial arguments about everyday life, the constant monologue demythologizes the idea of ​​the serial killer. American Psycho‘s twist ending explores the gap between fantasy and reality one last time.

2

2010s – The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo (2011)

David Fincher is a master of serial killer movies

David Fincher has created several movies that explore the dark depths of criminal psychology, including Se7en And Zodiac. The girl with the dragon tattoo Continuing his streak of serial killer movies, adapting Stieg Larsson’s best-selling novel with Daniel Craig and Rooney Mara in the lead roles. Craig plays a journalist whose investigation into a missing person leads him into the lair of a corrupt serial killer.

The girl with the dragon tattoo Deserves a sequelAs Fincher was interested in adapting every book in Larsson’s Millennium Trilogy. Ultimately, the mediocre box office results meant that Fincher’s request for an increased budget for the sequel was always going to be a hard sell. Even without the two following, The girl with the dragon tattoo is a charming crime drama. Niels Arden Oplev’s 2009 adaptation is also worth watching for fans of the genre.

1

2020s – The Batman (2022)

The Batman is a dark crime drama that breaks the superhero mold

The 2020s have produced some interesting serial killer movies, including T. West’s X Trilogy, m. Night Shyamalan’s Trap and Edgar Wright S Last night in SohoShowing that the genre is just as popular as ever. Matt Reeves The Batman Reinvents a classic character, focusing on his role as a detective in a crime-ridden Gotham City that lies within the tropes of film noir.

The Batman is a dark, atmospheric superhero movie that balances some electrifying action with a compelling mystery plot, as Batman chases the Riddler. Before the batman, The Riddler’s most famous appearance on the big screen was in the critically panned Batman Forever. The contrast between Jim Carrey’s hammy performance and Paul Dano’s chilling depiction is night-and-day, and it perfectly sums up how The Batman Puts a fresh spin on old characters.