The stories of Ted Bundy, Aileen Wuornos, Jeffrey Dahmer not only excited the public, but also served as inspiration for filmmakers. Let’s take a look at the top-rated serial killer thrillers based on true events!
“The Silence of the Lambs” (1990)
Yes, the plot focuses on fictional serial killers Hannibal Lecter and Buffalo Bill, but the image of the latter is a collective one. It was based on three real-life murderers: Ted Bundy, Eddie Gean and Gary Heidnik. The first one put the victims in the car with various excuses like Buffalo Bill, the second one hid the remains of the victims in the house and made clothes from women’s skin, the third one kidnapped the girls and kept them in a deep pit at home.
By the way, at the 1992 Oscars, “The Silence of the Lambs” received five statuettes in the main categories: “Best Picture”, “Best Actor”, “Best Actress”, “Best Director”, “Best Adapted Screenplay” !
IMDb score: 8.6
“Sam’s Bloody Summer” (1999)
In 1976, a killer nicknamed Son of Sam (in real life David Berkowitz) was operating in New York: he shot teenagers with a .44-caliber pistol and committed his last – sixth – murder on July 31, 1977, when he was killed. He was detained on the same day. The court sentenced Sam to 365 years in prison; He is still serving his sentence, he is now 67 years old.
The film, adapted from the story, was directed by Spike Lee, and the main roles of the film were Adrien Brody, Mira Sorvino and John Leguizamo. The killer himself appears only a few times in 2 hours and 16 minutes – this film is mostly about the few suspects involved in his case.
IMDb score: 6.7
“Dahmer the Executioner” (2002)
Jeremy Renner (you definitely know him from “The Avengers”) as Jeffrey Dahmer, the “Milokee Monster” whose victims were 17 teenage boys and men between 1978 and 1991: he raped and ate the victims’ corpses. The court sentenced Jeffrey to 15 life sentences, but he did not have to serve these sentences for long: he was killed in prison in 1994.
“Dahmer the Executioner” is less about Jeffrey’s bloodthirsty murders than what drives him to commit crimes: a psychological drama about human nature and the inner world of one of the most terrifying maniacs in US history.
IMDb score: 5.6
“Monster” (2003)
The plot is inspired by the story of Aileen Wuornos, the second female maniac in US history: She operated in Florida in the late ’80s, killing and robbing men (she had seven victims in total) and claiming to have done so for her own gain. defense. On October 9, 2002, the “angel of death” was executed by lethal injection.
The role of Eileen in “Monster” was played by Charlize Theron, who gained 13 kilos for the shooting and won an Oscar for the film. The plot focuses on his love for a girl named Selby Wall, for whom he resorts to prostitution and murder.
IMDb score: 7.3
“Memories of Murder” (2003)
Events take place in 1986 in the small Korean city of Hwaseong, where an unknown serial killer operates: he kills young women and rapes them before death. A detective and his assistant undertake the investigation of the case, but they cannot identify the maniac.
Based on true events, the film tells the story of the first known serial murders that occurred in South Korea between 1986 and 1991. By the way, the case was only solved in 2019: the killer was revealed to be a man named Lee Chungjae – he is currently serving a life sentence!
IMDb score: 8.1
“OC” (2005)
The story of two detectives who follow Martha Beck and Raymond Martinez Fernandez, murderers collectively known as the “Lonely Hearts” who operated in the United States in the late 40s and murdered widows (at least 20 victims are known). The criminals were executed in the electric chair on March 8, 1951.
IMDb score: 6.4
“Snow” (2006)
The film, starring Misha Collins, tells the story of how Paul Bernardo and his wife Karla Homolka kidnapped, raped and killed three young girls. The first of these was Carla’s own sister!
Some historical facts: At the trial, Homolka testified that she was also a victim of her husband’s violence and was involved in crimes against her will, so her sentence was commuted to 12 years in prison (Paul Bernardo is still serving a life sentence) and is currently in prison. She was released in 2005, got married and gave birth to a son!
IMDb score: 5.5
“Zodiac Sign” (2007)
The identity of the criminal hiding under the alias Zodiac has not been determined yet! This was the name given to the maniac operating in Northern California and San Francisco in the late 60s: He claimed 37 murders, but only seven are considered officially proven. A distinctive feature of the Zodiac was the letters and cryptograms he personally wrote to local newspapers, reporting crimes and accusing the authorities of inaction.
The thriller directed by David Fincher stars Jake Gyllenhaal, Mark Ruffalo and Robert Downey Jr. It is located.
IMDb score: 7.7
“Snow City” (2010)
“The City” tells the story of John Bunting, the most brutal serial killer in Australian history, who led a criminal gang in the city of Snowtown (hence the name) and committed 11 murders: He and his gang members self-selected their victims. He mocked his friends, acquaintances and relatives using knives, tongs, pliers, stun guns and hydrochloric acid. Bunting is currently serving 11 consecutive life sentences without parole.
IMDb score: 6.6
“Frozen Ground” (2011)
At first glance, Robert Hansen is an exemplary family man, bakery owner and a good hunter. So who would have thought that under this mask there was actually a ruthless maniac who kidnapped and killed more than twenty women? Only 17-year-old Cindy Paulson managed to escape from him, and it was she who led the police on the trail of the maniac, who began a dangerous investigation.
In real life, Robert Hansen was arrested in 1983 and sentenced to life imprisonment without the right to review the sentence, and died in 2014 at the age of 75.
IMDb score: 6.4
“My Friend Dahmer” (2017)
Another movie, this time about Jeffrey Dahmer, played by Ross Lynch. The events take place in his teenage years: Jeffrey is having a hard time due to his parents’ divorce and suffers from the lack of friends and attention.
IMDb score: 6.2
“Beauty, the Bad and the Beast” (2018)
The charming Zac Efron plays Ted Bundy, a serial killer, rapist, necrophile and kidnapper who operated in different states of America in the 70s. He confessed to 30 murders before being executed by electric chair on January 24, 1989, but according to some sources, the number of his victims could exceed one hundred people!
Joe Berlinger’s dramatic thriller (“Oil”, “Paradise Lost 3”, “Under the African Sky”) tells its story against the background of Ted’s relationship with his beloved Liz, with whom he lived for several years.
IMDb score: 6.6
“Gangster, Cop and Devil” (2019)
A crime thriller straight from South Korea. The year is 2005, a small town crime boss is attacked by a serial killer and becomes the only surviving victim. Now the only way to regain authority in the eyes of those around him is to find the attacker and take revenge. A local detective hates organized crime, but must join forces with a thug to catch an even more hated maniac.
IMDb score: 6.9
Source: People Talk
Errol Villanueva is an author and lifestyle journalist who writes for The Fashion Vibes. With a passion for exploring the latest trends in fashion, food, travel, and wellness, Errol’s articles are a must-read for anyone interested in living a stylish and fulfilling life.
