My Top 5 Favorite Serial Killer Movies

My Top 5 Favorite Serial Killer Movies

Weapon wielding, murderous maniacs make up a large percentage of horror movie content. The “slasher” movie being some of the most recognizable in pop culture. The 1980s ran with this concept and resulted in some of the timeless horror movies ever made: Nightmare on Elm Street, Friday the 13th, Texas Chainsaw Massacre, and, of course, Halloween. But, before I get into this roundup, I would like to argue the difference between a “slasher” and a “serial killer.” In many instances, the two seem hermetically inseparable, and I suppose if racking up bodies qualifies one as being a serial killer, then the shoe fits. I see a difference between the two. So, this roundup won’t feature any of those classic “slashers.” I think a serial killer movie grounds itself into reality. After all, serial killers are real, and so are the horrors they manifest. A serial killer needs not the aid of the supernatural to assist him in the abominable. So, my roundup below is an ode to the serial killer, a horror all too real to be forgotten. And, all too real to be perfect for a Halloween scare.

I’ve made some brief lists below because, as I was writing, I found there were too many films not to mention. All of them could have easily made it to my top 5, but I’d like to expose readers to film they may not otherwise discover. 

Honorable Mentions:

The Snowtown Murders (2012) Dir: Justin Kerzel

Monster (2003) Dir: Patty Jenkins

I Saw the Devil (2010) Dir: Kim Jee-Woon

The Collector (2009) Dir: Marcus Dunstan

Natural Born Killers (1994) Dir: Oliver Stone

Classics:

The Silence of the Lambs (1991) Dir: Jonathan Demme

American Psycho (2000) Dir: Mary Harron

M (1931) Dir: Fritz Lang 

Henry: Portrait of a Serial Killer (1986) Dir: John McNaughton

Seven (1995) Dir: David Fincher

1. The Poughkeepsie Tapes (2009) Dir: John Erick Dowdle

*WARNING* EXTREME VIOLENCE AGAINST CHILDREN 

This utterly disturbing mockumentary will cause even the most seasoned horror vets to shudder. Our serial killer subject is insidious, sparing no one and delighting in imaginative means of torture. This film reveals videotapes left by the killer, and these are some of the most creepy sequences put to film. I consider myself a horror enthusiast. I have watched many horror movies ranging in tone and delivery. The Poughkeepsie Tapes remains one of the most unnerving, uncomfortable films I’ve seen.

2. Creep 2 (2017) Dir: Patrick Kack-Brice 

One of the best contributions to the found-footage trope is the Creep movies. This movie is slow to build but keeps tension at a constant satisfying simmer. The film is told through the video footage of one unlucky, freelance camerawoman - resulting in a bizarrely intimate experience with our killer. As the film unfolds, we see him as eccentric, funny, charming, and ultimately dangerous.

3. The House the Jack Built (2018) Dir: Lars Von Trier 

*WARNING* EXTREME VIOLENCE TOWARDS CHILDREN

I struggle with Lars Von Trier. In fact, I think I hate him. His films are so masturbatory, self-indulgent, narcissistic, and cynical. But, there is no dispute — Lars Von Trier is an incredible and capable filmmaker. To be sure, there is a large degree of art and aesthetic that accompanies his unsettling, grisly films — and for that, I must give him credit where credit is due. The House That Jack Built has its fair share of Trier’s signature brand of excruciating sequences. However, the two-and-a-half hour-long film comprises philosophical banter where our killer prattles on regarding his sensibilities of murder and art. It’s worth-watching and quickly finds a home on this list — but don’t underestimate its tedium. Critics have widely been torn regarding this film, some consider genius and other trash. I’m still unsure. 

4. My Friend Dahmer (2017) Dir: Marc Meyers

My Friend Dahmer follows the adolescent period of one of American’s most notorious, demented serial killers, Jeffery Dahmer. While this is not really a horror movie per-say, and while we witness only the build-up to Dahmer’s insidious kill spree and none of the actual murders — it really is a great serial killer flick. We get to know and understand Jeffery Dahmer more intimately rather than exploitation into his wicked deeds. And in this sense, the film is sympathetic towards Dahmer. Dahmer is a fascinating figure in true crime, and while he is one of the more gruesome, he is an outlier to the typically serial killer profile. A well-handled film and an excellent choice for the true crime enthusiast. 

5. The Golden Glove (2019) Dir: Fatih Akin 

Controversial and met with polarizing views from the critics, The Golden Glove is a slice of life from one of Germany’s most notorious serial killers and the decrepit watering hole he haunts to procure victims. It is an ugly film. I’m not just referring to our subject, Fritz Honka’s heinous actions - instead, the film’s cinematography, which is slicked with foulness. We’re looking at the bottom-of-the-barrel in post-war Germany, and it isn’t pretty. Viewers may find this an uncomfortable watch as the film seems to produce solely to achieve that effect offering little in the ways of substance. But as AVClub critic Katie Rife states, “The pointless depravity is the point.”