Top 5 Serial Killer Biopics
 

These are the best serial killer biopics I've seen.
Young Poisoner's Handbook (1995) (Graham Young)
To Catch A Killer (1992) (John Wayne Gacy)
The Deliberate Stranger (1986) (Ted Bundy)
Zodiac (2007) (The Zodiac)
Citizen X (1995) (Andrei Chikatilo)

Nothing bofore 1986?

How about Boston Strangler?

How about 10 Rillington Place?

Here's a few from me. I really like the films that don't follow the whole "How to join the FBI" formula. The ones that concentrate solely on the killer and their actions are where it's at. Most of the films in the serial killer genre I dig aren't biopics (Henry: Portrait of a Serial Killer almost made it in but I decided it was only loosely based on actual events and never stated it was based on Henry Lee Lucas).

1. The Manson Famly - Most people stupidly think Manson was a serial killer so I'll throw this one in here because it takes the cake as far as bio pics go. Van Bebber is the king of modern US independent cinema. It took nearly a decade to make it onto our screens but it was well worth the wait.

2. Deranged - while it never states it "officially" this is THE best film about Ed Gein (and not to mention most accurate - unlike that pile of shit starring Jason Vorhees). A fantastic flick that every horror fan should see at some point. Comes in a nifty double feature with Motel Hell which is great value.

3. Ted Bundy - This one is criminally overlooked and dismissed by most movie goers who seemed to write it off as a lame low budget cash in. Well written with a great cast this flick is everything American Psycho should've been.

4. The Hillside Strangler - A gritty, well written that's on par with Ted Bundy. Nicholas Turturro gives a stellar performance and you'll never see C. Thomas Howell in the same light again.

5. Confessions Of A Serial Killer - Excellent 1985 flick based on the exploits of Henry Lee Lucas. A overlooked gem for sure and the shoddy DVD art doesn't help it out any (and it's cut) but this is well worth tracking down.

I've still gotta check out To Catch A Killer it's not the easiest to come across these days. Well overdue for a DVD release considering the cult following its got.

I like Deranged as well.

I've never been able to catch a Van Bebber film, but I need to.

I've been meaning to grab the Visions of Hell boxset for awhile now before it goes out of print. But yeh The Manson Family is the best place to start IMO. Dude's a total outsider and I respect his dedication to his vision. Seriously if I had the money I'd finance a film for him so he can get more of his work out there.

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Mum & Dad was fucking brilliant. Totally would've made it to my list if it was a top 6 :D

I've heard good things about Tony so I'm eager to check it out. "Film of the Year" kinda shit apparently.

I totally forgot about Deranged. Sorry about that ; that is a great movie. I've been waiting for 10 Rillington Place to come on tv ; I guess I'll have to buy it so I can finally see it.

I also enjoyed John Borowski's documentaries on H.H. Holmes and Albert Fish. Any other great horror documentaries out there?

http://www.stargazingblog.co.uk/wp-c.../2010/01/m.jpg

Prolly based on Peter Kurten..and was the excellent TEnderness of wolves..

Tony is great IMO - the fact its set in Urban Britain brings it closer to home..

I was going to jump on Elvis for listing Manson as a serial killer (til he expanded on it)..I guess Gein isn't technically a serial killer either (and you could prolly cut Lucas' bodycount by 400 or so :-)

Well, Gein did kill several people. I recommend the book Deviant for a great examination of the whole Gein story.

Yeah i read that along time ago...I remember GEin might of killed his brother but this was never proven..He confessed to killing 2 people but was only done for one so not technically a serial killer but its just semantics like excluding Manson (who was never charged for murder at all though i'm sure he did a couple at least..)

10 Rillington Place is great..

The film Elvis mentioned - Confessions Of A Serial Killer was pretty good and like EC mention I avoided it as it was made to look like a Hannibal Lecter rip off film but its much better than that....

Elvis - (to sidetrack alittle) are u a Joe Coleman fan?

Some great titles mentioned here that I have forgotten about.

I'd like to show some love for ED GEIN,starring Steve Railsback and Carrie Snodgrass.Its one of the most subtle serial killer flicks Ive ever seen.I love the patience the director exhibits in the telling of Gein's tale.

Yeh man Joe Coleman is a really fascinating person and his artwork is amazing. The Rest In Pieces documentary was excellent. I first discovered him through the documentary Mondo New York and the book Apocalypse Culture. I'd love to get the poster for Henry: Portrait of a Serial Killer he did the artwork for. But yeh I'm a big fan for sure.

I loved Memories of Murder from South Korea. I didn't even realize it was based on a true story when I saw it. I'm not sure how fictionalized it was though. Going a bit more mainstream, how about Zodiac?

As far as I know, no movie has ever been made about these serial killers:

Prolific:

Pedro Lopez
Luis Alfredo Garavito
Javed Iqbal
Harold Shipman

Bone-Chillingly Sadistic:

Fred And Rose West
Gary Heidnik
Dean Corll
Joseph Kallinger

What others?

I like watching movies about;
Dahmer.
Burk and Hare.
Jack the ripper.
They don't make serial killers the way they use too.:eek:

Mum & Dad is very loosely based on them..

Too loose.:(

I do love the film though.

I just saw 10 Rillington Place, mentioned a couple times in this thread. A chilling movie. Attenborrough is truly frightening in his quiet portrayal.

We must have seen the same showing. Terrific movie.

How has no one mentioned HENRY PORTRAIT OF A SERIAL KILLER?

It's one of the best serial killer bios ever. It's based on the confessions of Henry Lee Lucas add in Otis Toole and Orange (yellow) Socks. Man that movie rocks.

You're right- great movie.

ElvisChrist mentioned it and pointed out that it was a little too loosely based on Henry Lee Lucas to be considered a biopic.

Speaking of Henry Lee Lucas I caught Drifter: Henry Lee Lucas last weekend. It was pretty average but I got more of an insight into the dude (not sure how accurate it all was). Man its been ages since there was a good bio flick.

In the original theatrical version (played in one NYC theatre) There was a title card before the movie began that said "This movie is based on the confessions of Henry Lee Lucas". Then at the end a title card read "Henry later recanted his confessions".

Many of the stories and killings in this movie are true. The girl in the suitcase was actually a girl the police dubbed Orange or Yellow socks and I think she was his last victim. But, it's been a while since I read about him, so I could be off a little.

Lucas was cleared of the "orange socks" killing. He was actually in another state when that crime occured, and there was ample evidence to that fact, which is why then governor George W. Bush commuted his sentence from death to life in prison- the only time a governor in Texas has ever done this.

The guy only killed his mother for sure apparently.

So it seems - his confessions were 'slightly' exaggerated...

He was in jail for murder. He'd been in and out of jail for his mother's killing. So, he must have been guilty of killing someone else. If you confess to 152 killings, and the cops close the books on the cases, then you're guilty of some.

Henry Lee Lucas had confessed to somewhere around 600 murders and recanted all but the murder of his mother. He was convicted of 11 counts of murder, but only received the death sentence for the Orange Socks murder which, as was previously stated, was commuted when it was proven he couldn't possibly have commited that particular murder.

Ottis Toole was sentenced to 20 years for arson and while in prison confessed to murder and then recanted his confession.