When it comes to horror movies, few are creepier than those based off of true events. Some take it a step further and tell the true stories of serial killers, with some embellishments of course. This type of movie is not for everyone, but those who love them seek them out without regard for actors or directors. With the news that Zac Efron will be playing Ted Bundy in an upcoming film, I thought I would compile a list of the best serial killer films just for you.
Ed Gein (2007)
Ed Gein is by and large nothing more than a starring vehicle for Kane Hodder. But you know what? He deserves it. The movie follows fairly closely to the Gein story with a few flairs here and there to make the story more interesting to the horror fan. There are a few nice touches like the furniture made from body parts that Gein is so well known for. At the end of it all, this movie seems more like a documentary than anything, which is an idea I can get behind.
Henry: Portrait of a Serial Killer (1986)
This is the one situation on this list where the movie may be more popular than the Killer himself. Unlike the Bundy, Gacy, and Dahmer names, the name Henry Lee Lucas is not as well known in the serial killer lexicon. Because of his little-known deeds, Henry: Portrait of a Serial Killer is one of the best movies about a serial killer ever made. It stars Michael Rooker, who did not get the attention he rightly deserves until he played Merle Dixon on The Walking Dead. The movie does a decent job of telling the Henry story, with a few embellishments to keep the movie interesting. I love the not-so-happy ending, which I think makes the whole movie.
Dahmer (2002)
Before Jeremy Renner was taking part in some of the most iconic franchises in cinema history, he was portraying Jeffery Dahmer on the small screen. The movie, Dahmer, is much more of a biopic than it is a horror movie, which may turn some horror fans off. Though it is not exactly a great movie, it is not the worst movie ever thanks to Renner’s acting ability. Overall, the movie is a little boring, but they do a great job at sticking to the actual story.
Gacy (2003)
Gacy does a great job at telling the Gacy story and has a few recognizable faces in it to boot. It stars Mark Holton as John Wayne Gacy, Holton is probably most recognizable to horror fans as Ozzie from the original Leprechaun movie. Charlie Webber, who has recently found fame in How to Get Away with Murder, also played a big role in the film. They spend more time explaining who Gacy was as a man than they do who he was as a murdering psycho who masqueraded as a clown. This movie is low budget and low quality, but still not the worst movie I have ever seen.
B.T.K. (2008)
It turns out that the talented Kane Hodder has played more than one real-life serial killer in his day. Out of all of the serial killer movies on this list, I have to say this depiction of Dennis L. Rader is the most interesting to watch. B.T.K. did a great job of balancing the more graphic scenes with scenes that showed that, apart from this one evil part of his life, Dennis Rader was a pretty normal guy. Really, he was an upstanding citizen, leader in his church, and even a volunteer with the boy scouts.
Bundy: An American Icon (2008)
This movie should not be confused with the film Ted Bundy, which was released six years prior to this one. An American Icon stars Corin Nemec, who cheesy horror fans will recognize as a guy who is usually standing next to computer-generated sharks and crocodiles. The movie also stars Kane Hodder, funnily enough, but he takes a smaller supporting role in this one. Usually I find Nemec’s acting to be laughable and the reason that he has had minimal mainstream success, but he does a magnificent job as Ted Bundy in this film. Next to Henry, this is probably my favorite serial killer movie. They stick to the story and portray Bundy as the charismatic man that he was. It is true that Ted Bundy could have been someone special if it wasn’t for his blood lust, and this movie hits that nail on the head.
Obviously, real life murder is a touchy subject and not one to be taken lightly. I think all of these movies do a sufficient job at entertaining while reminding you of the horror and atrocities committed by these evil men. There are other films out there that take on these figures, but I think these six do the best job at striking a balance between entertainment and storytelling.