Who's Your Favorite Serial Killer, Then?
Who's to say that serial kilers can't be loveable? This is a conditonal list of films starring serial killers who have bceome either fan favorites or cult classics.
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16 titles
- CreatorJames Manos Jr.StarsMichael C. HallJennifer CarpenterDavid ZayasHe's smart. He's lovable. He's Dexter Morgan, America's favorite serial killer, who spends his days solving crimes and nights committing them.Dexter Morgan (played by Michael C. Hall) is the serial killer you love to hate ... or just plain love!
- DirectorJonathan DemmeStarsJodie FosterAnthony HopkinsScott GlennA young F.B.I. cadet must receive the help of an incarcerated and manipulative cannibal killer to help catch another serial killer, a madman who skins his victims.Anthony Hopkins is the ultimate purely evil in serial killers, and this film, the first time he played the character, is the best.
- DirectorFritz LangStarsPeter LorreEllen WidmannInge LandgutWhen the police in a German city are unable to catch a child-murderer, other criminals join in the manhunt.Peter Lorre plays one of the most interesting serial killers ever filmed, not evil but driven by an uncontrollable compulsion.
- DirectorNicholas MeyerStarsMalcolm McDowellMary SteenburgenDavid WarnerH.G. Wells pursues Jack the Ripper to the 20th Century when the serial murderer uses the future writer's time machine to escape his time period.David Warner plays Dr. Leslie John Stephenson aka "Jack the Ripper" who steals H.G. Wells' time machine to escape into 1979, where he continues is bloody ways. Mr. Warner's "Jack" is a very suave and menacing portrayal of the famous serial killer.
- DirectorAlbert HughesAllen HughesStarsJohnny DeppHeather GrahamIan HolmAfter five ritualistic murders are committed in 1888 London, Inspector Abberline's assignment is to investigate the "Jack the Ripper" murders. Along with a string of mutilated prostitutes, he uncovers a conspiracy involving the government."Jack the Ripper" is portrayed this time by Ian Holm, and out of the current crop of historical suspects it's an actual doctor.
- DirectorBob ClarkStarsChristopher PlummerJames MasonDavid HemmingsSherlock Holmes investigates the murders commited by Jack the Ripper and discovers a conspiracy to protect the killer.Of the films that pit Sherlock Holmes against Jack the Ripper, this one is the best; fantastic camera work and a plotline with one or two red herrings that actually keeps the viewer rivetted ... which is interestuing considering that director Bob Clark is primarily known for the PORKY films.
- CreatorMark FrostDavid LynchStarsKyle MacLachlanMichael OntkeanMädchen AmickAn idiosyncratic FBI agent investigates the murder of a young woman in the even more idiosyncratic town of Twin Peaks.
- DirectorDavid LynchStarsSheryl LeeRay WiseMädchen AmickLaura Palmer's harrowing final days are chronicled one year after the murder of Teresa Banks, a resident of Twin Peaks' neighboring town.A pretty good prequel/sequel to the cult TV series.
- DirectorAlfred HitchcockStarsAnthony PerkinsJanet LeighVera MilesA secretary on the run for embezzlement takes refuge at a secluded California motel owned by a repressed man and his overbearing mother.Anthony Perkins was born to own the role of Norman Bates (there were three other Normans: Henry Thomas, who played the young Norman in PSYCHO IV: THE BEGINNING; Vince Vaughn in the 1998 unnecessary remake; and Kurt Paul in the made-for-TV film BATES MOTEL, who is only seen in a photo).
- CreatorBruno HellerStarsSimon BakerRobin TunneyTim KangA famous "psychic" outs himself as a fake, and starts working as a consultant for the California Bureau of Investigation so he can find "Red John", the madman who killed his wife and daughter.The serial killer that haunts this series, "Red John", is a shadowy figure who only (supposedly) comes into focus at the end of Season Three and I was really sorry to see the last of him in Season 6.
- DirectorGeorge KingStarsTod SlaughterStella RhoJohn SingerA Fleet Street barber recounts the story of Sweeney Todd, a notorious barber who in the last century murdered many customers for their money.Tod Slaughter (appropriately named!) made a career out of playing villains, and The Demon Barber of Sfleet Street became one of his most famous. Unlike following interpretations of Sweeney, Slaughter's has not a single redeeming feature about him; he's truly a villain you love to hate!
- DirectorTerry HughesStarsAngela LansburyGeorge HearnCris GroenendaalBarber Sweeney Todd returns to London to uncover the past, along the way meeting pie shop owner Mrs. Nellie Lovett, and begins to start his life of crime.While I personally prefer the original Broadway Sweeney (Len Cariou) since his portrayal was more intense. George Hearn did a fantastic job taking over for him and his Sweeney is just as driven by his inner demons as by the injustices done to him and his family. Angel;a Lansbury is absolutely delightful as Mrs. Lovett and one can easily see why she is the real brains of the operation. I'm also glad that Edmund Lyndeck (Judge Turpin) and Ken Jennings (Tobias Ragg) from the origibnal Broadway run stayed with the company for this production, and Cris Groenendaal seems ideal as our hero Anthony (although I will always regret never having seen Victor Garber as the original Anthony).
- DirectorReginald CollinStarsFreddie JonesPeter SallisRussell HunterA fiendish barber in early 19th century London has many dark secrets in his past and also in his present day activities.This is a lesser known version of the Sweeney Todd tale from late 1960's British TV, but worth seeing as Freddie Jones provides an incredible portryal of Sweeney Todd as a true serial killer driven by dark inner demons (I won't dare to give away the fantasic twist ending!).
- DirectorTim BurtonStarsJohnny DeppHelena Bonham CarterAlan RickmanThe legendary tale of a barber who returns from wrongful imprisonment to 1840s London, bent on revenge for the rape and death of his wife, and resumes his trade while forming a sinister partnership with his fellow tenant, Mrs. Lovett.Of all the Sweeney Todds yet portrayed, I have to say that Johnny Depp gives his version a brooding stillness I haven't seen in other that at times is even more terrifying. I miss Angela Lansbury's playfulness and humor from Helena Bonham-Carter's Mrs. Lovett and Jamie Campbell Bowert as Anthony is a little too androgynous for my liking, but Alan Rickman's Judge Turpin is perfectly detestable (it seems his version is more of a pervert than the stage versions, although less of a masochist).
- DirectorAlfred HitchcockStarsJon FinchBarry FosterBarbara Leigh-HuntA serial murderer is strangling women with a necktie. The London police have a suspect, but he is the wrong man."The Necktie Murderer", a rapist/serial killer played by Barry Foster, is a lesser known serial killer out of the mind of novelist Arthuir La Bern and brought to life by noted playwright Anthony Schaffer and director Alfred Hitchcock. This was Hitchcock's second-to-last film; I understand that he showed great restraint in filming the rape/muder scene (not as graphic as it was in the book) and this is one of his most chilling films. Personally, I think I WILL check this film out again!
- StarsMichael CaineArmand AssanteRay McAnallyA Scotland Yard police inspector, battling the booze, investigates the Jack the Ripper murders and discovers a conspiracy that leads all the way up to the Queen.A rather good mini-series that supposedly had four different endings for four different suspects to be identified as the Ripper. Michael Caine is very good as Inspector Abberline, what we would nowadays call the "lead detective" on the Ripper case.