The representation of serial killers reality in cinema has always been controversial. Some believe that portraying criminals gives them prestige they do not deserve, and they can often be likable if the film is not careful. In both cases, it can seem insensitive to the victims’ families, who are too often left out of the narrative.
Only the best movies of serial killers can explore criminal psychology without crossing the line and in this note we recommend three of them that you can watch streaming. All available on the platforms Max, Amazon Prime Video and Disney+.
Monster (2003) | Max
Charlize Theron and Christina Ricci star Monster. Photo: Newmarket Films.
The vast majority of serial killers are men and that detail makes the case of Aileen Wuornos more fascinating. Monster portrays her as a traumatized sex worker who kills her clients as an act of retribution and revenge. This has fueled controversy over the years, with some claiming she is overly sympathetic to a woman who killed seven men in increasingly violent ways. Despite the controversies, the movie explore the mind of a serial killer and, although some elements of the story are fictional, for the most part it is faithful to the real case.
The Boston Strangler (2023) | Disney+
Keira Knightley y Carrie Coon en The Boston Strangler. Photo: Upstream.
The Boston Strangler It is an intriguing case and has been the subject of heated debate for a long time. In the years following Albert DeSalvo’s arrest and conviction, serious doubts were cast about the investigation, with many believing that he was not solely responsible for the deaths of 13 women in the early 1960s. DNA testing has since shown that DeSalvo was, at the very least, to blame for the latter murder. The movie is a dramatic account of the investigation of the crimes carried out by two reporters, despite pressure from the police and their own bosses to drop the story.
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Snowtown (2011) | Amazon Prime Video
Daniel Henshall, Lucas Pittaway y Aaron Viergever and Snowtown. Photo: Madman Films.
The murders of Snowtown They are not particularly famous outside Australia, but they made headlines in the 1990s. The crimes were perpetrated by three young men and an accomplice who helped them dispose of the bodies by hiding them in barrels inside the vault of a bank. The trial sparked a media frenzy, but the movie examines the series of crimes before the men were captured. The plot focuses on the background of the murderers and explores what could have led them to commit these acts.
