Movies about serial killers: These 5 are based on true events

Films about serial killers offer insights into the complex psychology of the perpetrators. Viewers feel both fear and morbid curiosity.

“Monster” (2003): One of the most successful films about serial killers

The American crime drama film by Patty Jenkins tells the story of serial killer Aileen Wuornos.

Set in Florida at the end of the 1980s, the story follows Aileen Wuornos (Charlize Theron), a prostitute who forms a relationship with Selby (Christina Ricci), a young woman, in a desperate attempt to turn her life around.
After she is attacked by a suitor, Aileen kills him in self-defense and begins murdering more men in order to financially secure herself and Selby. Her actions ultimately lead to her arrest and sentence to death.
The film is based on the real-life murders of Aileen Wuornos, who was convicted of six counts of murder in 1992 and executed in 2002.
“Monster” was received largely positively by experts and is considered a haunting character study about violence and trauma; Theron's performance was recognized as outstanding and won an Oscar.

David Fincher's gripping thriller is based on the real events surrounding the infamous Zodiac Killer.

The story begins on July 4, 1969, when Darlene Ferrin and Mike Mageau are attacked by an unknown assailant in Vallejo, California; Darlene dies while Mike survives.
The perpetrator, who calls himself Zodiac, then reports to the police and sends coded letters to the press in which he threatens to commit more murders.
Jake Gyllenhaal plays Robert Graysmith, a political cartoonist who obsessively studies the case and tries to decipher the killer's identity. Robert Downey Jr. stars as star journalist Paul Avery, who is also involved in the reporting.
The film is based on the real-life murders of the Zodiac Killer, who killed at least five people between 1968 and 1969 and became famous for his coded messages. Despite intensive investigations, the killer was never caught, which leaves the case unsolved to this day.
The depiction of the obsessive behavior of the investigators and journalists shows the impact of the case on their lives and relationships.
“Zodiac” was widely praised by critics and critics and is considered one of the best films of 2007; he was valued for his meticulous research and psychological depth.

The German feature film by Romuald Karmakar deals with the psychology of serial killer Fritz Haarmann.

The plot focuses on the questioning of Haarmann (Götz George) by the psychiatrist Ernst Schultze (Jürgen Hentsch) in a spartan room in which Haarmann reports on his actions soberly and at times with a sense of distraction.
The film is based on the real-life interrogation protocols of Fritz Haarmann, who murdered at least 24 boys and men in Germany in the 1920s and whose actions and circumstances of his arrest in 1924 are well documented.
“The Deadmaker” was praised by critics, particularly for its reduced staging and the intense acting performance of Götz George as Haarmann.
The filmic representation is described as haunting because it illuminates the depths of the human psyche and addresses the relationship between perpetrator and psychiatrist in a disturbing way.