Filmsane

You’ve probably heard the news. The suspect of being the Golden State Killer was apprehended by the California police this week.

The former police officer Joseph James DeAngelo – suspect of a string of US murders, rapes and burglaries was arrested and even Patton Oswalt thanked his former wife for her contribution. Patton’s late wife Michelle McNamara worked on her book – I’ll Be Gone in the Dark: One Woman’s Obsessive Search for the Golden State Killer at the time of her untimely death, and Patton helped finish it and of course publish it after her death.

But right now I want to focus on the movies. Not the books. I want to look back at some of the best, yet underrated and forgotten serial killer films of the past.

I’m sure you’ve seen Se7en, Monster, Zodiac and American Psycho… But what about the rest? The forgotten yet awesome? The underrated yet timeless films? Here are some of my top 6 picks of best serial killer films that time forgot.

Serial Mom (1994)

Director: John Waters
Stars: Kathleen Turner, Sam Waterston, Ricki Lake…
Fun fact about the movie: This was Matthew Lillard’s first film. When he noticed that Kathleen Turner had memorized everyone’s names from the call sheets, he asked her why she did it. Her reply was, “Oh, honey, that’s the first thing you do!”

Cruising (1980)

Director: William Friedkin
Stars: Al Pacino, Paul Sorvino, Karen Allen…
Fun fact about the movie: William Friedkin did some of his research for the film by attending gay bars dressed in only a jockstrap.

The Cell (2000)

Director: Tarsem Singh
Stars: Jennifer Lopez, Vince Vaughn, Vincent D’Onofrio…
Fun fact about the movie: Named by Roger Ebert as one of his top-ten films of 2000.

Perfume: The Story of a Murderer (2006)

Director: Tom Tykwer
Stars: Ben Whishaw, Dustin Hoffman, Alan Rickman…
Fun fact about the movie: The actual liquid of the “ultimate” perfume at the end is a mixture of cola thinned with a bit of water.

Badlands (1973)

Director: Terrence Malick
Stars: Martin Sheen, Sissy Spacek, Warren Oates…
Fun fact about the movie: Martin Sheen was 32 when he played 25-year-old Kit. Sissy Spacek, who played 15-year-old Holly, was 22.

Kalifornia (1993)

Director: Dominic Sena
Stars: Brad Pitt, Juliette Lewis, David Duchovny, Kathy Larson…
Fun fact about the movie: During the movie, Early Grace sports a chipped tooth. Brad Pitt visited a dentist to have the tooth chipped for the role.