Horror movies, thrillers, detective stories, terrifying biographies - you can find it all in our selection of 20 best films about maniacs and serial killers. They take your breath away, interfere with sleep at night and give you a reason to think about life in general. Do you want to tickle your nerves with a bucket of popcorn? Join us!
1. Silence of the Lambs (1991)
The film has long been recognized as a cult, and Anthony Hopkins' Hannibal Lecter is considered the best movie villain of all time. Dr. Lecter loves classical music and fine cuisine ...
2. Zodiac (2007)
The story of the Zodiac is based on a real-life case of a maniac in San Francisco in the sixties. In addition to the outstanding plot, the film boasts a brilliant cast - Robert Downey Jr., Jake Gyllenhaal, Mark Ruffalo and others.
3. Perfume: The Story of a Murderer (2006)
Jean-Baptiste Grenouille (Ben Whishaw) is an unremarkable poor man who miraculously survived his childhood. Nature has given him a fantastically delicate scent, and now he is trying to collect his deadly collection of fragrances.
4. American Psycho (2000)
Patrick Bateman (Christian Bale) is fixated on his image of the ideal businessman without flaws. But with the onset of the evening, it becomes more difficult for him to control himself, and he arranges a real bloodbath.
5. Natural Born Killers (1994)
Meat peddler Mickey (Woody Harrelson) meets Mallory (Juliette Lewis), who is harassed by her father. The couple immediately fall in love, steal the car, get rid of Mallory's hated parents and set off on a journey, leaving a trail of blood everywhere.
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6.Halloween (1978)
It is believed that this particular film is one of the forefathers of slashers as a genre. A mysterious masked maniac begins a series of serial killing teenagers on Halloween. The film, starring Nick Castle, Donald Pleasant and Jamie Lee Curtis, spawned a series of sequels, parodies, books and comics.
7. Vice (2001)
The FBI is looking for a maniac nicknamed "The Hand of God." Once a stranger Fanton Makes (Matthew McConaughey) comes to Agent Wesley Doyle (Powers Booth), and he has something to tell!
8. Saw: A Survival Game (2004)
The story, which began with an inconspicuous short, has become one of the best psychological thrillers and horror movies. John Kramer (Tobin Bell), aka Saw, sees it as his mission to teach people to value life and make decisions.
9. Peeping Tom (1960)
In the sixties, an English thriller about a maniac killer shocked viewers and critics. Because of this, director Michael Powell was practically unable to work further, and received recognition only in the future. The story tells about assistant cinematographer Mark Lewis (Karlheinz Boehm), who kills his victims with a camera and films the process.
10. The Texas Chainsaw Massacre (1974)
The horrific activity of the cannibal maniac nicknamed Leatherface has inspired many horror masters. This is how Tobe Hooper's story about a group of teenagers who decided to visit the farm of a deceased relative appeared.
11. Maniac (2012)
A remake of the eighties film of the same name, but this time with Elijah Wood as a bloody maniac. Frank Zito hates women and goes hunting every night, and then removes scalps from victims and hangs them on mannequins. But one day he meets Anna (Nora Arnezeder), and everything does not go according to plan ...
12. A Nightmare on Elm Street (1984)
Everyone has probably seen the image of Freddy Krueger (Robert Englund) at least once. And this is the very film in which a terrible maniac in a striped sweater and with blades on his fingers appears for the first time. First, in the dreams of Tina Gray (Amanda Weiss).
13. Seven (1995)
John Doe (Kevin Spacey) is a big Bible fanatic who has decided to turn Holy Scripture into instruction for life. Police officers David Mills (Brad Pitt) and William Somerset (Morgan Freeman) take on the case.
14. Out of Hell (2001)
Fred Abberline (Johnny Depp) smokes opium, has prophetic dreams and investigates the brutal murders of women in London. Another version of the Jack the Ripper story awaits you. By the way, the film is based on a graphic novel by famous masters of their craft Alan Moore and Eddie Campbell.
15. Identification (2003)
A group of strangers is stuck in a gloomy roadside motel due to an accident and bad weather. But a series of strange murders begins, and the ending of the film will surprise even seasoned fans of thrillers. Starring John Cusack, Amanda Peet, Ray Liotta, Clea Duvall and others.
16. Monster (2003)
Based on a true story, the film tells the story of serial killer Eileen Wuornos, who shot and killed seven of her clients. Looking at the screen, it's hard to believe, but Eileen played Charlize Theron.
17. Psycho (1960)
Despite its honorable age and black and white shooting, this film by Alfred Hitchcock is still considered one of the greatest psychological thrillers. Norman Bates (Anthony Perkins) suffers from an oppressive mother and runs her motel. At least that's what he says to his guest Marion (Janet Lee).
18. The House That Jack Built (2018)
Lars von Trier's dark thriller made a splash in Cannes with a combination of perverse brutality and graceful metaphors. Serial killer Jack (Matt Dillon) turned out to be disgusting, but at the same time very aesthetic in its own way.
19. Joker (2019)
Arthur Fleck performed by Joaquin Phoenix will take his place in the ratings of the brightest psychopaths in cinema for a long time. "The Joker" by Todd Phillips is not just another superhero action movie, but a real tragedy of the disintegration of the personality of a simple "little man."
20. Imitator (1995)
A series of brutal murders step by step repeats the crimes of various maniacs described in the work of psychologist Helen Hudson (Sigourney Weaver). Not surprisingly, detectives MJ Monahan (Holly Hunter) and Ruben Goetz (Dermot Mulroney) turn to her for help.
