Netflix's latest original drama is Dahmer - Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story, a look at the infamous serial killer developed by Ryan Murphy and Ian Brennan, and starring Evan Peters in the title role. Jeffrey Dahmer has long been a figure of public fascination, so it will be interesting to see how the new show portrays him.
In fact, serial killers have generally been a staple of true crime films and TV series for decades, and there have been no shortage of great ones. For viewers who find Dahmer disturbing but compelling, here are some recommendations that might hit that same sweet spot.
The Assassination Of Gianni Versace: American Crime Story (2018)
Ryan Murphy is no stranger to serial killer stories, both fictional and fact-based, and The Assassination of Gianni Versace is generally considered some of his finest work. The second season of American Crime Story, the series focuses on Andrew Cunanan, a spree killer whose most famous victim was the eponymous fashion designer.
One of the show's greatest strengths is how it handles its subject matter. Cunanan's status as a gay man in a homophobic place and time makes him sympathetic, but no punches are pulled when it comes to how awful his crimes were, especially the murder of his former lover David Madison.
The Boston Strangler (1968)
If true crime fans want to see an example of the genre from a bygone era, they need look no further than The Boston Strangler. While many of today's viewers likely haven't seen the movie, it did decent business and received positive reviews upon release, even earning Tony Curtis a Golden Globe nomination.
The Boston Strangler tells the story of the manhunt for the titular rapist/murderer while delving into the psychology of the alleged culprit, Albert DeSalvo. The movie is not known for historical accuracy, but it's a chilling biopic that is carried by the performances by a stellar cast, particularly Curtis as DeSalvo.
Dahmer (2002)
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Jeffrey Dahmer has been a popular subject for filmmakers long before Netflix made their mark, and one of the best is the 2002 biopic simply titled Dahmer. Starring Jeremy Renner, the film only played in five theaters at its peak, but earned positive reviews for being a creepy, understated look at the titular character.
Where some might try to play up the shocking, gory details of Dahmer's crimes, Dahmer goes for a more psychological approach, delving into its subject's mind to see what makes a serial killer tick. Renner scored high marks for his performance, including an Indie Spirit nomination for Best Male Lead.
The Frozen Ground (2013)
A great Nicolas Cage movie that even his fans often forget about, The Frozen Ground is a true crime film with plenty of dark thrills. The story follows the hunt for Alaskan serial killer Robert Hansen, who abducted, raped, and killed seventeen women in the '70s and early '80s.
Cage does a solid job as state trooper Jack Halcombe, but the highlight of The Frozen Ground is John Cusack as Hansen, who steals every scene with a wonderfully sinister performance. Despite a lukewarm initial reception, the movie has found an audience in the age of streaming, even topping Netflix's chart for a week in 2020 (via IGN).
Henry: Portrait Of A Serial Killer (1990)
A controversial but highly compelling serial killer film, Henry: Portrait of a Serial Killer enjoys a reputation for being a realistic horror movie that doesn't sugarcoat its subject. The movie isn't a straight biopic, but was inspired by the confessions of Henry Lee Lucas, who falsely claimed to have murder over 600 people (via Vulture).
In contrast to many other serial killer protagonists, Henry (Michael Rooker) is portrayed as thoroughly evil with no redeeming features, and even possible abuse by his mother can't explain his murderous actions. The fact that he gets away with everything in the end further cements the movie's grittiness, showing that good does not always triumph over evil.
Mindhunter (2017-2019)
Mindhunter may have been canceled after only two seasons, but it was a critical darling that built up a solid fanbase. The series follows FBI agents Holden Ford and Bill Tench, who interview convicted serial killers to gain the knowledge needed to catch ones who are still at large.
While the killers are not the show's main focus, there are many notable names who show up in guest spots, including David Berkowtiz, Charles Manson, and Dennis Rader. But the most notable is Edmund Kemper, a charming, intelligent killer of college girls who is completely aware of how twisted he is.
Monster (2003)
While serial killers are often stereotyped as men, Aileen Wuornos is a notable female example whose crimes, and subsequent trial and execution, attracted much media attention. Monster is a biopic about Wuornos, featuring a career-defining performance by a perfectly cast Charlize Theron.
What Monster does best is humanizing Wuornos, portraying her as a broken person who, after a long period of financial desperation and being abused by too many of her sex work clients, goes off the deep end. While her crimes are vile, the viewer can't help but sympathize with her after all she's been through.
My Friend Dahmer (2017)
When a serial killer makes the news, one of the first questions people ask is, what went wrong in this person's life that made them this way? Based on a graphic novel by John "Derf" Backderf, My Friend Dahmer answers this question for the infamous serial killer, telling a coming-of-age tale with a disturbing twist.
My Friend Dahmer portrays Dahmer in his high school years, showing how severe mental illness and loneliness led him down a very dark path from an early age. Ross Lynch, mainly known as a teen idol, is brilliant in the title role, making him both sympathetic and unbearably creepy.
No Man Of God (2021)
If one serial killer has attracted more attention from Hollywood than Jeffrey Dahmer, it's Ted Bundy, who has seen a spike in film and TV depictions in recent years. One of the more interesting depictions comes in No Man of God, a mystery thriller in which FBI agent Bill Hagmaier (Elijah Wood) interviews Bundy (Luke Kirby) and enlists his help in capturing the Green River Killer.
No Man of God takes a different approach than most Bundy biopics, as it's set during his years on death row and sees him as a more heroic character in a dynamic similar to Hannibal Lecter and Clarice Starling. While that sometimes leaves the story feeling derivative, Wood and Kirby have excellent chemistry, and the latter's portrayal of Bundy is certainly chilling.
Zodiac (2007)
Before he took on Mindhunter, David Fincher cut his teeth on serial killer material with the 2007 true-crime film Zodiac. The movie takes a docudrama approach to the Zodiac Killer investigation, following the case from many angles, including those of SFPD Inspector Dave Toschi (Mark Ruffalo) and cartoonist-turned-true crime author Robert Graysmith (Jake Gyllenhaal).
Like the real-life investigation, Zodiac gives no definitive answers as to who committed the crimes, giving it a darkly realistic feel that harkens back to a cynical '70s crime flick. By the movie's telling, the most likely culprit is longtime suspect Arthur Leigh Allen, played brilliantly by underrated character actor John Carroll Lynch.