The true crime fascination in the public has evolved into countless podcasts and docu-series, but the best true-crime movies have been telling these stories for a long time Over the years, certain real-life stories have played out in such a way that it is actually exciting for people to learn about. Not only is it educational, but viewers can get introduced to a whole new way of thinking and problem-solving. While the real-life excitement of the story can be what draws an audience in, some movies manage to capture the drama and stakes much better than others do.

Movies like Zodiac take very fact-based approaches to exploring real-life murders just as they happened. Other movies simply take inspiration from these chilling true stories and create something quite new, such as The Silence of the Lambs. Among the best true-crime movies, there are some that audiences might never have known had origins in real life while others explore crimes that have gone down in infamy.

10 In Cold Blood (1967)

It makes sense that what is often seen as one of the first true-crime novels serves as inspiration for one of the best true-crime movies. In Cold Blood is the adaptation of Truman Capote's novel of the same name which looks into the murder of a family at a farmhouse in Kansas in 1959. Like the book, the movie follows the criminals leading up to the fateful day, as they commit the unspeakable crime, and are on the run from the law. Capote's novel was criticized for embellishing and capitalizing on the true story and the movie could be accused of the same. Yet it is an effective and gripping story with some fine performances from Scott Wilson and Robert Blake as the killers with their everyman qualities making it all the more chilling.

9 The Night Of The Hunter (1955)

Robert Mitchum stars as Reverend Harry Powell in The Night of the Hunter, a seemingly charming bachelor who seeks out lonely women claiming to be looking for love but hiding his dark intentions. The story is inspired by real-life killer Harry Powers who lured his female victims through personal ads for finding romantic partners. Likewise, certain things obviously had to be changed for the sake of the victims as well as the story. However, that doesn’t change the fact that it is still one of the more horrific true-crime films, even this many years after its release. Mitchum is especially chilling yet charismatic as the remorseless villain, and it marks a stunning directorial debut from Charles Laughton who never directed another movie.

8 Memories Of Murder (2003)

2003’s Memories of Murder is a Korean film revolving around one of the country’s first known serial killers. Directed by Bong Joon-ho, this film follows detectives on the case as they begin to investigate the deaths of several women. The film juggles its pacing well and has a great way of incorporating the actual elements of the case. Memories of Murders is a bit different from other true-crime films as it also explores the corruption and incompetence of the police that allowed the murders to remain unsolved. Long before Joon-ho won his Oscar for Parasite, he proved himself a fantastic director with this thriller, including its unforgettable final image.

7 M (1931)

M is a German film that focuses on one of the more interesting serial killer stories. In the film, several criminals begin to work with the police in order to help catch a serial killer who has started killing children. Though the film itself isn’t based on a single serial killer, many believe it to be the story of Peter Kurten, whose similar crimes took place about a decade before the film. To this day, M remains one of the most interesting and well-made true crime dramas. As one of the oldest as well, still holding an impact all these years later is a testament to its gripping thriller tale.

6 Monster (2003)

Monster remains one of Charlize Theron's best movies and the one that earned her an Oscar for her transformative performance as serial killer Aileen Wuornos. In real-life, Wuornos was a woman working as a prostitute in Florida who began killing and robbing the men who hired her. The movie is an intense and brutal look at one of the few female serial killers shown in the true-crime genre. Theron elevates the story along with the direction from Patty Jenkins which combines to depict Wuornos as a flawed human with sympathetic qualities while never excusing her crimes.

5 Badlands (1973)

The recent true-crime documentary The 12th Victim is just the latest project to be made surrounding the infamous crime spree of Charles Starkweather and Caril Ann Fugate. In 1958, 18-year-old Starkweather and his 14-year-old girlfriend Fugate set out on a run across the Midwest which left 11 people murdered before they were arrested and convicted of murder. Legendary filmmaker Terrence Malick brings the story to life in Badlands with Martin Sheen and Sissy Spacek as the two protagonists based on Starkweather and Fugate. As always, Malick's beautiful eye for photography makes it a stunning movie to watch while it also explores the twisted combination of murder and fame that intertwined with these crimes.

4 Scream (1996)

Given that it is largely a satire and commentary on the slasher movie genre, it might surprise a lot of fans to learn Scream is inspired by a true story. The basis for the story comes from Danny Rolling aka the "Gainesville Ripper", who murdered five students over a four-day period in 1990. The short time frame and the young student victims fit into the true story, but the most memorable aspects of Scream are totally original. From the Ghostface mask to using slasher movies as an inspiration, that all comes from screenwriter Kevin Williamson and director Wes Craven who helped to make Scream a hugely influential horror movie and the start of a franchise that continued with Scream VI earlier this year.

3 Zodiac (2007)

David Fincher has made a number of serial killer movies before with Se7en and The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo, so he was an ideal choice to tackle one of the most infamous serial killers of all time. The movie stars Jake Gyllenhaal, Mark Ruffalo, and Robert Downey Jr. as the various people who hunted for the Zodiac Killer who was active in the San Francisco Bay Area in the 1960s and 1970s. As the real-life cases remain unsolved, Zodiac only offers clues to whom the true killer might be while focusing on the obsession of the people on the case. Fincher does a brilliant job with the period setting and the movie is infused with the real yet never distasteful sense of humor.

2 The Silence Of The Lambs (1991)

As one of the best thrillers of all time, several serial killers inspired The Silence of the Lambs and its iconic story. “Buffalo Bill” is the infamous villain of the film, a killer who captures women in his basement and tortures them, eventually skinning them to wear them as clothes. What some may not realize though is that the character is based on Gary Heidnik, a man who killed 2 women and tortured more during the 1940s. The dynamic between Hannibal Lecter and Clarice Starling is also inspired by real events as the FBI sought insight from imprisoned serial killer Ted Bundy to catch the Green River Killer. These elements helped The Silence of the Lambs go on to win Oscars for Best Picture, Best Actor, Best Actress as well as cement Hannibal Lecter as one of the greatest movie villains of all time.

1 Psycho (1960)

Alfred Hitchcock’s famous film, Psycho is most known as an adaptation of the book of the same name. However, Robert Bloch's novel is loosely inspired by the killer Ed Gein. Knowing this adds a whole new layer of depth and horror to the classic film. The fact that Anthony Perkins’ Norman Bates is based on a real killer makes the film all the more terrifying to watch. Psycho is still viewed as one of the most influential and brilliant horror movies of all time and, when counting Gein's influence, the best true-crime movie ever too, in a sense. From Anthony Perkins' performance as Bates to the first-act twist to the final reveal, it has shocked audiences for decades.