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A repository of morbid curiosities:
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Funeral Industry and Death Related News.
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The Top 5 Movie Serial Killers |
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Written by DeadGirl
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Friday, 06 July 2007 |
Fact: we love serial killers. Well, maybe I should clarify that - I don't mean that we really love serial killers (apart from the weirdos who you sometimes hear about marrying a serial killer after they've already been caught and put behind bars), but we sure are fascinated by them. Yes, we find them reprehensible, and would never actually want to meet one, but damned if we don't read all we can on them, and keep up on all the gory details of their hideous crimes.
Hollywood has long understood this obsession, and has fed it for years, in the process making "the serial killer" one of the most common, and certainly most popular archetypes in film. In a weird way, it's perfect. Here, finally, are serial killers that we can follow, watch, even like, all without having to feel bad about it - because, you know, they aren't really killing anyone. Whether or not this is appropriate, or healthy, is a debate for another time. For now, I just thought I'd feed into that very obsession, and wrap up the Top 5's series of "famous movie archetypes" columns, with:
THE TOP 5 MOVIE SERIAL KILLERS
Trevor Snyder
HONORABLE MENTIONS
- Earl Brooks (Kevin Costner), in Mr. Brooks: This little thriller went largely ignored earlier this summer, which is a shame. Personally, I thought it was great fun seeing Costner playing against type, as a master serial killer who murders not out of desire, but simply because he is addicted to it. Brooks would like nothing more than to give up his little "hobby," but can never truly stop – not with the constant goading from his imaginary alter-ego, Marshall (William Hurt). Here's hoping the flick finds an audience on DVD, so that we can eventually get the next two films in the planned trilogy.
- Hannibal Lecktor (Brian Cox), in Manhunter: No offense to Anthony Hopkins' Hannibal Lecter, but Brian Cox's Hannibal Lecktor is often criminally overlooked, and I'm using this opportunity to fix that. Hopkins' version of the character became iconic (deservedly so), but it did so because of how campy it was. Cox, on the other hand, is not interested in any over-the-top theatrics – his Lecktor is just downright scary. And, thankfully, he never continued to play the character in a series of lesser sequels, thus slowly losing the magic of the character. I would never change a single thing about Silence of the Lambs, but, still, it's interesting to think about how different of a movie it would have been if Cox had returned to the role.
- Benoit (Benoit Poelvoorde), in Man Bites Dog: This Belgian cult-classic was quite the controversial film in its day (I suppose it still is, in some ways), for its biting commentary on society's obsession with violence. What I think pisses people off is how plausible it actually is. Would a documentary crew actually follow around a serial killer and film his evil deeds, and eventually even help him dispose of the bodies? Perhaps, if that killer was as interesting and likable as Benoit, who seems like he would be a hell of a guy to know – you know, if not for the whole "killing of innocents" thing.
THE TOP 5
5. Jame "Buffalo Bill" Gumb (Ted Levine), in Silence of the Lambs
Sure, Hannibal "The Cannibal" Lecter stole the show and captured the hearts of millions upon the film's original release. But once you've watched the movie numerous times (as I and I'm sure lots of other people have done), you begin to realize that the real star, the character you just can't shake from your mind, is "Buffalo Bill." No wonder people found themselves liking Lecter, he seems downright normal compared to this nutjob. But, c'mon, how often have you found yourself quoting Bill lines with your friends? "It puts the lotion on its skin, or it gets the hose again." "Was she a great big fat person?" "I'd fuck me." And, let's face it, if there's a more terrifying, yet (unfortunately) unforgettable film image than Bill standing in front of his mirror with his business tucked between his legs, I haven't seen it. And I probably wouldn't want to, anyway.
4. Patrick Bateman (Christian Bale), in American Psycho
Before he was Batman, Bale was Bateman, a whole different kind of dark knight. When this film came out, it seemed like a lot of fans of Bret Easton Ellis' controversial novel were disappointed with it, apparently unhappy that the movie focused on the book's humor and satire, and not so much on its infamous ultra-violence (those with queasy stomachs would do well to avoid the novel). But by not going the slasher route, and concentrating on the story's criticism of ‘80s consumerism, the film was able to get right to the heart of the Bateman character – a man whose dogged pursuit of status and material goods, all for the sake of fitting in, has left him so empty inside that he really has no way of feeling anything except for his murderous impulses. And maybe Bateman didn't even really ever kill anyone. Maybe it was all in his head. Doesn't matter – doesn't make him any less scary, or any less psycho.
3. Mickey and Mallory Knox (Woody Harrelson and Juliette Lewis), in Natural Born Killers
Alright, so maybe they only had the second-best rated episode of American Maniacs (still, there's no shame in losing to Manson). But, even so, you really can't consider their career as serial killers to be anything but successful. After all, not only did they embark on a multi-state killing spree, but they even became national celebrities in the process, earning themselves legions of fans who, upon their arrest, waited outside the courthouse as if it was a movie premiere, eager to catch a glimpse of their "heroes." It's been over a decade since Oliver Stone's film was released, and there is still debate over whether it's a brilliant, incendiary send-up of American media and its glorification of violence, or itself just nothing more than exploitative, unnecessarily violent trash. Wherever you fall (for the record, I love the film, and consider it one of the most important movies of the ‘90s), its hard to deny that Mickey and Mallory are two of the most memorable killers in movie history.
2. Henry (Michael Rooker), in Henry: Portrait of a Serial Killer
Just how eerily realistic is this movie's look at a week in the life of Henry, a fictionalized version of real-life serial killer Henry Lee Lucas? So realistic that it was originally slapped with an "X" rating – not particularly, with is somewhat tame compared to more over-the-top horror films. No, it was given the "X" for its overall moral tone. And that's saying something. Luckily, though, the film survived its near-death from the rating, and eventually found an audience – thanks in large part to Rooker's fascinating portrayal of Henry, a mild-mannered, soft-spoken guy, who just happens to be a complete sociopath. But never let it be said he doesn't give back to the community. After all, he does take roommate Otis under his wing, and teach him the finer points of being a serial killer. What a guy.
1. John Doe (Kevin Spacey), in Se7en
We don't actually see John until quite some time into David Fincher's modern masterpiece, but it doesn't matter. By the time he finally shows up on screen, we're already scared shitless of the guy. How could you not be, having seen the things he has done. So it's a little off-putting when the guy finally turns himself in and just turns out to be a calm, almost pleasant fellow. Of course, his relaxed, almost bored attitude hides the fact that even surrendering has been part of his horribly-brilliant master plan, a plan which the cops unwittingly fall right into. Like it or not, at the end of the day, John Doe wins. It's not surprising, really – dealing with a guy this intelligent, this calculating, and this bloodthirsty? The cops probably never stood a chance.
Bryan Kristopowitz
HONORABLE MENTIONS
- Joan Freeman (Carrie Snodgress), in Murphy's Law (1986): She was put in jail for some reason, and while in jail she went insane. Well, I guess jail does that kind of thing to some people. Anyway, she gets out and decides to exact her revenge on the man that put her there in prison. She wants to destroy the life of Jack Murphy, as played by the great Chuck Bronson. Freeman is a sort of pseudo-lesbian bodybuilder, which explains part of her great physical strength. She shoots Lawrence Tierney in the mouth, kills an old black guy that used to be Chuck's war buddy, drowns and electrocutes a fat, old white judge, strangles her parole officer, and, this is perhaps the worst thing in the world: she kills Chuck's ex-wife. If Chuck hadn't killed her at the end, Freeman would still be out there, drowning old fat guys in bathtubs.
- Warren Stacy (Gene Davis), in 10 to Midnight (1983): I'd imagine that there's nothing worse than being killed by some whacked out lunatic (although just being killed period probably sucks big time, too), unless, of course, that whacked out lunatic is butt freaking naked while killing you. I mean, you'd think that the killer, your killer, would have the decency to at least put on some underwear. But Warren Stacy, being the apparent fun loving throat slasher that he is, does what feels natural to him: going natural. I can't remember the exact details as to why Warren went the way he did (I think it had something to do with being turned down by women in college and thinking he had a small penis or something like that. You know, typical male crapola) but I don't think anyone is going to forget Warren running down the middle of the street chasing after the daughter of Chuck Bronson's cop character Leo Kessler completely naked. That's just freaking sick. Makes Patrick Bateman's building chase of the blonde hooker look like an episode of "Mr. Rogers."
- The Ghost Face killer/ Billy Loomis and Stuart Macher (Skeet Ulrich and Mathew Lillard), in Scream (1996): The brooding scumbag Billy Loomis and the whacked out Stuart Macher devised quite the dandy scheme to get back at the family of Billy's Mom's apparent killer: Sidney. They took turns killing people in town, wreaking not just bloody havoc (they killed the goddamn Fonz, man) but also psychological havoc. No one had any idea it was the two of them (I mean, Billy Loomis, sure, but freaking Stuart? Wasn't he baked most of the time? It's a wonder the scheme worked at all) until the very end when they revealed themselves to Sidney. They did quite a number on the town.
THE TOP 5
5. Simon Moon (Jack O'Halloran), in The Hero and the Terror (1988)
Ah, yes, the infamous Simon Moon, dubbed "the Terror" by the news media as he was being chased by the "Hero" (played by the great Chuck Norris back when he was sane), the creepy killer who managed to escape from prison by using dental floss, and then went on a neck snapping spree in Los Angeles. Moon mostly went after women, but he occasionally did in a dude (we're all looking at you, unfortunately, Steve James). The only guy who could take him on realistically, of course, is the guy who put him in prison in the first place: big Chuck. Because without Chuck, who the heck is LA supposed to rely on? The guy breaks people's necks and will and can escape prison using dental floss. Dental floss!
4. The Night Slasher (Brian Thompson), in Cobra (1986)
The Night Slasher doesn't have a real first name. Well, maybe he does, but we don't know what it is. I'm not even sure that his main squeeze knows what his name is (that female cop that turned on Cobra and told the Night Slasher and his cult of lunatics where Bridgitte is). And, really, does he even need a real first name? Because, when he isn't gutting fish at his day job (watch the movie on basic cable and you'll likely see a scene of TNS at a fish processing plant of some kind) and hanging out in that abandoned high school gymnasium or factory or whatever the heck it is banging axes together he's out roaming the streets in a van looking for innocent people to slaughter. And it doesn't matter who it is. He'll do anyone. Men, women, children. He's that mean, that awful, that... he's not civilized at all.
3. The Magnum Force (David Soul, Tim Matheson, Kip Niven, Robert Urich, and Hal Holbrook), in Magnum Force (1973)
They were all recruited out of Special Forces in Vietnam by Holbrook, a Lieutenant who doesn't like to draw his gun on anyone and who wants to, ha, follow the law. Of course, the young killers he assembles are there to do Holbrook's dirty work, to be the "evil for evil" that San Francisco needs so desperately. Because the city is just rampant with scumbags, pimps, naked mob bosses, you name it. And if you're a fellow cop who just so happens to be in the wrong place at the wrong time and witness one of the illicit killings, get ready for a bullet right between the eyes. You're not allowed to see. Now, I know that David Soul's character does most of the killing himself, but I figured it was important to recognize them as a group because they all had a method to their collective madness. Evil for evil.
2. Mrs. Pamela Voorhies (Betsy Palmer), in Friday the 13th (1980)
Right before Mrs. Vorrhies' son came back and started causing all kinds of potentially "supernatural" trouble at Crystal Lake, Mrs. Voorhies herself had a little fun, killing horny, drugged out drunk teenagers and their enablers. She did it out of revenge, of course, because no one was paying attention when her son Jason drowned. It was unfair. Who did Jason hurt? He was just a weird kid with a big head. Anyway, Mrs. Voorhies, before getting a machete to the neck, sliced some throats (while wearing one of the ugliest jackets in movie history), stabbed Kevin Bacon through the back of the neck, threw an axe at a woman's head, and, well, did all sorts of really nasty stuff to the various yahoos who decided to show up and make merry.
1. Henry (Michael Rooker), in Henry: Portrait of a Serial Killer (1986)
They could have also called it "portrait of a scumbag," too, because that's what society in general would call a drifter who rolls into town, does a few odd jobs, eats some grub, and then starts killing people. He's the grandaddy of all movie serial killers. He has no real motive for doing what he does beyond just doing it. He's a total sociopath, an unloving killing machine with only one real goal: don't get caught. And if you can pass your knowledge on to others who may be interested (Otis. Ha). You'd think, though, that if he ever got caught and was sent to prison he'd just find ways to kill people there, too. Unless he slit his own throat before getting there.
Owain J. Brimfield
HONOURABLE MENTIONS:
Jason Voorhees (Kane Hodder, et al) in the Friday the 13th films, Michael Myers (various actors) in the Halloween films, and Billy Loomis / Stuart Macher (Skeet Ulrich & Matthew Lilliard) in Scream
THE TOP 5
5. Patrick Bateman (Christian Bale) in American Psycho
The suave and sophisticated Bateman is a world away from the killer stereotype, far more likely to be found discussing 80s power pop and playing to his own vanity than indulging in a jolly old murder-fest. Of course that's the dichotomy at the heart of the character, and the two jarring elements of his personality drag him on a psychological downward spiral that's as enjoyable to watch as it is disturbing. And the question still remains - was it real, or was it all in his head? The choice, dear viewer, is yours.
4. Scorpio (Andy Robinson) in Dirty Harry
Perfecting the crazy killer ‘insanity gaze', Scorpio mugs his way through a series of shootings that throw a city into chaos. Of course, his opponent on the side of law and order is none other than Clint F'ing Eastwood, and Scorpio more than holds his own across the course of the movie. Naturally, he eventually falls prey to Clint's infamous "d'you feel lucky?" speech, but it's an entertaining ride to the inevitable, with Scorpio at one point kidnapping a busload of school kids, before smacking one of the unruly little buggers so we know how evil he really is. Which, if you hadn't guessed by now, is ‘very'.
3. John Ryder (Rutger Hauer) in The Hitcher
Let's make it clear, there should be no mention of Sean Bean's rendition of the character in the recent remake. Hauer's Ryder is completely terrifying, swinging between wild-eyed maniac and supernatural killer. His escalation of violence against C. Thomas Howell's innocent driver is as compelling as it is unnerving, and even when Ryder isn't on screen his presence is felt overwhelmingly - possibly the finest moment of suspense occurs when he is nowhere to be seen, as Howell finds a human finger in his food at a roadside café. Hauer's performance is mesmerising and unforgettable - shame the same couldn't be said of the Bean.
2. Richard (Paddy Considine) in Dead Man's Shoes
Distinguished from the others on this list by virtue of his motives, Richard is a good guy in essence, orchestrating a brutal campaign of revenge against the gang of hoods who bullied his young brother. With a surprising variety of execution methods (ranging from ‘body stuffed in suitcase' to ‘eviscerated while taking a crap') Richard's intensity is without question. To top it all off, a defining monologue at the film's climax throws a fascinating light on to one of contemporary British cinema's most complex characters.
1. John Doe (Kevin Spacey) in Seven
At the risk of sounding daft, Doe is the complete serial killer - articulate, driven and possessed of logical motives, while being capable of the sickest acts imaginable. Doe is always in control throughout the film - even to the last, his real name is never discovered and he completes his killing spree indirectly even while being bound at gunpoint by the police. A true master, any aspiring serial killer could probably learn a fair bit about methodology just from watching Doe in action…
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I should quickly point out that my list would be quite different if we were including TV shows as well, since one of the most intriguing fictional serial killers to grace screens in a long time is definitely Dexter Morgan, excellently played by Michael C. Hall on the great Showtime series, Dexter. Oh well, maybe someday he'll get his due in the Top 5. Till then, let's just cue the inevitable mail I'll surely get when people realize that neither I nor my fellow writers actually picked Anthony Hopkins as Hannibal Lecter.
http://www.411mania.com/movies/columns/56731
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Taphophilia?
taphophilia (taf′ō-fil′ē-ă)
ORIGIN:
From the Greek words taphos, meaning "tomb" or "sepulcher" and philia, meaning "attraction or affinity to something, in particular the love or obsession with something"
DEFINITION: 1. An excessive interest in graves and cemeteries. 2. A love or fondness for funerals, graves, and cemeteries. 3. In psychiatry, a morbid attraction to graves and cemeteries
Taphophilia Facts
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According to the National Funeral Directors Association, about 27 percent of Americans opt for cremation.
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Quote Repository
“The fence around a cemetery is foolish, for those inside can't get out and those outside don't want to get in.” Arthur Brisbane
Grave Epigrams
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And now shall thy dust return to the earth
Thy spirit to God who gave it.
Yet affection shall tenderly cherish thy worth
And memory deeply engrave it. |
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Shirtless and Sculpted
The Men of Mortuaries 2008 Calendar is now available! All sale proceeds benefit KAMMCARES, a breast cancer foundation.
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