I want to apologize in advance for the pun (which was very much intended) in the title of this post, but I couldn't resist.
I've been deep in a serial-killer rabbit hole in the last couple of weeks. I'm not sure how it happened, but for some reason, Netflix recommended me a documentary about a serial killer before I realized I was binge-watching the third title of that kind in a row.
I get that it's not everyone's cup of tea, but I enjoyed them very much, and I think they were all very well produced, so I decided to share a bit of the ones I liked the most so far. I'm not sure what is the spoiler "policy" on something that happened for real and many years ago, but I'll try to keep it to a minimum anyway.
The Sons of Sam: A descent into darkness
This one was an absolute gem, and it's probably the most viewer-friendly on this list. Not because the story is any less brutal than the others, because it isn't, but for the fact that it focuses more on the story of Maury Terry, a journalist who became obsessed with the Son of Sam murders and was convinced that there was much more to them than the police initially thought.
Terry decided to do his own investigation, and he discovered some messed up stuff that kept him occupied for literally the rest of his life. I knew some of the stories behind the Son of Sam, but this documentary showed me a whole new side of it, utterly unknown to me.
The documentary shows some actual footage of Maury Terry from the time of the investigation. Still, because he had already passed away when it was produced, they got the fantastic Paul Giamatti to do his voice as an extra dramatic resource which, in my opinion, made the story even better.
Conversations With a Killer: The Ted Bundy Tapes
I didn't know the story of Ted Bundy, so this was the one that surprised me the most on this list. Bundy was a handsome, bright lawyer student. The kind of guy you would never suspect. A perfect gentleman.
And yet, this prince charming kidnapped and murdered at least 30 women during the '70s in the USA. He denied the crimes for almost a decade, even after being taken into custody, and he only confessed them days before his execution in 1989.
With a cunning mind, Bundy was able to escape prison not once but twice.
Authorities think that he may have been responsible for more than 60 murders and may have killed for the first time at the age of 14.
Conversations With a Killer: The John Wayne Gacy Tapes
Source
This is by far the most terrifying documentary on this list. The story is very dreadful, and the brutality of Gacy is sickening.
This well-known and respectable member of society in Cork County, Illinois, lived a double life, and his dark side was sick and twisted. John Wayne Gacy killed at least 33 young boys in the '70s. He buried most of them on his property.
When he was finally caught, he was convicted with 21 lifetime sentences and 12 death sentences.
And that's a wrap. Not the most cheerful topic, I know, but as messed up as these stories are, they are still very interesting and well produced. It's not for everyone, and it's not only about the crimes, so I believe those who can endure it and are interested in investigative documentaries will enjoy them.