Serial Killers: 177

A Nightmare on Elm Street 3: Dream Warriors (1987) marks Chuck Russell’s directorial debut and is an American fantasy slasher film. It takes place a year after the events of A Nightmare on Elm Street 2: Freddy’s Revenge and follows the story of Kristen Parker. Despite having already awoken from her nightmare, she finds herself in another one where Freddy Krueger is chasing her. In this terrifying dream, he attacks her in the bathroom and makes it appear as though she has slit her wrist in reality. Concerned for Kristen’s well-being, her mother has her admitted to Westin Hills Psychiatric ...

The Hitcher (1986), an American thriller directed by Robert Harmon and written by Eric Red, follows Jim Halsey on his delivery journey from Chicago to San Diego. Along the way, he picks up a hitchhiker in the West Texas desert who goes by John Ryder. However, things take a dark turn when Ryder reveals his violent tendencies and forces Jim to speed past a stranded car. Terrified for his life, Jim musters up the courage to ask what Ryder wants, to which he responds with a chilling demand to be stopped. In a moment of adrenaline-fueled panic, Jim manages to push Ryder out of ...

The American black comedy slasher film, The Texas Chainsaw Massacre 2 (1986), was co-composed and directed by Tobe Hooper, with a screenplay by L.M. Kit Carson. While on their way to the Dallas Cotton Bowl for the Texas-OU football game, two high school seniors named Buzz and Rick encounter a pickup truck on a desolate stretch of Texas highway. In their drunken state, they use their car phone to harass radio DJ Vanita ‘Stretch’ Brock live on air. Despite her attempts to get them to hang up, Stretch is forced to keep the line open. Suddenly, Leatherface appears ...

Friday the 13th Part VI: Jason Lives (1986) is an American slasher film written and directed by Tom McLoughlin. After being released from the hospital, Tommy Jarvis goes back to Crystal Lake, now known as Forest Green. Along with his friend Allen Hawes, he plans to finally confront his fears and put an end to his nightmares of Jason Voorhees, the mass murderer he killed in part 4. During a thunderstorm, they visit Jason’s grave to cremate his body. However, Tommy has a flashback of their last encounter and in a fit of rage, impales Jason’s body with a metal fence post. But when two lightning bolts strike the ...

Manhunter (1986) is an American thriller film directed and written by Michael Mann, based on the 1981 novel Red Dragon by Thomas Harris. Will Graham, a former FBI criminal profiler who captured cannibalistic serial killer Dr. Hannibal Lecktor, has since retired following a mental breakdown. At his Florida home, Graham’s former boss, Jack Crawford, asks for help with a new serial killer case. Despite promising his wife he will only search for evidence and not put himself in harm’s way, Graham agrees to visit the most recent crime scene in Atlanta. ...

Psycho III (1986) is an American slasher film, and the latest installment in the Psycho franchise. It continues the story one month after the events of Psycho II, where Norman Bates still operates the Bates Motel and keeps Emma Spool’s corpse in his home. At this time, Norman is also struggling with the disappearance of Spool, who claimed to be his real mother before her death. With their growing concern for her whereabouts, Norman’s former boss Ralph Statler and local authorities begin investigating. Meanwhile, Duane Duke, a desperate musician short on cash, is offered a position as assistant manager at the motel. In addition, journalist ...

Phenomena (1985) is a giallo-horror film directed and co-written by Dario Argento. After missing a bus in the Swiss countryside, 14-year-old Danish tourist Vera Brandt seeks help at a nearby cottage. She falls victim to an attack by an unknown assailant, who beheads her. The case is later examined by forensic entomologist John McGregor and Inspector Rudolf Geiger of the Kantonspolizei Zürich, who discover that Brandt is just one of several young girls who have been murdered. McGregor’s former assistant is also among the victims. Meanwhile, Jennifer Corvino, daughter of a famous American actor, arrives at the Swiss ...

Friday the 13th: A New Beginning (1985) is an American slasher film directed by Danny Steinmann. After defeating Jason Voorhees in Part 4, Tommy Jarvis is haunted by nightmares and ends up being sent to various psychiatric hospitals. Eventually, he winds up at the Pinehurst Halfway House, run by Dr. Matt Letter and his assistant Pam Roberts. There, he meets a group of other teenagers, including Eddie and Tina, Jake, Violet, Robin, Joey, and Reggie who live under the watchful eye of their cook, George. Unfortunately for them, their neighbor Ethel does not approve of their behavior and Matt forbids them from ...

A Nightmare on Elm Street Part 2: Freddy’s Revenge (1985) is a supernatural slasher film directed by Jack Sholder and written by David Chaskin. The Walshes have recently moved into Nancy Thompson’s former home, five years after the apparent defeat of Freddy Krueger. Their teenage son, Jesse, experiences a terrifying dream where he is pursued by Krueger, who is driving a school bus. Upon waking up, Jesse blames the nightmare on the unusually hot room. Later at school, Jesse hangs out with his friend Lisa, towards whom he has romantic feelings but is too shy to ...

The American neo-noir psychological mystery crime action thriller film, Tightrope (1984), was both directed and written by Richard Tuggle. The main focus of the movie is a young woman who is stalked while walking home from her birthday party. Upon dropping one of her presents, a supposed police officer offers to walk her to her front door. However, it is later revealed that this policeman is actually the stalker himself. The following day, divorced New Orleans detective Wes Block and his daughters Penny and Amanda, discover a stray dog and decide to take it in despite already having several strays at home. As they ...

Fear City (1984) is an American neo-noir erotic thriller film directed by Abel Ferrara about best friends Matt Rossi and Nicky Parzeno. They run a management company for Manhattan’s top exotic dancers and handle their bookings at various clubs throughout the borough. Rossi and their top client, Loretta, used to be in a relationship until their breakup due to Rossi’s emotional state caused by accidentally killing an opponent during his time as a professional boxer. Loretta has since moved on to a new relationship with Leila, one of the dancers they represent. However, one night, another dancer is brutally attacked ...

Friday the 13th: The Final Chapter (1984), an American slasher film directed by Joseph Zito and produced by Frank Mancuso Jr., follows the aftermath of Jason Voorhees’ apparent death. As police clean up and take his body to the morgue, the unexpected occurs – Jason revives and murders two people before escaping. The next day, a group of teenagers, including Paul, Sam, Sara, Doug, Jimmy, and Ted, embark on a weekend trip to Crystal Lake. On their way, they encounter Pamela Voorhees’ tombstone and later pick up a hitchhiker who soon meets her demise at the ...

An American supernatural slasher film, A Nightmare on Elm Street (1984), was written and directed by Wes Craven and produced by Robert Shaye. After waking from a terrifying nightmare in which she is attacked by a disfigured man with a blade-fixed glove in a boiler room, teenager Tina Gray discovers mysterious slashes on her nightgown. The next day, her best friend Nancy Thompson and Nancy’s boyfriend, Glen Lantz, offer comfort as they reveal their own nightmares from the previous night. While staying at Tina’s house when her mother is away, Nancy also admits ...

Psycho II (1983), a psychological slasher film directed by Richard Franklin and written by Tom Holland, follows the story of Norman Bates after he is released from a mental institution 22 years after his infamous killing spree. Despite Lila Crane’s protests, Norman is deemed mentally sound and moves back to his old home near the Bates Motel, where he starts working at a nearby diner. After Mary, a waitress, becomes homeless and Norman offers her a place to stay at his home. Despite warnings from Dr. Bill Raymond, who advises against it, Norman hires Mary. However, ...

Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street (1982) is a British silent crime film directed by Walter West. Set in 1846, Todd and Anthony Hope arrive in London to be greeted only by a crazed beggar woman. As they sail into the city, Todd reveals that he has been there before, but not in quite some time. He makes his way to his old stomping grounds on Fleet Street, where he discovers Mrs. Nellie Lovett’s pie shop. Mrs. Lovett claims to make the worst meat pies in London due to the high cost of meat. The upstairs of her building has remained empty since its previous tenant, barber Benjamin Barker, was falsely ...

Tenebrae (1982) is a giallo film from Italy, written and directed by Dario Argento. American horror novelist Peter Neal travels to Rome to promote his latest work, accompanied by his literary agent Bullmer and assistant Anne. Little does he know, his ex-fiancée Jane has followed him there out of resentment. Before Neal’s arrival, a young kleptomaniac named Elsa is killed with a razor by an unknown attacker. The killer sends Neal a letter claiming that his books have inspired their murder spree. Police Detective Germani and Inspector Altieri reach out to Neal for assistance as more murders occur. Tilde, a lesbian ...

Halloween III: Season of the Witch (1982) is an American science fiction horror film and the third in the Halloween series. Unlike its predecessors, this installment was written and directed by Tommy Lee Wallace, but the familiar faces of John Carpenter and Debra Hill remain as producers. Set in Northern California on October 23rd, we witness shop owner Harry Grimbridge being pursued by unknown men while holding a jack-o-lantern mask. He seeks refuge at Walter Jones’ shop, where he eventually passes out. ...

Friday the 13th: Part III (1982) follows the events of Part 2, as the infamous Jason Voorhees seeks a change of clothes at a lakefront store. In his destructive path, he brutally murders Harold and his wife Edna. Meanwhile, Chris Higgins and her companions make their way to her old home on Crystal Lake for a weekend getaway. The group consists of pregnant Debbie, her boyfriend Andy, prankster Shelly, his blind date Vera (who is not interested in him), and stoners Chuck and Chili. On their journey, they are warned by a man named Abel to turn back before reuniting with Chris’ boyfriend Rick at their final destination.

Blow Out (1981), an American neo-noir mystery thriller film, follows Philadelphia sound technician Jack Terry, who is working on the low-budget slasher film Co-ed Frenzy. His producer Sam tasks him with finding more realistic sound effects for the film, leading Jack to visit a local park. There, he witnesses a car swerve off the road and into a creek. While Jack is able to save a young woman named Sally Bedina and takes her to the hospital, the male driver dies. As Jack is questioned by a detective about the accident, he becomes interested in Sally and asks her out for a drink. He soon learns that Governor George McRyan, who was running for president, was driving the ...

Directed by Abel Ferrara, Ms.45 (1981) is an American exploitation thriller film about a mute seamstress named Thana living in New York City’s Garment District. On her way home from work, she is sexually assaulted at gunpoint by an unknown assailant in an alley. In self-defense, Thana strikes the attacker with a small glass apple and then uses an iron to fatally beat him. Following the traumatic incident, Thana goes into shock the next day when her boss, Albert, aggressively rips a shirt off of a mannequin. This behavior worries her co-workers and she is sent home for the day. Alone at home, Thana dismembers the ...