Fictional serial killer images
These films often feature a detective or other officer of the law as the main protagonist, with the violent criminal being the antagonist that serves to endear the protagonist to the public.
Fictional serial killer images movie#
Sexually motivated crimes are one of the most commonly depicted crimes in the movie industry, however they’re often connected to other crimes such as murder, and even serial murder.
Fictional serial killer images tv#
But the question is, how accurate are these film and TV portrayals of serial killers when compared to real cases? Are the scientific methods shown in these forms of media similar to what real detectives and forensic psychologists would use, or is their main purpose to sensationalise and to capitalise on the public’s desire for entertainment?Ĭrime in films is well-documented, and it has been argued that understanding popular criminology is an integral part of understanding criminology at a wider level (Rafter, 2007). In 2007, there were over 1000 films featuring serial killers, and the majority of them were made after 1990, demonstrating a clear rise in their popularity over time (Jarvis, 2007). Over the past 70 years, there has been a significant rise in popularity for films that include crime, and it is argued that this could be partially responsible for the rise in actual crime rates (Allen et al., 1997). As such, films and shows depicting graphic gore, murder, and criminal intrigue are amongst the most popular genres today. Human beings have long been known to share a fascination for the macabre, an interest which the TV and film industries readily capitalise on. As well as looking at the accuracy of film and television portrayals of serial killers, this paper addresses another very important point – What effect does this oversaturation of gory media have on the public’s perceptions and opinions of serial killers? Introduction This paper examines the comparisons between fictional serial killers, media productions based on real killers, and the actual cases of serial killers. In a world where entertainment industries rake in billions of pounds every year, there are no topics that are considered too sensitive to monetise, and that includes serial killers. Serial killers are a macabre phenomenon in modern society, and the way they are portrayed has drastically changed over the past few decades. The Future of Serial Killers in Mass Media Cultural Implications of Fictional Serial Killers