Since it was just announced that Ryan Murphy is making a limited series called Monster, starring Evan Peters as Jeffrey Dahmer, we thought we would give you some other titles to watch before his series drops on Netflix. Although no firm date has been released, Monster is speculated to drop sometime in September. (You can watch the short teaser of Evan Peters in Monster here.)
Jeffrey Dahmer is the despicable serial killer who lured young male victims into his home and dismembered them. It is reported that he killed 17 men and boys before he was arrested and sentenced to several life terms.
True crime fans are fascinated with Jeffrey Dahmer. Their morbid curiosity might fuel their need to understand how such a mild-mannered, soft-spoken man from Milwaukee could perform such unspeakable crimes. There are some movies already out there that try to explore the reasons. Some are better than others, but the grotesque nature of the subject matter remains the same.
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Evan Peters as Jeffrey Dahmer
The Secret Life: Jeffrey Dahmer (1991)
This low-budget film has all the earmarks of a documentary. Its low-grade film and real-world sets give it a Henry: Portrait of a Serial Killer effect, which is creepy enough. But the most disturbing thing about this film aside from its cinéma-vérité feeling is the realistic props.
From severed limbs to severed heads and other bodily appendages, The Secret Life: Jeffrey Dahmer isn’t for the faint of heart. Carl Crew wrote the screenplay and also stars as the murderer himself. The movie was reportedly made in secret and was supposed to have a theatrical release. But it ultimately went straight to video in 1991.
You can watch the full movie on YouTube if you type the title into the platform’s search engine.
Raising Jeffrey Dahmer (2006)
Taking a different approach, Raising Jeffrey Dahmer examines the killer’s father and how Dahmer’s childhood may have led him to commit such horrific acts. The title is a little misleading in that it suggests more of an insight into the killer as a kid, but in reality, it has more to do with the aftermath following his arrest.
The movie was panned by critics and ultimately casual viewers as being too stylistic and not following the prompt in the title. One IMDb review said, “Snooty, pompous, and pointless. This movie makes a very weak attempt to use art-house-style drama to represent the story of Dahmer. I actually got fooled into initially thinking that it was a documentary.”
Available on DVD.
My Friend Dahmer (2017)
A better attempt at chronicling the life of Jeffrey Dahmer is My Friend Dahmer. Based on a graphic novel of the same name, this film follows the murderer as an adolescent in high school. Adding to the uniqueness of the film, it was written by Dahmer’s actual childhood friend John Backderf, or “Derf” as he was called back then.
Ross Lynch takes on the title role which won him praise among critics. But ultimately the movie falls between what really happened and perhaps the guilt Backderf felt while writing it. He paints the titular character as more sympathetic than psychopathic, and in that regard, it feels inauthentic.
Available on Freevee through Amazon.
Dahmer (2002)
Today we know Jeremy Renner as a big-budget action star, but long before he became an Avenger he played Jeffrey Dahmer. This is actually an above par entry into the life and times of the serial killer. Thanks to Renner’s performance we get a sense of duality that allows us to see into the madman’s sick mind while still exploring his emotional sensibilities.
Available on Freevee through Amazon.
The Jeffrey Dahmer Files (2013)
Part documentary, part live-action re-enactment, The Jeffrey Dahmer Files again switches focus. This time to the detective following the case. The film also includes testimony from the Milwaukee Medical Examiner and Dahmer’s neighbor Pamela Bass with which he became close.
This film is the most critically praised on the list. It was a part of the Milwaukee Film Festival and took home the Grand Jury Award in 2012.
Watch on AMC+
The Cannibal Killer: The Real Story of Jeffrey Dahmer (2020)
Good luck finding the last one on this list to stream. We were only able to come across it on DVD at the production company’s website. This bizarre ultra-low budget gem isn’t a true narrative about the serial killer but is historically accurate.
According to the synopsis, this film, “is an award winning fictitious yet historically accurate horror crime docudrama narrated by Jeffrey Dahmer (Giancarlo Herrera) using actual quotes by the infamous serial killer responsible for murdering and dismembering at least 17 young men.
The story explores the psychodynamic of Dahmer’s relationships with his neighbors, grandmother, and his victims, both pre and post mortum.”
The subject matter may be morose, but the interest is still there. And while we wait for Ryan Murphy’s re-telling of the Dahmer horror show, maybe one of these titles will help prep you for what to expect until then.
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