He would attract his victims through “lonely hearts” ads and kill them to gain their money. Years earlier, in the 1930s, there had been the case of Harry Power who murdered two widows and their children in West Virginia. He served as the inspiration for innumerable fictional serial killers, most notably Norman Bates (“Psycho”) and Buffalo Bill (“The Silence of the Lambs”). In the 1950s, there were a number of high profile serial murder cases, including the ones perpetrated in Wisconsin by Ed Gein. Fear exists in all of us and these films encourage us to face it head on, by allowing us to lock eyes with Hannibal Lecter. Some people seek this type of films to confront their own fears and to actually try and understand what we cannot comprehend. Serial killer films affirm that crime is real and sometimes crushing. This explains why Fincher’s endings to both of his films are so shocking when there’s no satisfaction - no expected resolution - to be found. Serial killers are the embodiment of pure evil, and we have always been drawn to the conflict of good versus bad, especially if we are able to see a resolution in which the proper side triumphs at the end. What is it about serial killer movies that has fascinated directors and audiences for so long? Auteurs have gravitated to the subject, from Alfred Hitchcock (“Psycho”) to Jonathan Demme (“The Silence of the Lambs”) and David Fincher (“Se7en” and “Zodiac) amongst many others. “And then the good Lord went on to say, ‘Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves.

The Night of the Hunter by Davis Grubb