33 True Crime Documentaries That Shaped the Genre
As someone who has delved deep into the world of true crime documentaries, I must say that each one offers a unique perspective and sheds light on different aspects of our society. The Sons of Sam: A Descent into Darkness, with its focus on investigative journalist Maury Terry’s quest for truth beyond the known, reminds me of my own relentless pursuit for answers when I lose a sock in the dryer – only the stakes here are much higher!
As a cinephile, I’ve always found crime stories captivating, from the early days in colonial New England when pamphlets detailing murders, trials, and final words were distributed, turning executions into public spectacles akin to street fairs. Then came Truman Capote’s groundbreaking book “In Cold Blood,” which heralded the birth of modern true crime literature. Errol Morris’s 1988 film “The Thin Blue Line” not only marked the entry of true crime into documentary films but also led to an overturned conviction. The advent of channels like Court TV in 1991, allowing viewers to witness jury trials at home, sparked a surge of true crime TV shows. Now, with the expansion of cable, podcasts, and streaming platforms, we’ve seen an explosion of true crime documentary films and docu-series programs, catering to our ever-growing appetite for these gripping narratives.
TIME consulted several criminologists, scholars, and true crime writers to identify top-notch documentaries and docu-series that truly embody the genre. Here’s a list of their recommendations:
According to David Wilson, a criminologist and former professor at Birmingham City University in the U.K., the allure of true crime documentaries and series lies in the public’s yearning to witness justice being upheld. People are drawn to these productions because they want to see ‘goodness prevailing over evil,’ with the wrongdoers being brought to justice, law enforcement officers apprehending their suspects.
For individuals concerned that they might find themselves on the list of potential victims for a serial killer, it’s worth noting that such heinous acts are extremely uncommon, according to Katherine Polzer, a criminologist at Texas Christian University.
The Thin Blue Line (1988)
The movie delves into the story of Randall Adams, a man wrongly convicted and sentenced to death for the murder of a Dallas police officer in 1976. However, in this documentary, another individual named David Harris admits to committing the crime, leading to Adams’ release from prison just a year following the film’s release. This groundbreaking movie introduced reenactments and showcased how true crime documentaries can shed light on and rectify flaws within the judicial system.
Where to watch: Netflix
Brother’s Keeper (1992)
The documentary film focuses on the 1991 trial of Delbert Ward, a farmer accused of suffocating his brother in Munnsville, N.Y. His two other brothers were thrust into the spotlight and the national media descended on the small rural town. The film examines how the town’s residents viewed the case compared to how it was portrayed in the news. At his trial, Delbert was ultimately acquitted after it was discovered the New York State Police coerced a confession, but passed away in 1998. (His brothers Roscoe and Lyman died in 2007.)
Where to watch: Amazon Prime, Apple TV+
Paradise Lost: The Child Murders at Robin Hood Hills (1996)
As a true crime enthusiast, I can’t help but reflect on the profound impact of a specific film series that delves into the heart-wrenching story of the 1993 murders of three boys – often referred to as the “West Memphis Three.” These teens were wrongfully convicted despite the lack of any tangible evidence or motive linking them to the tragic deaths. However, their journey towards freedom began in 2011 when DNA testing finally exonerated them.
Where to watch: Max
Bowling for Columbine (2002)
2003 Academy Award winner for best documentary, this film delves into the distinctive gun culture prevalent in America, focusing on the 1999 Columbine High School mass shooting in Colorado that claimed 15 lives and injured 24 others. Filmmaker Michael Moore investigates the circumstances surrounding the tragedy, aiming to understand why such events occur more frequently in the U.S., and why gun-related deaths are significantly higher compared to other nations. In this film, he doesn’t shy away from confrontation, as evidenced by his interrogation of a staff member at a Lockheed Martin plant near Columbine, and his visit to the residence of Charlton Heston, then president of the National Rifle Association, to request an interview—which was granted.
Where to watch: Amazon Prime, Pluto TV, Tubi
The Staircase (2004)
2001 saw Kathleen Peterson’s body discovered at the foot of the staircase in her Durham, North Carolina home. Her husband, Michael Peterson, a crime novelist, was accused and subsequently convicted of murdering her in 2003. However, he was released from prison in 2017. The story is reenacted in a 2022 HBO Max production starring Colin Firth and Toni Collette. David Schmid, author of “Natural Born Celebrities: Serial Killers in American Culture,” notes that the series falls into a common true crime sub-genre: “It’s about individuals who, at first glance, don’t seem like criminals. But this very unpredictability is what makes them intriguing.
Where to watch: Netflix
Capturing the Friedmans (2003)
The movie primarily explores Arnold Friedman, a former school teacher who ran computer classes for children in his basement with his 18-year-old son Jesse. In 1987, they were apprehended and accused of child molestation. What sets this film apart is the home videos recorded on a camcorder belonging to Arnold’s eldest son David. As stated by Adam Golub, a professor of American Studies at California State University, Fullerton, who specializes in true crime and pop culture, “This family filmed themselves extensively, just relaxing, conversing – even after the initial arrest, prior to the trial.” This provides us with a glimpse into the personal lives of this family.
Where to watch: Max
Dear Zachary: A Letter to a Son About His Father (2008)
Filmmaker Kurt Kuenne produced a movie centered around his friend, Dr. Andrew Bagby, who met an unfortunate end following a breakup with a medical school classmate, Shirley Turner. Suspected in Bagby’s death, Turner fled to Canada. Upon discovering that another girlfriend of Bagby was pregnant with his child, Kuenne decided to create a film about the father for their future son to watch. The movie contains an unexpected plot turn that will leave viewers emotionally shattered. It took two years after the release of Dear Zachary before a Canadian law was passed, allowing courts to deny bail to individuals like Turner accused of grave crimes and deemed dangerous to children under 18. According to George S. Larke-Walsh, editor of True Crime in American Media, this documentary indeed influenced the legal change.
Where to watch: Amazon Prime, Pluto TV, Tubi
Central Park Five (2012)
Ken Burns’ documentary focuses on the five African-American boys who were falsely accused and convicted in a rape and assault case that occurred in New York City’s Central Park in 1989. The media frenzy surrounding the case was intense, but the convictions were eventually overturned in 2002. This film delves into the long-term consequences of these wrongful convictions, with interviews from the men as they have grown older. What sets this true crime documentary apart, according to TCU’s Polzer, is the access granted to the exonerated suspects.
Where to watch: PBS
The Act of Killing (2012)
A rare example of an international true crime story that got the documentary film treatment, and an even rarer example of killers participating in a film and reenacting their crimes. It features two men, Anwar and Herman, who helped carry out mass political assassinations in Indonesia between 1965 and 1966 aimed at eradicating suspected communists. Anwar, for example, describes how he strangled victims with wire. The film shows that many of the killers maintain comfortable, well-off existences despite their crimes; some even serve in local government.
Where to watch: Peacock
Tales of the Grim Sleeper (2014)
The movie delves into the life of Lonnie Franklin Jr., infamously called the “Grim Sleeper,” due to his murder spree of ten women across Los Angeles between 1984 and 2007. Filmmaker Nick Broomfield communicates with victims who suffered at Franklin’s hands through a former sex worker. The film sheds light on how factors like poverty, drug abuse, and a police force that was hesitant to take Black women seriously resulted in these cases being unresolved for such a long time. As Dawn K. Cecil, a criminologist at the University of South Florida, explains, “It highlights how long it took the police to truly acknowledge these victims due to their circumstances—being runaways and drug addicts.
Where to watch: YouTube
The Jinx: The Life and Deaths of Robert Durst (2015)
In an extraordinary turn of events, a real-crime documentary, The Jinx, showcases a criminal confessing a crime – something rarely seen. The subject of this documentary is Robert Durst, a real estate tycoon, who, in a surprising lapse, spoke into an unaware microphone while in the bathroom and said, “I killed them all of course,” hinting at the murders of his wife Kathie in 1982 and her friend Susan Berman in 2000. He was eventually convicted in 2021 and served a life sentence in prison until his death in 2022.
Where to watch: Max
Making a Murderer (2015-2018)
This docu-series sparked an unprecedented audience reaction, establishing Netflix as a key platform for true crime documentaries. More than 180,000 people signed petitions calling for then-President Barack Obama to pardon the main subject Steven Avery, even though a president cannot pardon someone for a state offense. Avery served 18 years in prison for a sexual assault, and was released in 2003 when DNA evidence proved him innocent. But two years later, he was found guilty of another murder and sentenced to life in prison. The documentary asks viewers to consider whether he did indeed transform into someone capable of murder after serving in prison so long for a crime he didn’t commit, or whether law enforcement officials, embarrassed by his 2003 exoneration, had it in for him. He remains in prison.
Where to watch: Netflix
O.J.: Made in America (2016)
The comprehensive, nearly 8-hour-long docu-series chronicled the rise and fall of O.J. Simpson, who went from NFL stardom to being tried (and acquitted) for the brutal killing of his ex-wife. Tanya Horeck, author of Justice on Demand: True Crime in the Digital Streaming Era, and a professor at Anglia Ruskin University in the U.K., says O.J.: Made in America stands out for delving into issues of race, gender, and sports, arguing, “a true crime documentary and true crime docu-series is at its best when it’s making us think about the wider social context and not just treating these cases as isolated incidents.”
Where to watch: ESPN, Hulu
The Keepers (2017)
The 1969 slaying of Sister Catherine Cesnik, a Roman Catholic nun, offers an insight into a larger tale about abuses that occurred at the Baltimore all-girls catholic school where she taught. This docuseries presents the views of former students, some of whom suspect a priest was responsible for her death, although her murderer remains unidentified. As Danielle Slakoff, an assistant professor of criminal justice at California State University, Sacramento, notes, “the documentary initially seems to be about the murder of a nun, but it delves into much more profound issues—particularly, the sexual abuse of children within the Catholic Church. It’s one of the finest documentaries available.
Where to watch: Netflix
Time: The Kalief Browder Story (2017)
At the age of sixteen, Kalief Browder was wrongfully imprisoned for a theft he didn’t commit. Charged with stealing a backpack, he endured repeated spells of solitary confinement on Rikers Island for a span of three years because his family couldn’t pay his bail. In 2013, he was freed, but tragically took his own life in 2015. The documentary series, created by Jay Z, aims to shed light on the unjust financial system of bail bonds.
Where to watch: Netflix
Surviving R Kelly (2019)
During the period when the #MeToo movement encouraged women to share their stories about sexual abuse, this Lifetime series particularly emphasized the accounts of Black women who claimed that the singer R Kelly had engaged in misconduct towards them as minors. Unlike many true crime documentaries which typically focus on victims who are white, this documentary gives a stronger voice to Black women’s perspectives.
Where to watch: Lifetime, Netflix
Conversations with a Killer: The Ted Bundy Tapes (2019)
This movie, released to coincide with the 30th anniversary of Ted Bundy’s execution – a prolific American serial killer known for his heinous crimes against women and girls in the mid-70s (with an estimated death toll of at least 30) – offers a chilling summary of Bundy’s gruesome deeds. It includes transcripts from prison interviews between Bundy, journalists Stephen Michaud and Hugh Aynesworth, during which Bundy discusses his twisted motivation: each murder left him feeling unfulfilled, so he would continue his killing spree in search of satisfaction. These recordings offer a unique insight into the dark thoughts that drove Bundy, although they did not alter any significant aspects of the case.
Where to watch: Netflix
Don’t F**k with Cats: Hunting an Internet Killer (2019)
Over the past few decades, numerous true-crime documentaries have emerged, featuring ordinary individuals utilizing social media to aid in resolving crimes. One such example is the docuseries, “Don’t F**k with Cats,” which recounts the story of Facebook users who set out to locate a man responsible for suffocating kittens and posting the videos online. Remarkably, they uncover evidence that he had also killed a woman. As criminologist David Wilson points out, “it wasn’t the police who solved the crime; rather, it was these armchair detectives who did. They gathered the evidence and provided it to the authorities.
Where to watch: Netflix
Jeffrey Epstein: Filthy Rich (2020)
Jeffrey Epstein, a former financier disgraced by accusations of federal sex trafficking and conspiracy, took his own life on August 10, 2019, while in prison. However, the women he victimized have made certain that his crimes remain vivid in memory. In this documentary, they recount their experiences, explaining how they believed they were employed to give Epstein massages, only to discover later that they had been recruited for sexual purposes. This documentary, focused on survivors, emerged at a time when women felt particularly empowered to discuss sexual abuse, as the #MeToo movement gained traction and Christine Blasey Ford testified about being sexually assaulted by Brett Kavanaugh during his Supreme Court confirmation hearings.
Where to watch: Netflix
American Murder: The Family Next Door (2020)
This movie delves into the 2018 murder case where Chris Watts is now serving a life sentence for killing his pregnant wife, Shanann, and their daughters Bella and Celeste, at their Colorado residence. By scrutinizing Shanann’s social media posts, text messages, and videos she made, this film offers an examination of the case from her perspective. The documentary includes interviews with police questioning Chris, and it highlights a crucial point in the investigation when he failed a lie detector test followed by his confession to the murders.
Where to watch: Netflix
The Vow (2020)
In this documentary series titled “The Vow,” individuals associated with the controversial group NXIVM share their perspectives following the conviction of their leader Keith Raniere on charges of sex trafficking and racketeering conspiracy. This documentary is one of several high-profile ones that have emerged in recent times, focusing on charismatic leaders akin to Svengalis, which seems particularly relevant during the Trump era. As author Schmid points out, “Many people view MAGA as a cult, and it appears that our political system is increasingly being influenced by a powerful individual.
Where to watch: The Vow
I’ll Be Gone in the Dark (2020)
The docuseries delves into Michelle McNamara’s work on the case of the “Golden State Killer,” a man linked to about 50 home invasions resulting in rapes and 13 murders in California during the 70s and 80s. Unfortunately, McNamara, who battled opioid addiction, passed away from an accidental overdose in 2016, before DNA evidence led to the arrest of the suspect in 2018. Consequently, the film is a blend of true crime investigation and a memoir, using home videos, text messages, and personal journals of McNamara to tell her story.
Where to watch: Max
Atlanta’s Missing and Murdered: The Lost Children (2020)
The documentary series sheds light on approximately 30 missing Black children during the years 1979-1981. Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms reopened this case in 2019. It includes conversations with individuals connected to these kids and discusses the escalating racial tension within the community, as well as the numerous unanswered questions about the probe.
Where to watch: Max
The Innocence Files (2020)
Highlighting the efforts of The Innocence Project, an organization dedicated to rectifying wrongful convictions, each episode showcases a distinct case of individuals who were unjustly imprisoned for years due to being found guilty of crimes they didn’t commit. One such individual is Kennedy Brewer, who was erroneously charged with the murder of his girlfriend’s toddler in 1992 and served 15 years behind bars—eight of those years on death row—before DNA testing cleared him in 2008. Across nine episodes, viewers will come to realize that such instances are not isolated incidents but rather a recurring issue, as Cecil explains, “You start to see it’s not just a one-time thing. This kind of thing keeps happening.
Where to watch: Netflix
Tiger King (2020)
During the pandemic, one of the widely viewed shows on Netflix was a true-crime series focusing on Joseph Maldonado-Passage, also known as “Joe Exotic,” a convicted criminal and tiger breeder. This program appeared to capture everyone’s attention at the start of the pandemic and lockdown, suggesting that our society found this individual and the alleged crimes intriguing. Michael Buozis, an assistant professor in media and communication at Muhlenberg College who specializes in true crime, comments on this phenomenon.
Where to watch: Netflix
Crime Scene: The Vanishing at the Cecil Hotel (2021)
As a devoted cinephile, I find myself captivated by the chilling tale of the Cecil Hotel in the heart of L.A., notorious for its string of mysterious deaths that occurred both on and off its premises. This gripping docuseries zeroes in on the enigmatic story of Elisa Lam, a 21-year-old tourist hailing from Canada, whose lifeless body was discovered in the hotel’s rooftop water tank back in 2013.
Where to watch: Netflix
Allen v. Farrow (2021)
The docu-series is made from a treasure trove of home videos taken by actress Mia Farrow, including one in which her daughter Dylan accuses the legendary director Woody Allen of molesting her—a charge Allen has repeatedly denied. In the #MeToo era, this series tracks Mia Farrow’s crusade to get justice for Dylan, and shows that even the rich and famous have trouble being believed when it comes to sexual abuse allegations. As Deborah L. Jaramillo, an associate professor in the department of film and television at Boston University who teaches about true crime, puts it, injustice affects “even people who have a ton of money.”
Where to watch: Max
The Sons of Sam: A Descent into Darkness (2021)
As a passionate moviegoer delving into the chilling annals of crime history, let me share my take on the notorious David Berkowitz, infamously known as the “Son of Sam.” This cunning serial killer is currently incarcerated for his infamous “Summer of Sam,” during which he claimed the lives of six innocent souls and left seven others with lasting scars in 1976 and 1977. The gripping docuseries weaves together the harrowing accounts of that summer while also delving into the intriguing work of investigative journalist Maury Terry. His investigation sought to uncover whether Berkowitz was a mere pawn in a broader conspiracy, potentially linked to a Satanic cult.
Where to watch: Netflix
Night Stalker: The Hunt For a Serial Killer (2021)
As a passionate film buff, I can’t help but express my excitement over this gripping docu-series that delves into the chilling tale of Richard Ramirez, a notorious criminal whose reign of terror swept across Los Angeles in 1984 and 1985. It was an era when crime rates were plummeting, and the city basked in the afterglow of the Olympics.
Where to watch: Netflix
Black and Missing (2021)
The film spotlights the efforts of an activist group focusing on locating missing women of color, led by Derrica Wilson, a retired law enforcement officer, and her sister-in-law Natalie Wilson, a skilled PR professional. As Slakoff points out, it’s quite remarkable that this documentary shines a light on the alarming rate at which Black individuals are disappearing, an aspect often overlooked in true crime narratives.
Where to watch: Max
Last Stop Larrimah (2023)
In a small, peculiar Australian outback town named Larrimah, I found myself among the 10 remaining residents when one of us mysteriously vanished. Suddenly, we all became potential suspects in this confounding investigation. As Lili Pâquet, editor of “True Crime and Women: Writers, Readers, and Representations,” suggests, this type of true crime narrative seems to be shifting towards examining communities, particularly those with unique personalities living in isolated locations.
Where to watch: Max
Murder in Big Horn (2023)
“Investigation at Big Horn Highlights Contemporary Efforts to Trace Missing Native Americans and Examines the Enduring Impact of Colonization
Where to watch: Paramount Plus, Hulu
They Called Him Mostly Harmless (2024)
As a film enthusiast who’s always on the lookout for intriguing documentaries, I was captivated by the tale of Vance Rodriguez, the Appalachian Trail hiker whose identity remained elusive for two long years. Known to many as “Mostly Harmless,” this enigmatic figure left a lasting impression on those he encountered during his journey.
Where to watch: Max
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2024-09-11 20:07