Nightmares for K- Master List
by animamber | created - 24 Jan 2021 | updated - 16 Feb 2021 | PublicA series of list of true crime movies and tv shows to hand down to my child. For nightmarez. Just a tip: look away when they show the crime scene photos or you are a monster. Watch in order.
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1.
First Person (2000–2001)
Episode:
Mr. Personality
(2001)
Not Rated | 27 min | Documentary, Biography
An interview with Dr. Michael stone, a forensic psychologist.
Director: Errol Morris | Star: Michael Stone
Votes: 21
Micheal Stone
2. Most Evil (2006–2015)
TV-14 | 44 min | Documentary, Crime
Series follows Columbia University's Michael Stone as he searches for the roots of evil in human beings by exploring acts committed by infamous criminals and ordinary people which he rates on his "scale of evil".
Stars: Michael Stone, Tim Hopper, Neil Dudgeon, Kris Mohandie
Votes: 918
3. Aileen Wuornos: Selling of a Serial Killer (1992)
R | 87 min | Documentary, Crime
1992, Florida, USA. Aileen Wuornos is claimed to be the world's first female serial killer.
Director: Nick Broomfield | Stars: Aileen Wuornos, Nick Broomfield, Arlene Pralle, Steve Glazer
Votes: 3,048
4. Aileen: Life and Death of a Serial Killer (2003)
R | 93 min | Documentary, Crime
Nick Broomfield's second documentary about serial killer Aileen Wuornos, focusing on her mental state on death row.
Directors: Nick Broomfield, Joan Churchill | Stars: Aileen Wuornos, Nick Broomfield, Terry Humphreys-Slay, Leitha Prather
Votes: 6,955 | Gross: $0.10M
5. Paradise Lost: The Child Murders at Robin Hood Hills (1996)
Not Rated | 150 min | Documentary, Crime
A horrific triple child murder leads to an indictment and trial of three nonconformist boys based on questionable evidence.
Directors: Joe Berlinger, Bruce Sinofsky | Stars: Tony Brooks, Diana Davis, Terry Wood, Dick Clay
Votes: 18,154
6. Paradise Lost 2: Revelations (2000 TV Movie)
Unrated | 130 min | Documentary, Crime
The case of the West Memphis Three, its questionable circumstances and the parties involved are followed up years later.
Directors: Joe Berlinger, Bruce Sinofsky | Stars: Damien Wayne Echols, Melissa Byers, Norris Deajon, Tim Sullivan
Votes: 9,659
7. Paradise Lost 3: Purgatory (2011)
Not Rated | 121 min | Documentary, Crime
A further followup of the case of the West Memphis Three and the decades long fight to exonerate them that finally gained traction with new DNA evidence.
Directors: Joe Berlinger, Bruce Sinofsky | Stars: Gary Gitchell, Todd Moore, Dana Moore, Pam Hobbs
Votes: 10,871
8. West of Memphis (2012)
R | 147 min | Documentary, Crime
An examination of a failure of justice in the case against the West Memphis Three.
Director: Amy Berg | Stars: Jason Baldwin, Damien Wayne Echols, Jessie Misskelley, Michael Baden
Votes: 10,958 | Gross: $0.31M
9. The Devil You Know (2019– )
TV-MA | 44 min | Documentary, Crime
A journalist races to learn the truth when human remains are found in the home of self-proclaimed Satanist Pazuzu.
Stars: Chad Nance, Nate Anderson, Jenna Woodring, Matt Flowers
Votes: 912
10. Party Monster (1998)
57 min | Documentary, Biography
Documentary film exploring the rise of Club Kid legend Michael Alig and his fall in 1996 when he murdered his drug dealer/roommate Angel Melendez.
Directors: Fenton Bailey, Randy Barbato | Stars: Michael Alig, Gitsie, James St. James, Keoki
Votes: 1,772
11. Unmasking a Killer (2018– )
40 min | Documentary
The true crime HLN Original Series "Unmasking A Killer" profiles the terrifying real-life story of the Golden State Killer, one of the nation's most prolific serial killers, who is ... See full summary »
Stars: Paul Holes, Melissa Brownell, Erika Hutchcraft, Larry Pool
Votes: 202
12. I'll Be Gone in the Dark (2020–2021)
TV-MA | 50 min | Documentary, Crime, Mystery
Gripping examination of the unsolved crimes of the Golden State Killer who terrorized California in the 1970s and 1980s.
Stars: Patton Oswalt, Paul Haynes, Amy Ryan, Lauren Orlando
Votes: 8,858
13. Goodnight, Sugar Babe: The Killing of Vera Jo Reigle (2013)
87 min | Documentary, Biography, Crime
The discovery of the mutilated body of a mentally challenged young mother begins a journey into madness that is so unbelievable the mastermind behind the crime ultimately got away with murder.
Director: J. David Miles | Stars: Lisa Baer, Danny Bixler, Desta Bixler, Jamie Bracy
Votes: 909
14. Mommy Dead and Dearest (2017)
TV-MA | 82 min | Documentary, Crime
In this documentary, the murder of Deedee Blanchard by her daughter Gypsy Rose is explored, as well as the circumstances leading up to the event.
Director: Erin Lee Carr | Stars: Jessica Thomas, Jim Arnott, David Blanchard, Dee Dee Blanchard
Votes: 11,911
15. Who Took Johnny (2014)
Not Rated | 81 min | Documentary, Biography, Crime
An examination into the cold case of the Iowa boy, Johnny Gosch, who disappeared on his paper route 30 years earlier.
Directors: David Beilinson, Michael Galinsky, Suki Hawley | Stars: Noreen Gosch, Nancy Allen, Paul Bonacci, Troy Boner
Votes: 3,181
16. Cropsey (2009)
Not Rated | 84 min | Documentary, Crime, Horror
Realizing that the urban legend of their youth has actually come true, two filmmakers delve into the mystery surrounding five missing children and the real-life boogeyman linked to their disappearances.
Directors: Barbara Brancaccio, Joshua Zeman | Stars: Joshua Zeman, Barbara Brancaccio, Bill Ellis, Dorothy D'Eletto
Votes: 9,209 | Gross: $0.05M
17. The Killing Season (2016)
TV-14 | 43 min | Documentary, Crime
The Killing Season is an immersive series that follows documentarians Joshua Zeman and Rachel Mills as they investigate one of the most bizarre unsolved serial killer cases of our time.
Stars: Joshua Zeman, Rachel Mills, Peter Brendt, Thomas Hargrove
Votes: 1,564
18. Casey Anthony: An American Murder Mystery (2017)
TV-14 | 126 min | Documentary, Biography, Crime
It meets with the family at the center of it all, the Anthonys, to hear their first-hand account of the tragic details surrounding the death of their granddaughter Caylee. We'll reveal the ... See full summary »
Stars: Diane Dimond, Jeff Ashton, Cindy Anthony, Jane Velez-Mitchell
Votes: 997
19. The Case Of: Caylee Anthony (2018 TV Movie)
300 min | Crime
American documentary series about the mysterious and tragic death of two-year-old Caylee Anthony. In this special series, an expert team of criminologists re-examines the case and presents their own theories about what might have happened.
Director: Donnie Eichar | Stars: Casey Anthony, Jeff Ashton, Jim Clemente, James R. Fitzgerald
Votes: 100
20.
Crime Watch Daily (2015–2020)
Episode:
Casey Anthony's Parents Speak/Unfair Punishment
(2017)
Crime, Mystery, News
Casey Anthony's parents speak out about the trial and their relationship with their daughter; an officer gets a slap on the wrist, after a college student drowns in his custody.
Star: Chris Hansen
Votes: 9
21.
20/20 (1978– )
Episode:
The Chameleon
(2020)
Unrated | 120 min | Documentary, News
Decades after two barrels, containing the bodies of a woman and three children, were discovered in New Hampshire's Bear Brook State Park, a podcast renews interest in the cold case and helps lead to authorities solving it;
Stars: David Muir, Amy Robach, Janai Norman
Votes: 23
22. Children of God (1994 TV Movie)
63 min | Documentary
A family describes their time within a religious cult, one that perpetuated pedophilia, sexual abuse, and prostitution.
Director: John Smithson | Stars: Helen Mirren, Sylvia Padilla, Debbie Padilla, Miriam Padilla
Votes: 658
23. Children of God: Lost and Found (2007)
TV-MA | 75 min | Documentary
A first-person account of growing up in an evangelical Christian cult.
Director: Noah Thomson | Stars: David Berg, Ricky Rodriguez, Joey Thomson, Noah Thomson
Votes: 438
24. There's Something Wrong with Aunt Diane (2011 TV Movie)
TV-MA | 101 min | Documentary, Crime
This documentary explores the depth behind the case of a woman whose vehicle collision killed numerous people, including herself. Was she really the reckless drunk, or the perfect suburban mother?
Director: Liz Garbus | Stars: Jesse Temple, Brad Katinas, Diane Schuler, Jay Schuler
Votes: 6,405
25. The Killing of JonBenet: The Truth Uncovered (2016– )
TV-14 | Crime
Re-examination of key evidence and new information of the 6-year-old beauty queen JonBenét Ramsey, murdered in 1996, sheds new light on who may have been responsible for the crime.
Stars: Rachel Handshaw, John Ramsey
Votes: 60
26. JonBenet: An American Murder Mystery (2016)
TV-14 | 130 min | Documentary, Crime
A three-part miniseries exploring the various theories surrounding the unsolved murder of JonBenet Ramsey.
Stars: Braxton Alexander, Michael Reagan, Doug Stroup, Diane Dimond
Votes: 425
27. The Case of: JonBenét Ramsey (2016– )
240 min | Documentary, Crime
A team of investigators re-examine the 20 year-old unsolved murder of JonBenét Ramsey.
Stars: Jim Clemente, Ena O'Rourke, R.J. Wagner, Danny Bohnen
Votes: 919
28. Casting JonBenet (2017)
TV-14 | 80 min | Documentary, Crime, Drama
In the months following the unsolved murder of 6-year-old beauty queen JonBenet Ramsey, responses were elicited from her Colorado hometown community, creating a work of art from the collective memories and mythologies the crime inspired.
Director: Kitty Green | Stars: Hannah Cagwin, Aeona Cruz, Liv Bagley, Shylee Sagle
Votes: 5,749
29.
20/20 (1978– )
Episode:
The List: Who Killed JonBenet Ramsey?
(2021)
Unrated | 90 min | Documentary, News
New insight into the murder of JonBenet Ramsey; the video diaries of legendary detective Lou Smit, who was brought out of retirement to investigate the murder of the child beauty queen;
Stars: David Muir, Amy Robach, Leslie Aaholm, Dan Abrams
Votes: 32
30. Don't F**k with Cats: Hunting an Internet Killer (2019)
TV-MA | 62 min | Documentary, Crime, Mystery
A group of online justice seekers track down a guy who posted a video of himself killing kittens.
Stars: Deanna Thompson, John Green, Claudette Hamlin, Anna Yourkin
Votes: 62,282
31. The Jeffrey Dahmer Files (2012)
Not Rated | 76 min | Documentary, Biography, Crime
An experimental documentary that uses archival footage, interviews, and fictionalized scenarios to tell the story of the people around Jeffrey Dahmer, during the summer of his arrest in 1991.
Director: Chris James Thompson | Stars: Andrew Swant, Pamela Bass, Jeffrey Jentzen, Pat Kennedy
Votes: 2,135
32. Evil Genius: The True Story of America's Most Diabolical Bank Heist (2018)
TV-MA | 48 min | Documentary, Crime
The extraordinary story of the "pizza bomber heist" and the FBI's investigation into a bizarre collection of suspects.
Stars: Trey Borzillieri, Jerry Clark, Jason Wick, Lamont King
Votes: 31,027
33. The Staircase (2004–2018)
TV-MA | 629 min | Documentary, Crime, Drama
The high-profile murder trial of American novelist Michael Peterson following the death of his wife Kathleen Peterson in 2001.
Stars: Michael Peterson, David Rudolf, Ron Guerette, Martha Ratliff
Votes: 27,231
34. Beware the Slenderman (2016)
TV-14 | 114 min | Documentary, Biography, Crime
Tells the story of two 12-year old girls, who attempted to murder one of their friends in an attempt to appease Slenderman, a fictional monster from a horror website.
Director: Irene Taylor | Stars: Morgan Geyser, Anissa Weier, Angie Geyser, William Weier
Votes: 7,812
35. American Murder: The Family Next Door (2020)
TV-MA | 83 min | Documentary, Crime
In 2018, 34-year-old Shanann Watts and her two young daughters disappear in Colorado. With the heartbreaking details emerging, the family's story made headlines around the world.
Director: Jenny Popplewell | Stars: Nickole Atkinson, Jim Benemann, Luke Epple, Mark Jamieson
Votes: 32,772
Chris Watts
36. The Jinx: The Life and Deaths of Robert Durst (2015–2024)
TV-14 | 45 min | Documentary, Biography, Crime
Filmmaker Andrew Jarecki examines the complicated life of reclusive real estate icon Robert Durst, the key suspect in a series of unsolved crimes.
Stars: Andrew Jarecki, Robert Durst, J. Patrick Burns, Dick DeGuerin
Votes: 51,717
37. Captivated: The Trials of Pamela Smart (2014)
TV-14 | 98 min | Documentary, Crime
A small-town murder in New England became one of the highest-profile cases of the twentieth century. As the first fully televised court case, the Pamela Smart trial rattled the ... See full summary »
Director: Jeremiah Zagar | Stars: Joaquin Phoenix, Nicole Kidman, Helen Hunt, Matt Dillon
Votes: 1,084
38. This Is the Zodiac Speaking (2008 Video)
102 min | Documentary, Crime
Retrospective documentary covering aspects of the Zodiac investigation, including interviews with the original investigators and surviving victims.
Director: David Prior | Stars: Pierre Bidou, Russell T. Butterbach, Les Lundblad, Richard Hoffman
Votes: 349
39. Tales of the Grim Sleeper (2014)
TV-MA | 110 min | Documentary, Crime
Nick Broomfield digs into the case of the notorious serial killer known as the Grim Sleeper, who terrorized South Central Los Angeles over a span of twenty-five years.
Directors: Nick Broomfield, Barney Broomfield, Marc Hoeferlin | Stars: Nick Broomfield, Lonnie David Franklin Jr., Donna, Steve
Votes: 3,220
40. Method of a Serial Killer (2018 TV Movie)
120 min | Documentary
Among serial killers, Israel Keyes is an enigma. When police picked him up in Texas in March of 2012, it was for the murder of 18-year-old Samantha Koenig, whom he had brazenly kidnapped ... See full summary »
Director: Matthew Watts | Stars: Stevie Allen, Bobby Chacon, Terri Coleman, Bill Currier
Votes: 157
41.
Forensic Files (1996–2011)
Episode:
Invisible Intruder
(1999)
TV-14 | 21 min | Documentary, Crime
The crime scene was awash with blood, bespeaking the horror of the crime: the murder of two young boys and the stabbing of their mother. Forensic scientists carefully analyzed the blood ... See full summary »
Stars: Peter Thomas, Tom Bevel, Alan Brantley, Jodi Cotner
Votes: 130
Darlie Routier
42.
True CSI (2004– )
Episode:
Family Secrets
(2004)
52 min | Documentary
On June 6, 1996, Darlie Routier places a panicked 911 call - her two young sons have been stabbed by an intruder. She herself has also been wounded. Thus begins a twisted forensic tale that ends with Darlie found guilty of the murders.
Director: Tim Wolochatiuk | Stars: James Cron, Gregory Davis, Vincent Di Maio, Sandra Forsell
Darlie Routier
43. The Last Defense (2018)
42 min | Documentary
Emotional, in-depth examinations of death row cases expose flaws in the US justice system. Season 1 investigates a housewife convicted for stabbing her sons, and an athlete convicted for shooting a father, as attorneys race for new trials.
Stars: Skip Hollandsworth, Katusha Robert, Phillip-Charlie Daniell, Darlie Routier
Votes: 243
Darlie Routier Ep1-4
44. Women on Death Row (2006 TV Movie)
PG-13 | 60 min | Documentary
Look into the personal lives of women currently awaiting execution on Death Row. Though each woman is convicted of committing society's ultimate crime, there is often another side of the story.
Stars: Kay Bess, Sabrina Butler-Porter, Linda Carty, J. Stephen Cooper
Votes: 40
Darlie Routier
45.
On Death Row (2012– )
Episode:
Portrait: Darlie Routier
(2013)
53 min | Documentary
Darlie Routier, convicted of murdering her five-year-old son, Damon. Two of her sons, Damon and 6-year-old Devon, were killed in the attack, but she was only tried for the murder of Damon
Director: Werner Herzog | Stars: Werner Herzog, Damon Routier, Darlie Routier, Devon Routier
Votes: 75
46.
Death Row Stories (2014– )
Episode:
Mother V. Texas
(2015)
TV-PG | 42 min | Documentary, Crime
A Texas mother Darlie Routier is on death row for murdering her two sons in 1996. She asserts her innocence to this day.
Stars: Sandy Aitken, J. Stephen Cooper, Kathy Cruz, Barbara Davis
Votes: 13
Darlie Routier
47.
Wicked Attraction (2008–2013)
Episode:
A Mother's Love
(2009)
TV-14 | 44 min | Documentary, Crime
Wicked Attractions looks at the case of Theresa Knorr who brutally murder two of her own children while using her other children to help facilitate and cover-up the crime.
Director: J. Darin Wales | Stars: Pete Demeo, Mark Berg, Zachary Bradshaw, Chalmer DeCecco
Votes: 12
Theresa Knorr
48. People Magazine Investigates (2016– )
TV-14 | 45 min | Documentary, Crime
The true stories behind gripping crimes that transcended headlines are uncovered in this true crime investigation series.
Stars: Alicia Dennis, Steve Helling, Cynthia Sanz, Christine Pelisek
Votes: 938
49. Leaving Neverland (2019)
TV-MA | 240 min | Documentary
At the height of his stardom, the world's biggest pop star, Michael Jackson, began long-running relationships with two young boys, aged between seven and ten, along their families. They now allege that he sexually abused them.
Director: Dan Reed | Stars: Michael Jackson, Wade Robson, Joy Robson, Chantal Robson
Votes: 31,130
50. Leaving Neverland: The Aftermath (2019)
62 min | Documentary
An investigation into the allegations made in Leaving Neverland (2019).
Director: Jin Chohan | Stars: Jimmy Safechuck, Wade Robson, Dan Reed, Amanda Robson
Votes: 372
51. Surviving R. Kelly (2019–2023)
TV-MA | 306 min | Documentary, Crime, Music
A six-part series about the controversial R&B star R. Kelly which features several women making allegations of abuse by him.
Stars: Andrea Kelly, Tarana Burke, Touré, Candice Norcott
Votes: 5,738
52. Surviving R. Kelly: The Impact (2019 TV Movie)
120 min | Documentary
A look at the aftermath and global impact of the docuseries 'Surviving R. Kelly'.
Stars: Danny Cevallos, Soledad O'Brien, Katie Phang, Janine Rubenstein
Votes: 131
53. Surviving R. Kelly Part II: The Reckoning (2020)
TV-14 | 297 min | Documentary, Crime
Featuring interviews with new survivors, psychologists, and experts on the Kelly case.
Stars: Candice Norcott, Jim DeRogatis, Gerald Griggs, W. Kamau Bell
Votes: 910
54. I Love You, Now Die: The Commonwealth v. Michelle Carter (2019)
TV-MA | 72 min | Documentary, Crime
Teen Michelle Carter's actions shocked a nation - but what really happened behind closed doors? This HBO special showcases the prosecution's point of view and alternately the defense's. Which side do you fall on?
Stars: Jesse Barron, Emily Bazelon, Sam Boardman, Peter Breggin
Votes: 7,864
55. No One Saw a Thing (2019–2021)
TV-14 | 258 min | Documentary, Crime
Examines an unsolved and mysterious death in Skidmore, Missouri, 1981, after a resident is shot dead vigilante style in front of almost 60 townspeople, who deny having seen anything.
Stars: Steve Booher, Britt Small, Kirby Goslee, Leona Hayes
Votes: 789
56. Extremely Wicked, Shockingly Evil and Vile (2019)
R | 110 min | Biography, Crime, Drama
A chronicle of the crimes of Ted Bundy from the perspective of Liz, his longtime girlfriend, who refused to believe the truth about him for years.
Director: Joe Berlinger | Stars: Lily Collins, Zac Efron, Angela Sarafyan, Sydney Vollmer
Votes: 103,482
57. Capturing the Friedmans (2003)
Not Rated | 107 min | Documentary, Biography, Crime
Documentary on the Friedmans, a seemingly typical, upper-middle-class Jewish family whose world is instantly transformed when the father and his youngest son are arrested and charged with shocking and horrible crimes.
Director: Andrew Jarecki | Stars: Arnold Friedman, Jesse Friedman, David Friedman, Elaine Friedman
Votes: 27,139 | Gross: $3.12M
58. The Thin Blue Line (1988)
Not Rated | 101 min | Documentary, Crime
A film that successfully argued that a man was wrongly convicted for murder by a corrupt justice system in Dallas County, Texas.
Director: Errol Morris | Stars: Randall Adams, David Harris, Gus Rose, Jackie Johnson
Votes: 25,969 | Gross: $1.21M
59. The Woman Who Wasn't There (2012)
Not Rated | 65 min | Documentary
A psychological thriller that goes inside the mind of history's most infamous 9/11 "survivor."
Director: Angelo J. Guglielmo Jr. | Stars: Tania Head, Elia Zedeno, Gerry Bogacz, Brendan Chellis
Votes: 2,636
60. Witch Hunt (2008)
Unrated | 91 min | Documentary, Crime
The story of several families who have their lives destroyed when their hometown is whipped into a frenzy by allegations of child molestation.
Directors: Don Hardy, Dana Nachman | Stars: Jack Cummings, Jackie Cummings, Allen Grafton, Ed Jagels
Votes: 1,070
61. Thought Crimes: The Case of the Cannibal Cop (2015)
TV-MA | 81 min | Documentary, Crime
A probing look into the potential future of "thought policing" through the headline-making case of the NYPD "Cannibal Cop," who was charged with conspiring to kidnap and eat women.
Director: Erin Lee Carr | Stars: Gary Allen, Violet Blue, James A. Cohen, Joseph DeMarco
Votes: 1,834
62. Talhotblond (2009)
R | 83 min | Documentary, Crime, Thriller
This is the true story of a love triangle that takes place entirely online. Lies lead to murder in real life, as a teenage vixen (screen name 'talhotblond') lures men into her web. ... See full summary »
Director: Barbara Schroeder | Stars: Steve Clement, Thomas Montgomery, Ken Case, Rex Julian Beaber
Votes: 2,910
63. Roll Red Roll (2018)
80 min | Documentary, Crime
An account of a notable sexual assault that took place in Steubenville, Ohio in 2012, and the role that social media played in the crime and on the community.
Director: Nancy Schwartzman | Stars: Mark Cole, Anthony Craig, Rachel Dissell, Alexandria Goddard
Votes: 2,691
64. H.H. Holmes: America's First Serial Killer (2004)
Unrated | 64 min | Documentary, Crime, History
Torture chambers, acid vats, greased chutes and gassing rooms were just some of the devices of death designed by the Torture Doctor, H.H. Holmes in his castle of horrors. Follows Holmes' entire life as a criminal mastermind.
Director: John Borowski | Stars: Tony Jay, Ed Bertagnoli, Cary Callison, Willy Laszlo
Votes: 1,915
65. Mugshots (2000– )
Not Rated | 45 min | Documentary, Crime, Mystery
In depth analysis of some of the most notorious criminals.
Stars: Arthur J. Nascarella, Dominick Dunne, Janet Reno, Wayne Williams
Votes: 36
66. Albert Fish: In Sin He Found Salvation (2007)
Not Rated | 86 min | Documentary, Biography, Crime
A documentary about Albert Fish, who was a sadistic and cannibalistic serial killer.
Director: John Borowski | Stars: Oto Brezina, Joe Coleman, Bob Dunsworth, Albert Fish
Votes: 1,315
67. The Imposter (2012)
R | 99 min | Documentary, Biography, Crime
A documentary centered on a young man in Spain who claims to a grieving Texas family that he is their 16-year-old son who has been missing for 3 years.
Director: Bart Layton | Stars: Adam O'Brian, Nicholas Barclay, Carey Gibson, Bryan Gibson
Votes: 50,471 | Gross: $0.89M
68. Killer Kids (2011–2015)
TV-14 | Documentary, Biography, Crime
Dramatized reconstruction documentaries on juveniles and teens who become killers for different needs or psychopathic urges; alone, duos. or groups; single to serial killings.
Stars: Misty Lee, Gilles Ouimet, Christian Page, Mario Pagé
Votes: 654
69. Jonestown: The Life and Death of Peoples Temple (2006)
86 min | Documentary, History
Featuring never-before-seen footage, this documentary delivers a startling new look at the Peoples Temple, headed by preacher Jim Jones who, in 1978, led more than 900 members to Guyana, where he orchestrated a mass suicide via tainted punch.
Director: Stanley Nelson | Stars: Rebecca Moore, Janet Shular, Tim Carter, Stanley Clayton
Votes: 5,642
70. Jonestown: Paradise Lost (2007 TV Movie)
PG-13 | 100 min | Documentary, Drama, History
Cult leader Jim Jones leads his followers to a mass-suicide.
Director: Tim Wolochatiuk | Stars: Ted Biggs, Stephan Jones, Vernon Gosney, Tim Reiterman
Votes: 1,245
71. Waco: The Rules of Engagement (1997)
Not Rated | 165 min | Documentary, History
A reassessment of the tragedy at Waco that left 76 members of the Branch Davidian religious sect dead.
Director: William Gazecki | Stars: Dan Gifford, Jim Cavanaugh, Dick DeGuerin, Clive Doyle
Votes: 3,734
72. Heaven's Gate (2020)
TV-MA | 52 min | Documentary, Crime
A comprehensive analysis of the UFO cult. The disappearance of 20 people, and the largest suicide on U.S. soil. Forever changing the face of modern era religion.
Stars: Janja Lalich, Benjamin Zeller, Robert Balch, Kelly Cooke
Votes: 3,032
73. People Magazine Investigates: Cults (2018–2019)
45 min | Documentary
People Magazine Investigates: Cults explores shocking stories of ordinary people who, lured by promises of eternal life, get caught up in a terrifying web of abuse, deception, and ... See full summary »
Stars: Theresa Croft, Nathalie Frederick, Jess Cagle, Shonnon Marshall
Votes: 183
74. Valentine Road (2013)
TV-14 | 89 min | Documentary, Crime
On February 12, 2008 in Oxnard, California, eighth-grade student Brandon McInerney shot his classmate Larry King twice in the back of the head during first period. When Larry died two days ... See full summary »
Director: Marta Cunningham | Stars: James Bing, Jeremy Bing, Rosalie Black, Dawn Boldrin
Votes: 1,984
75. The Vampire Murders (1999 TV Movie)
45 min | Documentary
About a loose-knit gang of teenagers from Murray, Kentucky, known as the "Vampire Clan". In 1998, the leader Rod Ferrell pleaded guilty to the double slaying becoming the youngest person in the United States on Death Row.
Director: Eames Yates | Stars: Scott Andersson, Dana Cooper, April Doeden, Rod Ferrell
76. Banking on Heaven (2005)
73 min | Documentary
A hard-hitting documentary on the largest polygamous cult in the U.S., the Fundamentalist Latter-Day Saints (FLDS), located right on the Utah-Arizona border. This film shows how women and ... See full summary »
Director: Dot Reidelbach | Stars: Laurie Allen, Linda Binder, Duffy Bistline, Pam Black
Votes: 74
77. The Man with 80 Wives (2006 TV Movie)
49 min | Documentary
Warren Jeffs is the brutal tyrant behind America's leading Mormon cult - as well as a prolific polygamist with a penchant for child brides. For two years he has been the target of an FBI manhunt.
Director: Lucy Leveugle | Stars: Sanjiv Bhattacharya, Ross Chatwin, Richard Holm, Brent Jeffs
Votes: 7
78. Damned to Heaven (2008)
81 min | Documentary
Along the barren canyon lands of the Arizona strip, lies the polygamous community of Colorado City. The Fundamentalist Latter Day Saints, or FLDS, have thrived here for over half a century ... See full summary »
Directors: Thomas Elliott, Pawel Gula | Star: Alex Meneses
Votes: 16
79. Sons of Perdition (2010)
R | 85 min | Documentary
An inside look at former FLDS teens who have become religious refugees in mainstream America.
Directors: Tyler Measom, Jennilyn Merten | Stars: Bruce Barlow, Deloy Bateman, Michelle Benward, Kevin Black
Votes: 741
80. I Escaped a Cult (2012 TV Movie)
Documentary
I Escaped a Cult talks to survivors of a polygamist breakaway Mormon sect (Warren Jeffs's FLDS) and a fundamentalist Christian community (Aggressive Christianity Missionary Training Corps).... See full summary »
Director: Sally Howell | Stars: Brent Jeffs, Warren Jeffs, Rebekah Schmierer, Maura Schmierer
Votes: 39
81. Outlaw Prophet: Warren Jeffs (2014 TV Movie)
Not Rated | 120 min | Biography, Drama
The true story of a Fundamentalist Mormon leader who spent more than a year on the FBI's "10 Most Wanted List" for unlawful flight on charges related to his alleged arrangement of illegal marriages involving underage girls.
Director: Gabriel Range | Stars: Tony Goldwyn, Molly Parker, Joey King, David Keith
Votes: 977
82. Different Drummer (1989–1991)
30 min | Documentary
Stars: Jesco White, Norma Jean White, Jerry White, Dorsey White
Votes: 23
83. Dancing Outlaw II: Jesco Goes to Hollywood (1999)
28 min | Documentary, Short
Jesco's trip to Los Angeles to appear in an episode of the Roseanne Barr show as an Elvis impersonating clog dancer is chronicled.
Director: Jacob Young | Stars: Jesco White, Tom Arnold, Roseanne Barr, John Goodman
Votes: 209
84. The Wild and Wonderful Whites of West Virginia (2009)
TV-MA | 86 min | Documentary
A year in the life of the White family, well known for Jesco White, the star of the "Dancing Outlaw" documentary.
Director: Julien Nitzberg | Stars: J. Parker Bazzle II, Big & Rich, Ponty's Camper, Derek Wayne Castle
Votes: 5,198
85. The Most Hated Family in America (2007 TV Movie)
Not Rated | 60 min | Documentary
Louis meets the Phelps family, who protest against an America that tolerates homosexuality
Director: Geoffrey O'Connor | Stars: Louis Theroux, Lauren Drain, Steve Drain, Fred Phelps
Votes: 4,837
86. America's Most Hated Family in Crisis (2011)
Not Rated | 60 min | Documentary
Louis returns to the Phelps family to find that several members have left the cult, and that they are being sued.
Director: Emma Cooper | Stars: Louis Theroux, Lauren Drain, Steve Drain, Betty Phelps
Votes: 2,710
87. Louis Theroux: Surviving America's Most Hated Family (2019)
59 min | Documentary
Louis Theroux returns to visit the Westboro Baptist Church in the wake of the death of its leader.
Director: Geoffrey O'Connor | Stars: Louis Theroux, Fred Phelps, Bethany Hockenbarger, Chris Jakes
Votes: 955
88. Brainwashed by the Westboro Baptist Church (2012 Video)
39 min | Documentary, Short
Director: Joe Stramowski | Stars: Boaz Drain, Faith Drain, Lauren Drain, Steve Drain
89. The Anatomy of Hate (2009)
86 min | Documentary
Reveals the shared narratives found in individual and collective ideologies of hate, and how we as a species can overcome them. For six years the filmmaker worked with unprecedented access ... See full summary »
Director: Mike Ramsdell | Stars: Justin Barrett, Kerry Noble, Terrence Deacon, Fred Phelps
Votes: 131
90. Ministry of Evil: The Twisted Cult of Tony Alamo (2019– )
TV-14 | Documentary
Docuseries based on the life of televangelist Tony Alamo.
Stars: Amanda Knox, Lara Fox, Roger Hervas, Amanda Dill
Votes: 256
91. Atlanta's Missing and Murdered: The Lost Children (2020)
267 min | Documentary, Crime
A never-before-seen look at the killings of at least 30 African-American children and young adults that occurred over a two-year period in the Georgia capital.
Stars: Tony Axam, Mary Welcome, Monica Kaufman Pearson, Jim Procopio
Votes: 1,561
92.
American Justice (1992– )
Episode:
The Cult Murders
(2002)
TV-PG | Documentary, Crime, History
On April 17, 1989 in the small community of Kirtland, Ohio, self proclaimed prophet Jeffrey Lundgren convinces members of his religious cult to help him murder a family of five. Through ... See full summary »
Stars: Ron Andolsek, Bill Kurtis, Steve LaTourette, Alice Lundgren
93. Interview with a Serial Killer (2008 TV Movie)
PG-13 | 44 min | Documentary, Crime
In this jailhouse interview, Arthur Shawcross, the Genesee River Killer, shares candid details of his crimes and his surprising family bonds.
Director: Christopher Martin | Stars: Augustine Capone, Maggie Deming, Paul Dierdorf, Lynde Johnston
Votes: 649
94. Southwest of Salem: The Story of the San Antonio Four (2016)
91 min | Documentary
A documentary that follows the struggle for exoneration of four Latina lesbians who were wrongfully convicted of gang rape against two young girls.
Director: Deborah S. Esquenazi
Votes: 481
95. David Parker Ray: The Toy Box Killer (2019)
50 min | Documentary
This video takes a walk through this horrifying case to uncover the dark secrets he kept hidden from the world for decades. He's one of the few serial killers that was never convicted of murder.
Director: Jym Pagel | Star: Jym Pagel
Votes: 20
96.
House of Horrors: Kidnapped (2014– )
Episode:
The Toy Box Killer
(2014)
TV-14 | 22 min | Documentary, Crime
Cynthia Vigil is a street-smart teen from Albuquerque... But a fateful meeting ends with Cynthia in chains and forced into the horrifying world of the Toy Box Killer Â- a madman who, along ... See full summary »
Director: Pip Gilmour | Stars: Cynthia Vigil, Ben Patrick Johnson, Cindy Hendy, Michael Litchfield
Votes: 11
97. Dream/Killer (2015)
Not Rated | 106 min | Documentary, Crime
In 2005, 20-year-old Ryan Ferguson was convicted and sentenced to 40 years in prison for a crime he did not commit, causing his father, Bill, to embark on a 10-year campaign to prove Ryan's innocence.
Director: Andrew Jenks | Stars: Kevin Crane, Chuck Erickson, Bill Ferguson, Leslie Ferguson
Votes: 2,169
98.
Dispatches (1987– )
Episode:
Unforgiven: The Boys Who Murdered James Bulger
(2001)
41 min | Documentary, News
The documentary covers the outcry from the population after hearing about the release of the two boys who killed 2 year-old James Bulger in 1993. Presenting the protests against their ... See full summary »
Director: Gerry Troyna | Stars: Deborah Davies, Denise Fergus, Alan Williams, Phil Roberts
Votes: 138
99. James Bulger: The New Revelations (2018 TV Movie)
45 min | Documentary, Crime
25 years after the verdict in the Jamie Bulger murder trial, we reveal what the jury, public and press never heard, and what his two killers, Thompson and Venables, said during their time in custody from arrest to release.
Director: Gillian Pachter | Stars: Denise Fergus, Mandy Waller, Dominic Lloyd, Jim Fitzsimmons
Votes: 50
100. Jodi Arias: Dirty Little Secret (2013 TV Movie)
TV-14 | 89 min | Drama, Romance, Thriller
Based on the disturbing murder trial that gripped the nation, this Lifetime Original Movie tells the story of a seductive, aspiring photographer found guilty of killing her former lover.
Director: Jace Alexander | Stars: Tania Raymonde, Jesse Lee Soffer, Leah Pipes, Zane Holtz
Votes: 1,945
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