For those who are dying (no joke) to watch a selection of documentaries about serial maniacs and killers.

If you're the type who can stay up until 4 AM binge-watching not just series episodes but also Netflix documentaries, or you've just finished watching Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story starring Evan Peters — this article is for you.

Well-known and talked-about films about Ted Bundy or Jeffrey Dahmer remain on viewers' minds, but the real interest lies in stories told from the firsthand perspective. A chilling marathon of spine-tingling details about some of world history's most unpleasant personalities in our selection.

It's worth noting that the advantage of documentary series and films is that there are no artistic digressions or censorship, but there are perspectives from various people, including lawyers and detectives, more psychology, and a dose of genuine tension, where reality is far more frightening than ordinary cinema.

And don't forget that the materials contain a large number of warnings and triggers – so be cautious before watching.

Conversations with a Killer: The Jeffrey Dahmer Tapes

The freshest documentary project to start with. Dahmer personally gives interviews and speaks candidly about his deeds. What is heard truly sheds light on his unhealthy mind and horrific intentions. Things that were not shown in the fictional series.

Conversations With a Killer: The Ted Bundy Tapes

Just before the release of the film Extremely Wicked, Shockingly Evil and Vile about the charismatic serial killer named Ted Bundy, Netflix also released a documentary that gives you food for thought. This is the first season and a four-part mini-series based on hours of interviews with Bundy himself. The series faced heavy criticism for once again giving Ted Bundy a platform to speak and be heard, though it also offers a more comprehensive view of the case itself and the ineffective legal system. It's also a stark example of when you don't know what lurks in the minds of the people around you.

Later, the second season of the series also came out – the story of John Wayne Gacy.

The Confession Killer

The series showcases dozens of crimes that continued largely due to police and legal system errors. This naturally played into the killers' hands. The story of Henry Lee Lucas is a prime example. He had 11 proven murders. He committed crimes with his accomplice Ottis Toole — traveling across America, they raped, set fires, killed, and ate those who crossed their path.

He confessed to murdering over 100 people, dozens of robberies, arsons, car thefts, and rapes. Cases were closed very quickly across the country due to overzealous officers who didn't even bother to verify the facts.

Catching Killers

A series of interviews with detectives who apprehended the most notorious serial killers. This offers an interesting perspective on the cases, allowing you to learn more not about the criminals, but about the investigation process and the efforts made by the police themselves.

Crime Scene

This is an anthology series where each season is dedicated to a specific location and the people involved in a crime. The first season told the famous story of the Cecil Hotel with its mysterious murders. The second season focused on the Times Square killer who preyed on sex industry workers. The essence of the project is to show whether a place can influence the story of a real crime.

The Devil Next Door

Remember the Amazon series Hunters, about hunting Nazis in the 1970s US? What if we told you there's a story that inspired the project's creators? The documentary tells the story of a refugee, Ivan Demjanjuk, who emigrated to the US with his family in the early 1950s and took a new name.

In the late 1970s, the world learned that he had been one of the most brutal gas chamber guards at a former Nazi concentration camp. Prisoners nicknamed him "Ivan the Terrible." He was extradited to Israel and convicted. But the case remains a subject of debate to this day – as shown in the documentary. There is plenty of evidence that Demjanjuk was an SS guard, but no precise evidence of exactly who he was. The defense and prosecution present irrefutable evidence against each other, making the case even more tangled and tense.

Don’t F**k With Cats: Hunting an Internet Killer

One of the most famous and talked-about projects that, at the same time, crept up quite unnoticed. Essentially, the film became a phenomenon for crime chronicle enthusiasts. One reason is who exactly solved the then-confusing case. It was ordinary people from the internet and social media. After one video surfaced online, a whole story unfolded about how the killer was caught and tracked down. The internet was going crazy at the time, which may have pushed the maniac to commit new crimes. It also influenced the police, who were inactive. The project gives an idea of how every person on the internet can become a kind of detective-investigator.

Night Stalker: The Hunt for a Serial Killer

The Night Stalker of Los Angeles, or simply the Night Stalker, has been the subject of several films and documentary series on Netflix. In this particular project, two detectives from the homicide division investigate the crimes and attacks. We are fully shown how the case progressed, what leads there were, and how even the smallest details are deciphered.

Memories of a Murderer: The Nilsen Tapes

A documentary from the creators of Don't F**k With Cats. This is a truly horrifying collection of audio recordings of the killers' own stories straight from their prison cells. The conversations take place in the company of a police officer. Nilsen was arrested in 1983 after plumbers discovered the horrifying remains of human bodies he had been disposing of through the sewer system of his London apartment. The cold-blooded criminal killed over 15 men and boys before being caught.

The Sons of Sam: A Descent Into Darkness

The series delves into the depths of the mind of an investigative journalist who was convinced he had found the serial killer. Furthermore, he believed the murders were connected to a satanic cult. The crimes occurred in the Bronx, Brooklyn, and Queens in the 1970s. He was nicknamed the ".44 Caliber Killer" after the revolver used in the crimes. The victims were completely random.

The series details the chronological sequence of the crimes and the subsequent investigation, where potential accomplices are found.

The Ripper

A mini-series that immerses the viewer in the details of the horrific murders that took place in York – a town in northern England in the late 1970s. The Yorkshire Ripper killed 13 women. The cases are recounted by the police, the prosecutor, and several witnesses. It is also one of the most famous cases that sparked such a widespread manhunt across the country. Interestingly, the investigation was hampered by an inaccurate description of the killer, ambiguous facial features, and manifestations of sexism by law enforcement officials.

Indian Predator: The Butcher of Delhi

A killer of the poor – that's what they called him in the Delhi police. Chandrakant Jha was first detained in 1998 but was later released due to lack of evidence. After his release, he committed a series of further murders. The maniac gained the trust of migrant workers, helped them resolve issues or find work. After committing the crimes, he also taunted the police by sending them notes and leaving dismembered body parts around the city.

The case was investigated slowly and was not widely covered in the press, so there was no particular public concern. For a time. The film is interesting because it also reveals the problem of class inequality in the country – which, among other things, hindered the investigation.

The Raincoat Killer: Chasing a Predator in Korea

South Korea has recently been a treasure trove of remarkable and interesting projects worth paying attention to. And the documentary is no exception. This is the story of South Korean serial killer Yoo Young-chul, who committed at least twenty murders in Seoul between 2003 and 2004. His victims included entire families, as well as children and the elderly. The cases horrified the entire city and country.

The documentary shows the story of how he was caught, his subsequent escape, and immediate re-arrest. Interestingly, the killer's arrest was largely made possible thanks to an escort agency, whose owner noticed that employees were disappearing. It also shows the actions of the police and what exactly hindered the search for the killer from the perspective of legal experts. An interview with South Korea's first criminal profiler is interesting. The case inspired the plot of the thriller The Chaser directed by Na Hong-jin.