Hey Hollywooders! What’s Good in the ‘Wood? After a lot of anticipation, the long-awaited House of Gucci trailer has dropped! To celebrate, we have ten true crime films to watch before House of Gucci releases in movie theaters on November 24, 2021.
What is House of Gucci about?
Starring Lady Gaga and Adam Driver, House of Gucci follows the marriage and divorce of fashion moguls Patrizia Reggiani and Maurizio Gucci and the aftermath of Maurizio’s murder. The cast includes Jared Leto as Paolo Gucci, Jeremy Irons as Rodolfo Gucci, Salma Hayek as Giuseppina “Pina” Auriemma, and Al Pacino as Aldo Gucci.
Watch the trailer:
Here are our top ten picks of true crime films to watch before seeing House of Gucci.
True crime films: Zodiac (2007)
Based on the 1986 book of the same name, Zodiac follows the true murders of the Zodiac Killer in San Francisco during the late ‘60s and early ‘70s, and the investigators who become obsessed with finding the serial killer’s identity. The movie has a star-studded cast, including Jake Gyllenhaal, Mark Ruffalo, Robert Downey Jr., Anthony Edwards, John Carroll Lynch, Chloë Sevigny, Dermot Mulroney.
The mystery thriller gives a gripping insight into the long and tiring search to find the unidentified killer. Zodiac went on to receive multiple nominations, including the Saturn Award for Best Action, Adventure, or Thriller Film.
Watch Zodiac on Amazon Prime.
True crime films: Extremely Wicked, Shockingly Evil and Vile (2019)
Zac Efron stars as the charming but horrifying serial killer Ted Bundy in Extremely Wicked, Shockingly Evil, and Vile. The film relives Ted Bundy’s murders from the perspective of his longtime girlfriend, Elizabeth Kendall (Lily Collins).
Director Joe Berlinger and screenwriter Michale Werwie used Elizabeth Kendall’s memoir, The Phantom Prince: My Life with Ted Bundy, as inspiration for the film. The story frames Ted Bundy’s charisma and as a distraction from the horrendous murders he committed.
Zac Efron shared his hesitations when taking the role when speaking with Variety. “I feel a responsibility to make sure that this movie is not a celebration of Ted Bundy,” he said. “Or a glorification of him. But, definitely, a psychological study of who this person was. In that, there’s honesty.”
Watch the trailer:
Watch Extremely Wicked, Shockingly Evil, and Vile on Netflix.
True crime films: Goodfellas (1990)
Often regarded as one of the best gangster movies of all time, Goodfellas tells the true story of former mob associate turned FBI informant Henry Hill (played by Ray Liotta). The Martin Scorsese film also stars Robert De Niro, Joe Pesci, and Lorraine Bracco.
Goodfellas gives viewers a first-hand look into the financial trap of the Mafia and the destruction and violence it caused. The movie received five Academy Award nominations, including Best Picture, Best Director, Best Adapted Screenplay, Best Supporting Actress, Best Film Editing, and won the award for Best Supporting Actor (Joe Pesci).
Watch Goodfellas on HBO Max.
True crime films: When They See Us (2019)
In the limited series When They See Us, director Ava DuVernay depicts the events of the Central Park Five Jogger Case. In 1989 New York City, five young Black and Latino males were wrongfully convicted of sexually assaulting a white woman in Central Park. The series explores the lives of the five suspects Kevin Richardson (Asante Blackk), Antron McCray (Caleel Harris), Yusef Salaam (Ethan Herisse), Korey Wise (Jharrel Jerome), and Raymond Santana (Marquis Rodriguez), and their experience suing New York City after their wrongful conviction.
When They See Us sheds a light on racial profiling, discrimination, and inequality in the legal system. It went on to receive 11 Primetime Emmy Award nominations.
Watch the trailer:
Watch When They See Us on Netflix.
True crime films: The Boston Strangler (1986)
The biographical crime film, The Boston Strangler, loosely follows the tense investigation to catch the Boston Strangler, Albert DeSalvo. The movie is based on the book by Gerald Frank which tells the story of the Boston Strangler, who murdered 13 women in Boston, Massachusetts, during the early 1960s. Tony Curtis stars as Albert Desalvo while Henry Fonda plays detective John S. Bottomly.
Watch The Boston Strangler on Amazon Prime.
True crime films: Foxcatcher (2014)
Steve Carrell steers away from his comedic roles in the biographical sports drama Foxcatcher. The movie follows the real-life multimillionaire and wrestling enthusiast John du Pont, who recruits two U.S. Olympic gold medalist wrestlers Mark Shultz (Channing Tatum) and Dave Schultz (Mark Ruffalo), for the 1988 Olympics. Pont eventually leads Mark down a dangerous path and murders Dave.
Steve Carell spoke to Collider about Channing Tatum, Mark Ruffalo, and his own preparation for the film.
“To the best of our ability, we tried to emulate who they were. There was a lot of homework to it. At the end of the day, it’s just our best interpretation of these people, what they went through, what their relationships entailed. Again, I think there was a responsibility to try to get it as right as we could, and to be as truthful to it as we could.”
Watch the trailer:
Watch Foxcatcher on Amazon Prime.
True crime films: American Gangster (2007)
In American Gangster, Denzel Washington plays Harlem drug dealer Frank Lucas, who rises to power in 1970s New York. During Frank Lucas’ rise to power, he must face the perils of the law from honest cop Richie Roberts (Russell Crowe). Ted Levine, John Ortiz, Josh Brolin, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Norman Reedus, Ruby Dee, Lymari Nadal, and Cuba Gooding Jr. also star.
Watch Hollywood.com’s coverage at the premiere:
Watch American Gangster on Showtime.
True crime films: The Assassination of Gianni Versace: American Crime Story (2017)
Fashion monarchy meets death in Ryan Murphy’s limited series The Assassination of Gianni Versace: American Crime Story. The series follows the murder of Italian fashion designer Gianni Versace (Édgar Ramírez) by serial killer Andrew Cunanan (Darren Criss). The cast includes Ricky Martin as Antonio D’Amico and Penélope Cruz as Donatella Versace.
The show won three Primetime Emmy awards, including Outstanding Limited Series, Outstanding Lead Actor in a Limited Series (Darren Criss), and Outstanding Directing for a Limited Series.
Watch the trailer:
Watch The Assassination of Gianni Versace: American Crime Story on Netflix.
True crime films: Badlands (1973)
Badlands loosely depicts the real-life murderers Charles Starkweather and his girlfriend Caril Ann Fugate in 1958. Sissy Spacek plays Holly Sargis, a 15-year-old teenage girl inspired by Carli, who meets and becomes infatuated with 25-year-old garbage collector Kit Carruthers. After Kit murders Holly’s father, the two young lovers embark on a murder spree.
Watch the trailer:
Watch Badlands on Amazon Prime.
True crime films: The Bling Ring (2013)
In The Bling Ring, robbery and narcissism are front and center. Sofia Coppola’s satirical crime film follows the true story of the “Bling Ring” Crew, fame-obsessed teenagers who used the internet to find celebrity homes and rob them in 2011. Katie Chang, Israel Broussard, Emma Watson, Taissa Farmiga star.
While there is no murder mystery plot in this film, The Bling Ring gives people a look into the vain-obsessed celebrity culture and its downfall.
Watch the trailer:
Watch The Bling Ring on Netflix.
What are your favorite true crime films? Let us know in the comments!
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