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I'm looking for suggestions on good movies that portray a psychopathic/sociopathic character. It doesn't necessarily have to be a serial killer movie, although that would be ideal. Mainly I'm looking for good film portrayals of sociopathic characters. Sociopaths tend to be functional and very good and blending in and manipulating. That's kind of what I'm after.

I want to start watching lots of movies that fit this bill.

Any suggestions?

Try Maniac
(http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/a/a2/Maniac_%281980%29.jpg)
Love this poster btw  :thumbup:

Misery comes to mind straight off the bat. 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ptpaEntid74&feature=related

I'm sure you've seen all the obvious classics-so here's a few less known...
.LOVE FROM A STRANGER (1937)-Basil Rathbone is absolutly scary as a crazy suitor of a lottery winner. Why didn't he get more roles like this?
.IMPULSE (1974) William Shatner is a gigalo/psychopath/pedophile.
.YOU'LL LIKE MY MOTHER (1972)-Richard (John Boy) Thomas terrorizes Patty Duke-he shoulda played more psycho's too!
.NIGHT OF BLOODY HORROR (1969) Future MAJOR DAD star Gerald McRaney is an axe murderer. Or is he? One thing is certain-he's off his rocker.
.DON'T ANSWER THE PHONE(1980)-Nicholas Worth is a weight lifting nut job who terrorizes a female radio DJ. Worth is EXCELLEANT! His best role!
.The BURNING (1981) A maniac goes around killing folks with a large pair of shears .
.DONT GO IN THE HOUSE (1980)-A flip out with a flame thrower! An obscure CLASSICK!

NSFW!!!!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QDdXNiZqLQI

See my recent comments on the movies THE PSYCHOPATH and THE MAD BOMBER.

A few other suggestions:

* NECROMANTIK (this will make you want to take a shower after you watch it)
* MONSTER
* DRILLER KILLER
* BEYOND THE DARKNESS
* DERANGED
* FUNNY GAMES (I love the original, but have not seen the remake)
* WICKED, WICKED

I should have said why I was wanting this. No, I don't just have an urge to watch psychopaths. My wife and I are going to start a screenplay soon where a central character is a brilliant sociopath.

Here are some examples of the kind of vibe I'm looking for:

The Silence of the Lambs
Amerian Psycho
Misery
Black Widow
The Hitcher

In that case, I would say MONSTER (2003), which is a great character study.  There are also a couple of good documentaries about Aileen Wuornos that are available through Netflix.

Yeah, I've seen Monster, and plan to watch it again for this endeavor. I am interested in Funny Games and Wicked, Wicked, however. Funny Games is streaming on NetFlix. Sweet.

Oh, and another one that fits what I'm looking for: May (2002).

Don't Answer the Phone that RC brought up looks promising as well. Sadly it's not on NetFlix at all where I am.

....Psycho? :P

The Lost (2006)

(http://cps-static.rovicorp.com/1/adg/cov250/dru500/u551/u55164gs60c.jpg?partner=allrovi.com)

Trailer NSFW

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3RBY2EJ4ovs

That on is on Netflix streaming as well. Thanks.

PEEPING TOM is a personal favorite of mine.

How about TARGETS?

Mebbe read about REAL serial killers.

Actually-I'm a big fan of true crime books-and try-

.The Stranger Beside Me-Ted Bundy.
.Deranged-Albert Fish
.The Family-Manson
.Zodiac -and......
.Zodiac Unmasked-Utterly fascinating story of the never caught Zodiac Killer .HIGHLY recommended.

And-of  c ourse-back to movies...
.NO WAY TO TREAT A LADY (1968)-with Rod Steiger as the psycho! And yes-a smart,conniving one-no drooling EC comic book hillbilly.
.WHITE OF THE EYE (1987)-A woman is stalked by a crazy stero salesman serial killer-in the desert.
.DEAD CALM (1989)-A serial killer on a boat with a woman. May not seem like much from that sypnosis-but it is GREAT!
I agree with MONSTER-classic. I love Aileen Wournos. She's my hero. Remember the Insane People thread? I AM.
Not a serial killer,though.
Yet.
MOO HOO HAHAHAHA!  :twirl:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yFBcjII3QAE

In response to that-I say-rather ASK you....

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XREnvJRkif0&feature=related

CAPE FEAR seems a good depiction of a psychopath.

Aye aye,Captain Bligh! NIGHT OF THE HUNTER too. Robert Mitchum is good at it.

I'm a big fan of Psycho 2. Maniac (already mentioned) is probably the most BRILLLIANT portarayal of the type of character you may be looking for (Joe Spinell HELL YES!!!). Also check out Deranged - probably the most effective portrayal of an Ed Gein character comitted to film.

Jonestown: The Life and Death of the People's Temple
Albert Fish: In Sin He Found Salvation

And numerous shows/documentaries on serial killers, some who were psychopathic...shows like Crime Stories, Crimes That Shook the World, Most Evil. There's a Mill Creek set entitled "America's Serial Killers: Portraits in Evil" that's actually very well done. Be warned though, a lot of it is very disturbing, dark stuff.

The Coen brothers have made several good films with sociopaths/psychopaths.

The Peter Stormare character in Fargo is a pretty good psychopath character. Not brilliant, just a human being with no moral compass.

More towards what you are looking for is Anton Chigurh from No Country For Old Men.

Just look at this:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mhXJcfczNIc&feature=related

I think to get a good grasp of the sociopath you have to approach the rest of humanity with a complete disregard to other people as human beings. A friendly smile is only an invitation to utility, the entire history of somebody you have known for years is only useful because you it lets you know how you will be able to use that person to accomplish your own aims.

I should say, the brilliant sociopath is usually my least favorite character in any movie, but only because it's often so incompetently done.

You don't really need a film example, just get rid of all humanity and warmth towards the people you know. Psychopaths don't succeed because they're brilliant, although many of them are. They succeed because they do not care about other people at all. Once you free yourself of caring the world is your oyster.

Mister Frost is a good one.   Jeff Goldblum plays a wonderful psycho who just very well may be the devil himself. 

Try watching DEAR MR. GACY.  The portrayal of J.W. Gacy is truly chilling.

(http://i177.photobucket.com/albums/w234/tcrine_photos/joker2181920x1080.jpg)