Psycho Movies

[RCMerchant]

CAPE FEAR seems a good depiction of a psychopath.

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

[voltron]

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.

[JaseSF]

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.

[Mofo Rising]

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.

[Chainsawmidget]

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

[indianasmith]

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

[major jay]