Unlike this movie suggests, psychos ain't complex nor mysterious…
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Edward_de_Vere — 9 years ago(May 25, 2016 02:51 PM)
SoTL's Dr. Lecter is largely responsible for the myth of the genius serial killer.
The small grain of truth behind this myth is the fact that serial killers are significantly more intelligent than the average criminal (as opposed to the average person). The mean IQ of most prison inmates is in the 80's. Serial killers stand out by having IQ's in the high average range (e.g. both Ted Bundy and John Wayne Gacy had IQ scores around 120, manyother prominent serial killers had IQ's of 100-110: competent but nowhere near "genius"), which goes with the territory because someone with an IQ of 80 wouldn't be able to carry out multiple murders for so long without getting caught.
That doesn't mean that most (or any) of them were brilliant Renaissance men who mastered all fields of science, savored the fine arts, and learned a dozen foreign languages when they weren't busy torturing and murdering. Those who think otherwise never learned to separate entertainment from reality. -
pistrix — 9 years ago(October 20, 2016 04:26 PM)
With all due respect you are kind of arguing two different points.
- the intelligence level of serial killers
- what they bother to learn or not learn.
There have been indeed serial killers that have hit above 130 on the IQ test. Ted Kaczynsk sure a bomber injured many and killed 3, his IQ was 167. Rodney Alcala had a 160 IQ. Charlene Williams was also 160.
However, all that aside, yes there can be smart serial killers, there can be dumb ones. Serial killers simply succeed because they are obsessed and driven to do what they want and they plan meticulously. Their first kill is generally not perfect, but they learn from it and change to improve their ways and methods.
But sure some serial killers have been intelligent enough to never be caught, The Zodiac killer comes to mind.
What serial killers bother to learn or not learn is their own choice. It has no bearing on their level of intelligence.
((Damn the remakes, Save the originals.))
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drgnndblls88 — 9 years ago(September 20, 2016 09:32 AM)
the thing with psychopaths/sociopaths is, once you figure one out, you've figured all of them out.
also, they need us. they can't survive without the rest of the population. on the other hand we can do perfectly well without them, better in fact. -
rmoriarty97 — 9 years ago(January 24, 2017 07:24 PM)
Can't get more real and direct than that (they're nothing but piles of crap worthy of nothing but a flush)
He didn't actually mean it like that - he meant that for cops, psychopaths are an obvious and simple problem, like a blocked toilet to a plumber.
Another example could easily have been used. And they obviously aren't such a simple problem, if the FBI believes it necessitates the establishment of a large BSU dedicated to solving it. -
Blue Wave — 3 years ago(December 01, 2022 07:57 AM)
I have read the same thing regarding serial crooks like Charles Manson. I have read what people like John Douglas have written about them which is that they are perfectly aware of what they are which includes the knowledge that they are playing up certain things about themselves as they know they are not that charming in real life.
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Slug Bait — 3 years ago(December 02, 2022 03:08 AM)
This is the reason I prefer Manhunter. Brian Cox's portrayal of Hannibal is much more realistic. He's not a pantomime, he's just some doofus in a jail cell.
Just because I'm not on THEIR side, doesn't mean I'm on YOURS. -
BlablaBlackSheep — 3 years ago(March 04, 2023 05:30 AM)
Buffalo Bill is portrayed as a pathetic doofus who kidnaps women.
But neither movie is realistic. In reality criminal profilers are not cognitive empaths who are one step away from being a serial killer themselves. They also don’t use their near-magical analytical and profiling skills to solve the case or apprehend the suspect on their own. No one would want to watch a movie of some psychologists/forensic scientists in a data room building a profile over many months and then anti-climatically faxing it over to the detectives.
If thrillers were 100% realistic then no one would watch them. Saying Hannibal Lecter is too much like a supervillain is like saying Star Wars has too much magical force powers. Hollywood genre films are all fantasy. -
SealedCargo — 2 years ago(March 22, 2024 03:34 AM)
manhunter was like a music video; silence was a brilliant thriller
The Fearmakers Blog
https://thefearmakers.blogspot.com/ -
AnthonySocksss — 1 year ago(April 13, 2024 12:15 AM)
Oh yeah? See my little friend here?
He disagrees with you
Melton1 Wanted for Pedophilia:
https://i.ibb.co/6cnPmJVr/IMG-0830.jpg
https://m.youtube.com/shorts/Zjxk307CND0
