Serial Killers

Ellen E Jones and Mark Kermode take a look at the screen's morbid fascination with the serial killer genre - and its dicey ethics.

Mark starts by speaking to John McNaughton, director of Henry: Portrait of a Serial Killer. First unveiled in 1986, but not released in the UK until the early nineties, due to the BBFC taking issue with the films realistic approach to on screen violence. Mark and John discuss the making of the film and why, 40 years on, it still terrifies.

Ellen then talks to film critic, Beatrice Loayza. They discuss the evolution of the genre and why female audiences have such a complicated relationship to the serial killer film.

Ellen also speaks to one of the most acclaimed and successful documentarians at work today, the Oscar nominated and award winning Liz Garbus. They discuss Liz’s victim orientated take on the serial killer film and why she takes issue with the label ‘true crime’.

Producer: Queenie Qureshi-Wales A Prospect Street production for BBC Radio 4