On October 27th, The Spierig Brothers will join forces with Twisted Pictures to release the highly anticipated eighth installment in the Saw movie series. Titled Jigsaw, this sequel takes place over a decade after John Kramer aka Jigsaw’s death and highlights a new string of sadistic murders that are being committed by his successors.
In light of this film’s upcoming release and the sadistic nature of Jigsaw himself, I wanted to put together a quick list of the best sadistic movies to watch before Jigsaw arrives in theaters. Please note that this list does not account for every single horror film and is only meant to highlight a few that I have personally enjoyed over the course of the last 26 years.
The Silence of the Lambs
The Silence of the Lambs remains one of the all-time best films about a serial killer. Dr. Hannibal Lecter (Anthony Hopkins) sends chills down your spine with his vindictive and twisted mind games that play out in this classic film. A young F.B.I. cadet (Jodie Foster) must confide in an incarcerated and manipulative killer to receive his help on catching another serial killer who skins his victims. There is more than enough twisted and disturbing content in this film to drive anyone mad.
Candyman
Candyman, a murderous soul with a hook for a hand, is accidentally summoned to reality by a skeptic grad student researching the monster’s myth. The legend has it that if you look into a mirror and chant the name candyman five times, he will appear behind you and kill you with his hook. Enjoy this throwback horror film; just make sure not to look in the mirror.
Se7en
Se7en follows two detectives, a rookie (Brad Pitt) and a veteran (Morgan Freeman), who hunt a serial killer who uses the seven deadly sins as his motives. With so many twists and turns, this film is sure to shock and leave an unsettling lasting impression. This serial killer paints some of the most iconic murder scenes of his unlucky victims which lends itself on our list of one of the most sadistic films.
Amercian Psycho
A wealthy New York investment banking executive, Thomas Clyde Blackburn (Christian Bale), hides his alternate psychopathic ego from his co-workers and friends as he delves deeper into his violent, hedonistic fantasies. This movie is particularly horrifying because he appears to be a credible and successful businessman, but as the story unfolds we see his sadistic ways bleed over, quite literally.
Saw
Saw is hands down a horror classic! It sets itself apart from the rest with heart-pumping and jaw-clenching scenes that are hard to forget. Saw is about two strangers who wake up in a room with no recollection of how they got there or why, and son discover they are pawns in a deadly game perpetrated by a notorious serial killer. There is no better way to prepare for Jigsaw than by watching the origin story of it all.
Jigsaw hits theaters everywhere on October 27th.This concludes our list on the best sadistic movies to watch before Jigsaw. Do you have any other notable movies that you would add to this list? Please feel free to let us know in the comments section below.
