The Glorification of Serial Killers Glorification of serial killers has been around since media began covering stories of serial killers, but now the glorification of serial killers is more main stream than ever before with films, novels, and television series such as Dexter, Silence of the Lambs, The Following, and even Frankenstein. Glorification of serial killers doesn’t stop with only fictional serial killers though real-life serial killers are also glorified and worshiped by members of our society. To understand how glorification of serial killers takes place we must examine some of the most well-known fictional serial killers in main stream media today by doing so we will be able to conclude how this glorification has led to real-life obsession and glorification of serial killers. First, in the films The Silence of the Lambs and Mr. Brooks the filmmakers seemed to glorify and justify the killings of the main characters while disgracing and shaming the supporting actors that were also serial killers. The main characters were likeable and audiences even identifies with them, but the other killers in the films, Buffalo Bill and Mr. Smith. They were both portrayed as devious and monstrous in their killings. Buffalo Bill tortured and tricked his pry while Mr. Smith wanted to kill for the excitement of the kill. For example, Hannibal in Silence of the Lambs, Hannibal was glorified by his intelligence and charm. While Hannibal is a despicable man and gruesome killer, audiences still tend to like him. Audiences were drawn to him since him since before he became a serial killer he was a successful doctor. Viewers also could relate to him since a lot of his killings were because the victims had mistreated him, someone he cared about, or because he didn’t trust him. For example, Hannibal killed the cellmate next to him in the prison after he was disrespectful to Clarice when she walked by his cell by throwing semen in her face. Hannibal also killed them to get free, but also since they were ugly and taunting him about his drawings of Clarice. Audiences also related to Hannibal because of his intelligence. The FBI had many agents working on the Buffalo Bill killings, but without Hannibal’s insight they would not ever been able to find him. By just talking to Clarice about the killer and looking at the case files Hannibal was able to give clues to Clarice to support her in finding Buffalo Bill. Hannibal also showed intelligence by not just telling Clarice where she could find Buffalo Bill instead he would give her just enough information where she would have to think to solve the case on her own which gave Clarice a sense of accomplishment and self-esteem. So, while Hannibal was a gruesome, monsterious killer the director portrayed him in a way that he once was an ordinary citizen that may of just strayed down the wrong path. As for Buffalo Bill, the director portrayed him as an outsider. This was evident in that he was a homosexual, dirty, and deceiving. First of we’ll discuss the homosexuality. While equal rights and acceptance for homosexuality has come a long way in America most people still look at homosexuality as dirty and disgusting. As for being homosexual and wanting to become a woman even more people look down on that as socially unacceptable. Buffalo Bill was also seen as deceitful. Audiences also saw his tactics and reasoning for killing as wrong. In the film he would pry on unsuspecting women. He would do this by portraying an injured person needing assistance and then would kidnap them. Buffalo Bill also would seek out full-figured women since once he killed them he would skin them. He targeted full-figured women because they would have more flesh than the skinny ladies. His killings were not justified by wrong doing of an individual but instead by self-gratification for him to make his suit of flesh. By being deceitful, unjustified in his killings and a homosexual Buffalo Bill was seen as more of the
