13 Serial Killers Who Inspired Some Seriously Sick Movies and TV Shows

In 1888, Jack the Ripper tore through London on a killing spree, murdering five prostitutes in sadistic, torturous ways that suggested a particular distaste for the female gender. His mutilations quickly became the stuff of legends and made police think he had an astute knowledge of the human anatomy. Since he was never caught, the murders remain some of England's most infamous unsolved mysteries. His acts have inspired countless onscreen iterations, most notably Johnny Depp's 2001 film From Hell (pictured above) and Alfred Hitchcock's riveting 1927 thriller, The Lodger.