Top 10 Crime Films About Notorious Crimes

Description: This film recounts the investigation into the Boston Strangler, a serial killer who murdered 13 women in the Boston area in the early 1960s. It's a gripping tale of the hunt for a killer that gripped the nation.

Fact: The film was one of the first to use a split-screen technique to show simultaneous events, a method that was quite innovative for its time.

Description: 'The Insider' focuses on the real-life events of Jeffrey Wigand, a former tobacco executive who decided to expose the industry's knowledge of the dangers of smoking. This film is about the courage to speak truth to power.

Fact: Al Pacino, who plays Lowell Bergman, improvised much of his dialogue, adding to the film's gritty realism.

Description: 'Blow' chronicles the life of George Jung, one of the biggest cocaine smugglers in America during the 1970s and 80s. The film captures the rise and fall of a man who lived the American Dream through the lens of drug trafficking.

Fact: Johnny Depp, who plays Jung, was initially hesitant to take the role due to the drug-related content but was convinced by director Ted Demme.

Description: Steven Spielberg's 'Catch Me If You Can' follows the life of Frank Abagnale Jr., who before his 19th birthday, successfully performed cons worth millions of dollars by posing as a Pan Am pilot, a doctor, and a legal prosecutor. This film is a testament to the audacity of crime.

Fact: The real Frank Abagnale Jr. served as a consultant on the film and even had a cameo as a French policeman.

Description: David Fincher's 'Zodiac' explores the chilling hunt for the Zodiac Killer, a serial murderer who terrorized San Francisco in the late 1960s and early 1970s. The film captures the obsession of journalists and investigators as they try to unmask the killer, making it a perfect fit for this list.

Fact: The film's script was based on two non-fiction books about the Zodiac case, and it took Fincher nearly 18 months to edit the film due to its complex narrative structure.

Description: 'American Gangster' tells the story of Frank Lucas, a real-life drug lord who smuggled heroin into the United States on American service planes from Vietnam. The film not only explores his rise to power but also the relentless pursuit by detective Richie Roberts to bring him down.

Fact: Denzel Washington and Russell Crowe, who play Lucas and Roberts respectively, had never met before filming, which added to the authenticity of their characters' first meeting in the movie.

Description: Martin Scorsese's 'The Wolf of Wall Street' is a wild ride through the life of Jordan Belfort, a stockbroker who engaged in rampant corruption and fraud on Wall Street. This film showcases the excess and moral decay that can come with unchecked greed.

Fact: Leonardo DiCaprio improvised many of his lines, including the famous "I'm not leaving!" scene, which was not in the original script.

Description: Directed by Steven Soderbergh, 'The Informant!' is based on the true story of Mark Whitacre, an executive who turned whistleblower in a price-fixing scandal at Archer Daniels Midland. The film blends comedy with corporate crime, making it a unique entry in this list.

Fact: Matt Damon gained 30 pounds for the role to portray Whitacre's physical transformation over time.

Description: 'The Iceman' is based on the life of Richard Kuklinski, a notorious contract killer who claimed to have killed over 100 people. The film delves into his dual life as a family man and a cold-blooded assassin, making it a chilling addition to this list.

Fact: Michael Shannon, who plays Kuklinski, lost weight for the role to better portray the killer's gaunt appearance in later years.

Description: This film explores the life of Samuel Byck, who attempted to hijack a plane to crash into the White House in 1974 to assassinate President Richard Nixon. It's a deep dive into the mind of a man driven to extreme measures.

Fact: Sean Penn's performance as Byck was critically acclaimed, earning him a nomination for Best Actor at the Golden Globe Awards.