Fictional portrayals of psychopaths
Encyclopedia
Psychopaths in popular fiction and movies generally possess a number of standard characteristics which are not necessarily as common among real-life psychopaths. The traditional "Hollywood psychopath" is likely to exhibit some or all of the following traits which make them ideal villain
s.
These traits, especially in unison, may not be present in real psychopaths/sociopaths.
, where the general characteristics of a psychopath—lack of empathy, remorse, and oftentimes impulse control—are useful to facilitate conflict and danger, usually involving death and destruction on varying scales. Because the definitions and criteria for psychopathy have varied over the years and continue to change even now, many characters in many notable films may have been designed to fall under the category of a psychopath at the time of the film's production or release, but may have changed in subsequent years.
Early representations of psychopaths in film were often designed with a poor or incomplete understanding of a psychopathic personality: they were often caricatured as sadistic, unpredictable, sexually depraved, and emotionally unstable (manic
) characters with a compulsion to engage in random violence and destruction, usually with a series of bizarre mannerisms such as giggling, laughing, or facial tics. The public's overall unfamiliarity with mental illness
or psychological disorders made this depiction acceptable and even perceived as "realistic" at the time of release. Up until the late 1950s, American cinematic conventions usually relegated the psychopath to roles of genre villains such as gangsters, mad scientists, supervillains, and many types of generic criminals. Even homosexuality
was displayed as a type of psychopathic behavior in films such as They Only Kill Their Masters
(1972) prior to the removal of homosexuality from the DSM
in 1973.
Famous examples of psychopaths of this type are Tommy Udo (Richard Widmark
) in Kiss of Death
, Cody Jarrett (James Cagney
) in White Heat, and Antonio 'Tony' Camonte (Paul Muni
) in the 1932 version of Scarface
. One rare exception to this depiction during this period is the character of child murderer Hans Beckert (Peter Lorre
) in the 1931 Fritz Lang
film M
. Lorre portrays Beckert as an outwardly unremarkable man tormented by a compulsion to ritualistically murder children, a substantially more realistic depiction of what would eventually be known as a serial killer
.
With the 1957 arrest of Ed Gein
in Plainfield, Wisconsin
, and the national attention it received, the portrayal of a psychopath in film changed and found itself rerouted into an almost entirely separate and exclusive genre of film: horror
. The exploits and details of the Ed Gein case — including grave robbing, cannibalism
and necrophilia
— became a broad template for the characteristics and activities of what was considered to be psychopathic behavior. Two notable divergences in the typical portrayal of the psychopath emerged: the socially functional misfit with a (usually) sexually-motivated compulsion to kill, and later the violent, chaotic mass murderer with idiosyncratic behaviors and appearances. Characters such as Mark Lewis (Carl Boehm) in Michael Powell
's Peeping Tom
and most famously Norman Bates
(Anthony Perkins
) of Alfred Hitchcock
's Psycho are examples of the former; characters such as Leatherface
of The Texas Chain Saw Massacre and Michael Myers
of the Halloween
film series are examples of the latter.
The exploits of many real-life psychopaths and serial killers during the 1960s and 1970s led to the increasing amount of information concerning the behaviors of psychopaths with ritualistic methods of murder into the public knowledge. Motion pictures began to incorporate the graphic and widely misunderstood practices of these behaviors into sensationalistic theme films that eventually became known as slasher films. Bearing a strong resemblance to the Grand Guignol
theater of Europe
, slasher films consisted of a recurring idiosyncratic villain with a signature modus operandi
, weapon, and in particular, visual appearance — most often a distinctive mask — in a story involving the sequential slaughter of many innocent adolescents in a number of spectacular and grotesque fashions. The advent of latex prosthetic appliances in special effects makeup allowed for more graphic on-screen kills in a single shot rather than separate shots cut together, adding to the spectacle-driven allure of the films. While many films that can be characterized as prototypical slasher films originally began as stand-alone films commenting on the nature of morality and human nature (The Last House on the Left
, The Hills Have Eyes
), the slasher film subgenre came to dominate the tone and design of the psychopathic model for decades, mostly due to the sensationalistic aspects of the films and the extreme marketability of the villains with iconic and trademarked costumes and masks.
While the psychopath remained a staple of many other traditional genres of film, the more sensationalistic aspects of the past were toned down or abandoned entirely to avoid association with slasher films, and the popularity of the psychopathic character waned in favor of characters who often represented the "banality of evil
," to mirror the cultural events of the 1970s. For a duration, psychopathic models were typically restricted to crime films, psychological thrillers and erotic thrillers.
The arrests and popularity of notorious serial killers John Wayne Gacy
, Jeffrey Dahmer
, and Ted Bundy
and the eventual formation of the Violent Criminal Apprehension Program
(ViCAP) in 1985 led to an additional increase in the way psychopathy was both perceived and portrayed in film. An increasing interest in realistic depictions of psychopaths led to the formation of a new hybrid of traditional psychopaths from early film and late-19th Century literature with the high-functioning behaviors detected in psychopaths such as Bundy and Dahmer, leading to the popularity of the "elite psychopath", or a psychopath exhibiting exaggerated levels of intelligence, sophisticated manners, and cunning, sometimes to superhuman levels.
Perhaps the most famous example of this type of psychopath is that of the cannibalistic psychiatrist Dr. Hannibal Lecter, as portrayed by Anthony Hopkins
in the acclaimed, Academy Award-winning 1991 film The Silence of the Lambs. As portrayed by Hopkins, Lecter is an exceptionally intelligent sophisticate and socialite, whose disarming charisma, erudition, civility, and wit disguise his true nature as a psychopath who murders people and makes gourmet cuisine out of their flesh. He spends the duration of Silence in a prison cell, taunting protagonist Clarice Starling
with clues to the identity of another serial killer, "Buffalo Bill" (modeled in part after Ed Gein
) in exchange for intimate details of Starling's troubled childhood. The film was a massive success and cultural sensation, and the juxtaposition of Lecter's sophistication with his animal savagery during his escape served as the template for the "elite psychopath," a learned, well-spoken and intelligent predator who derives pleasure by torturing his victims through chase, hunt, or elaborate battles of wits. Like the slasher genre, the "elite psychopath" became a very lucrative and easily replicated template, leading to an increase of psychological thrillers and dramas revolving around them for some time.
Variations on the non-manic psychopath began to emerge from the same sources in different genres with varying levels of success. Frequently, the success of a particular model of psychopath depends on the skill or iconic qualities of the actor portraying them in a particular film. The variations of "elite psychopath" have become less mannered and more subdued over time, leading to characterizations that are more clinical and motivated by lack of empathy and occupational requirements rather than abundance of dysfunctional behaviors.
Notable examples of the "elite psychopath" variations:
Remnants of the manic, uninhibitedly impulsive psychopath still remain in film, although the model varies depending on the intention of the filmmaker and the requirements of the project. Some of the manic psychopath tropes remain consistent with real-life examples of serial killers (Henry: Portrait of a Serial Killer
, Kalifornia
) while others tend to be intentionally unrealistic and sensationalized for satirical or comical effect (Natural Born Killers
, Serial Mom
). A moderate balance of all familiar models of psychopathy has been found in recent years in cinema with psychopaths occupying roles in films about characters who are products of harsh environments, post-traumatic stress disorder, or personal ambition and cultural influence. Oftentimes the films will emphasize the nature of dissociative properties of the local or national culture and its influence on the dissociative, narcissistic, and remorseless selfishness of the characters.
See also:
Due to the general portrayal of vigilante
s as outlaws, many comic book vigilantes are portrayed as psychopaths despite the fact that they fight crime and are supposed to be heroic by default. Such characters are sometimes depicted as hostile to a judicial system in which the guilty often go unpunished. As a result they will typically style themselves as judge, jury, and executioner. The Punisher and Foolkiller
from the Marvel Comics
universe are two examples of vigilantes who remorselessly kill criminals as well as others whom they view as guilty. Rorschach
and The Comedian from DC Comics
' Watchmen
are two examples of characters who are by default, crimefighters but act above the law and commit acts that may be unsympathetic. Psychopathic vigilantes are often described as being extremist in their views or ideologies, in part based on their own interpretation of right and wrong rather than a lack of ethics or morality. Examples of this could be the DC comics characters Jason Todd
and Nite-wing
.
Notable video game characters who display obvious or some psychopathic traits are:
Apollo Justice: Ace Attorney
In the fourth game of the Ace Attorney series, the primary villain (highlighted in the first and last cases, but having subtle influence throughout the game) is Kristoph Gavin, a former defense attorney and later convicted murderer whose outward charm
, calm, and skill with manipulation (as well as his somewhat hedonistic behavior, such as his admission of enjoying manicures and having his prison cell filled with items for his own comfort) lead to him orchestrating the disbarment of a fellow defense attorney (his primary motivation seeming to be jealousy), manipulating a prosecutor (who is also his younger brother) without remorse, and even the attempted murder of a child with severe social/anxiety issues (after first gaining her trust). He is unusual in the series because whereas many villains that appear in the games are cartoonishly over the top and hard to view as true psychopaths (although Manfred von Karma of the first game comes close), he is played completely straight and mostly to invoke fear in the player.
Dead Rising
In Dead Rising
the Boss characters are called "Psychopaths" for their traits. From Carlito Keyes, who was a terrorist who caused the zombie outbreak, to Adam the Clown, a Clown who went insane after seeing his audience devoured by the undead.
Kane & Lynch: Dead Men
Adam "Kane" Marcus and James Seth Lynch (Kane & Lynch: Dead Men
) are both convicted killers on death row
who escape from prison. Although both Kane and Lynch display psychopathic traits, such as disproportionate aggression and remorselessness, Kane shows actual affection and concern for his wife and daughter, while Lynch's psychopathy seems to be linked with psychosis
.
Metal Gear
Resident Evil
Other villains with psychopathic traits include:
Villain
A villain is an "evil" character in a story, whether a historical narrative or, especially, a work of fiction. The villain usually is the antagonist, the character who tends to have a negative effect on other characters...
s.
- High intelligence, and a preference for intellectual stimulation (music, fine art etc.)
- A somewhat vain, stylish, almost "cat-like" demeanor
- Prestige, or a successful career or position
- Highly skilled in the arts of deception and manipulation
- A calm, calculating and always-in-control attitude
- Unrealistically exceptional skill at killing people, especially with blades or household objects; said skill can sometimes overpower multiple assailants with superior armament.
These traits, especially in unison, may not be present in real psychopaths/sociopaths.
Portrayals in film
Psychopathy in film is often portrayed in haphazard or exaggerated fashions to enhance the dramatic properties of a character or characters to render them memorable. Typically, a psychopathic character in a film is often designated in the role of a villainVillain
A villain is an "evil" character in a story, whether a historical narrative or, especially, a work of fiction. The villain usually is the antagonist, the character who tends to have a negative effect on other characters...
, where the general characteristics of a psychopath—lack of empathy, remorse, and oftentimes impulse control—are useful to facilitate conflict and danger, usually involving death and destruction on varying scales. Because the definitions and criteria for psychopathy have varied over the years and continue to change even now, many characters in many notable films may have been designed to fall under the category of a psychopath at the time of the film's production or release, but may have changed in subsequent years.
Early representations of psychopaths in film were often designed with a poor or incomplete understanding of a psychopathic personality: they were often caricatured as sadistic, unpredictable, sexually depraved, and emotionally unstable (manic
Manic
Manić is a suburban settlement of Belgrade, the capital of Serbia. It is located in the municipality of Barajevo.Manić developed on the eastern slopes of the Kosmaj mountain...
) characters with a compulsion to engage in random violence and destruction, usually with a series of bizarre mannerisms such as giggling, laughing, or facial tics. The public's overall unfamiliarity with mental illness
Mental illness
A mental disorder or mental illness is a psychological or behavioral pattern generally associated with subjective distress or disability that occurs in an individual, and which is not a part of normal development or culture. Such a disorder may consist of a combination of affective, behavioural,...
or psychological disorders made this depiction acceptable and even perceived as "realistic" at the time of release. Up until the late 1950s, American cinematic conventions usually relegated the psychopath to roles of genre villains such as gangsters, mad scientists, supervillains, and many types of generic criminals. Even homosexuality
Homosexuality
Homosexuality is romantic or sexual attraction or behavior between members of the same sex or gender. As a sexual orientation, homosexuality refers to "an enduring pattern of or disposition to experience sexual, affectional, or romantic attractions" primarily or exclusively to people of the same...
was displayed as a type of psychopathic behavior in films such as They Only Kill Their Masters
They Only Kill Their Masters
They Only Kill Their Masters is a 1972 mystery movie starring James Garner and Katharine Ross, with a supporting cast featuring Hal Holbrook, June Allyson, Tom Ewell, Peter Lawford, Edmond O'Brien, and Arthur O'Connell...
(1972) prior to the removal of homosexuality from the DSM
Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders
The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders is published by the American Psychiatric Association and provides a common language and standard criteria for the classification of mental disorders...
in 1973.
Famous examples of psychopaths of this type are Tommy Udo (Richard Widmark
Richard Widmark
Richard Weedt Widmark was an American film, stage and television actor.He was nominated for an Academy Award for his role as the villainous Tommy Udo in his debut film, Kiss of Death...
) in Kiss of Death
Kiss of Death (1947 film)
Kiss of Death is a 1947 film noir movie directed by Henry Hathaway and written by Ben Hecht and Charles Lederer from a story by Eleazar Lipsky. The story revolves around the film's protagonist, a former robber, and the antagonist, the ruthless, violent Tommy Udo...
, Cody Jarrett (James Cagney
James Cagney
James Francis Cagney, Jr. was an American actor, first on stage, then in film, where he had his greatest impact. Although he won acclaim and major awards for a wide variety of performances, he is best remembered for playing "tough guys." In 1999, the American Film Institute ranked him eighth...
) in White Heat, and Antonio 'Tony' Camonte (Paul Muni
Paul Muni
Paul Muni was an Austrian-Hungarian-born American stage and film actor...
) in the 1932 version of Scarface
Scarface (1932 film)
Scarface is a 1932 American gangster film starring Paul Muni and George Raft, produced by Howard Hughes, directed by Howard Hawks and Richard Rosson, and written by Ben Hecht based on the 1929 novel of the same name by Armitage Trail...
. One rare exception to this depiction during this period is the character of child murderer Hans Beckert (Peter Lorre
Peter Lorre
Peter Lorre was an Austrian-American actor frequently typecast as a sinister foreigner.He caused an international sensation in 1931 with his portrayal of a serial killer who preys on little girls in the German film M...
) in the 1931 Fritz Lang
Fritz Lang
Friedrich Christian Anton "Fritz" Lang was an Austrian-American filmmaker, screenwriter, and occasional film producer and actor. One of the best known émigrés from Germany's school of Expressionism, he was dubbed the "Master of Darkness" by the British Film Institute...
film M
M (1931 film)
M is a 1931 German drama-thriller directed by Fritz Lang and written by Lang and his wife Thea von Harbou. It was Lang's first sound film, although he had directed more than a dozen films previously....
. Lorre portrays Beckert as an outwardly unremarkable man tormented by a compulsion to ritualistically murder children, a substantially more realistic depiction of what would eventually be known as a serial killer
Serial killer
A serial killer, as typically defined, is an individual who has murdered three or more people over a period of more than a month, with down time between the murders, and whose motivation for killing is usually based on psychological gratification...
.
With the 1957 arrest of Ed Gein
Ed Gein
Edward Theodore "Ed" Gein - July 26, 1984) was an American murderer and body snatcher. His crimes, committed around his hometown of Plainfield, Wisconsin, gathered widespread notoriety after authorities discovered Gein had exhumed corpses from local graveyards and fashioned trophies and keepsakes...
in Plainfield, Wisconsin
Plainfield, Wisconsin
Plainfield is a village in Waushara County, Wisconsin, United States. A tiny portion extends into adjacent Town of Oasis. The village is located almost entirely within the Town of Plainfield...
, and the national attention it received, the portrayal of a psychopath in film changed and found itself rerouted into an almost entirely separate and exclusive genre of film: horror
Horror film
Horror films seek to elicit a negative emotional reaction from viewers by playing on the audience's most primal fears. They often feature scenes that startle the viewer through the means of macabre and the supernatural, thus frequently overlapping with the fantasy and science fiction genres...
. The exploits and details of the Ed Gein case — including grave robbing, cannibalism
Cannibalism
Cannibalism is the act or practice of humans eating the flesh of other human beings. It is also called anthropophagy...
and necrophilia
Necrophilia
Necrophilia, also called thanatophilia or necrolagnia, is the sexual attraction to corpses,It is classified as a paraphilia by the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of the American Psychiatric Association. The word is artificially derived from the ancient Greek words: νεκρός and φιλία...
— became a broad template for the characteristics and activities of what was considered to be psychopathic behavior. Two notable divergences in the typical portrayal of the psychopath emerged: the socially functional misfit with a (usually) sexually-motivated compulsion to kill, and later the violent, chaotic mass murderer with idiosyncratic behaviors and appearances. Characters such as Mark Lewis (Carl Boehm) in Michael Powell
Michael Powell (director)
Michael Latham Powell was a renowned English film director, celebrated for his partnership with Emeric Pressburger...
's Peeping Tom
Peeping Tom (film)
Peeping Tom is a 1960 British psychological thriller directed by Michael Powell and written by the World War II cryptographer and polymath Leo Marks. The title derives from the slang expression 'peeping Tom' describing a voyeur...
and most famously Norman Bates
Norman Bates
Norman Bates is a fictional character created by writer Robert Bloch as the central character in his novel Psycho, and portrayed by Anthony Perkins as the main antagonist of the 1960 film of the same name directed by Alfred Hitchcock...
(Anthony Perkins
Anthony Perkins
Anthony Perkins was an American actor, best known for his Oscar-nominated role in Friendly Persuasion and as Norman Bates in Alfred Hitchcock's Psycho , and its three sequels.-Early life:...
) of Alfred Hitchcock
Alfred Hitchcock
Sir Alfred Joseph Hitchcock, KBE was a British film director and producer. He pioneered many techniques in the suspense and psychological thriller genres. After a successful career in British cinema in both silent films and early talkies, Hitchcock moved to Hollywood...
's Psycho are examples of the former; characters such as Leatherface
Leatherface
Leatherface is the main antagonist in The Texas Chainsaw Massacre horror-film series and its spin-offs. He wears masks made of human skin and engages in murder and cannibalism alongside his inbred family. He is considered by many to be one of the first major slasher film villains alongside Michael...
of The Texas Chain Saw Massacre and Michael Myers
Michael Myers
Michael Myers may refer to:*Michael Myers , sixth Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of New Zealand*Michael Myers , New York politician...
of the Halloween
Halloween (franchise)
Halloween is an American horror franchise that consists of ten slasher films, novels, and comic books. The franchise focuses on the fictional character of Michael Myers who was committed to a sanitarium as a child for the murder of his older sister, Judith Myers...
film series are examples of the latter.
The exploits of many real-life psychopaths and serial killers during the 1960s and 1970s led to the increasing amount of information concerning the behaviors of psychopaths with ritualistic methods of murder into the public knowledge. Motion pictures began to incorporate the graphic and widely misunderstood practices of these behaviors into sensationalistic theme films that eventually became known as slasher films. Bearing a strong resemblance to the Grand Guignol
Grand Guignol
Le Théâtre du Grand-Guignol — known as the Grand Guignol — was a theatre in the Pigalle area of Paris . From its opening in 1897 until its closing in 1962 it specialized in naturalistic horror shows...
theater of Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
, slasher films consisted of a recurring idiosyncratic villain with a signature modus operandi
Modus operandi
Modus operandi is a Latin phrase, approximately translated as "mode of operation". The term is used to describe someone's habits or manner of working, their method of operating or functioning...
, weapon, and in particular, visual appearance — most often a distinctive mask — in a story involving the sequential slaughter of many innocent adolescents in a number of spectacular and grotesque fashions. The advent of latex prosthetic appliances in special effects makeup allowed for more graphic on-screen kills in a single shot rather than separate shots cut together, adding to the spectacle-driven allure of the films. While many films that can be characterized as prototypical slasher films originally began as stand-alone films commenting on the nature of morality and human nature (The Last House on the Left
The Last House on the Left (1972 film)
The Last House on the Left is a 1972 horror film written and directed by Wes Craven and produced by Sean S. Cunningham.The story is inspired by the 1960 Swedish film The Virgin Spring, directed by Ingmar Bergman, which in turn is based on the 13th century Swedish ballad "Töres döttrar i Wänge"...
, The Hills Have Eyes
The Hills Have Eyes (1977 film)
The Hills Have Eyes is a 1977 American horror film directed by Wes Craven and starring Susan Lanier, Michael Berryman, and Dee Wallace. It is about a family on a road trip who become stranded in the Nevada desert, and are hunted by a clan of deformed cannibals in the surrounding hills...
), the slasher film subgenre came to dominate the tone and design of the psychopathic model for decades, mostly due to the sensationalistic aspects of the films and the extreme marketability of the villains with iconic and trademarked costumes and masks.
While the psychopath remained a staple of many other traditional genres of film, the more sensationalistic aspects of the past were toned down or abandoned entirely to avoid association with slasher films, and the popularity of the psychopathic character waned in favor of characters who often represented the "banality of evil
Banality of Evil
Banality of evil is a phrase coined by Hannah Arendt and incorporated in the title of her 1963 work Eichmann in Jerusalem: A Report on the Banality of Evil. It describes the thesis that the great evils in history generally, and the Holocaust in particular, were not executed by fanatics or...
," to mirror the cultural events of the 1970s. For a duration, psychopathic models were typically restricted to crime films, psychological thrillers and erotic thrillers.
The arrests and popularity of notorious serial killers John Wayne Gacy
John Wayne Gacy
John Wayne Gacy, Jr. was an American serial killer, rapist and clown who sexually assaulted and murdered at least 33 teenage boys and young men between 1972 and 1978. Gacy buried 26 of his victims in the crawlspace of his home, buried three others elsewhere on his property, and discarded the...
, Jeffrey Dahmer
Jeffrey Dahmer
Jeffrey Lionel Dahmer was an American serial killer and sex offender. Dahmer murdered 17 men and boys between 1978 and 1991, with the majority of the murders occurring between 1987 and 1991. His murders involved rape, dismemberment, necrophilia and cannibalism...
, and Ted Bundy
Ted Bundy
Theodore Robert "Ted" Bundy was an American serial killer, rapist, kidnapper, and necrophile who assaulted and murdered numerous young women during the 1970s, and possibly earlier...
and the eventual formation of the Violent Criminal Apprehension Program
Violent Criminal Apprehension Program
The Violent Criminal Apprehension Program is a unit of the United States Federal Bureau of Investigation responsible for the analysis of serial violent and sexual crimes, organizationally situated within the Critical Incident Response Group's National Center for the Analysis of Violent Crime...
(ViCAP) in 1985 led to an additional increase in the way psychopathy was both perceived and portrayed in film. An increasing interest in realistic depictions of psychopaths led to the formation of a new hybrid of traditional psychopaths from early film and late-19th Century literature with the high-functioning behaviors detected in psychopaths such as Bundy and Dahmer, leading to the popularity of the "elite psychopath", or a psychopath exhibiting exaggerated levels of intelligence, sophisticated manners, and cunning, sometimes to superhuman levels.
Perhaps the most famous example of this type of psychopath is that of the cannibalistic psychiatrist Dr. Hannibal Lecter, as portrayed by Anthony Hopkins
Anthony Hopkins
Sir Philip Anthony Hopkins, KBE , best known as Anthony Hopkins, is a Welsh actor of film, stage and television...
in the acclaimed, Academy Award-winning 1991 film The Silence of the Lambs. As portrayed by Hopkins, Lecter is an exceptionally intelligent sophisticate and socialite, whose disarming charisma, erudition, civility, and wit disguise his true nature as a psychopath who murders people and makes gourmet cuisine out of their flesh. He spends the duration of Silence in a prison cell, taunting protagonist Clarice Starling
Clarice Starling
Clarice M. Starling is a fictional character and the protagonist in the novels The Silence of the Lambs and Hannibal by Thomas Harris....
with clues to the identity of another serial killer, "Buffalo Bill" (modeled in part after Ed Gein
Ed Gein
Edward Theodore "Ed" Gein - July 26, 1984) was an American murderer and body snatcher. His crimes, committed around his hometown of Plainfield, Wisconsin, gathered widespread notoriety after authorities discovered Gein had exhumed corpses from local graveyards and fashioned trophies and keepsakes...
) in exchange for intimate details of Starling's troubled childhood. The film was a massive success and cultural sensation, and the juxtaposition of Lecter's sophistication with his animal savagery during his escape served as the template for the "elite psychopath," a learned, well-spoken and intelligent predator who derives pleasure by torturing his victims through chase, hunt, or elaborate battles of wits. Like the slasher genre, the "elite psychopath" became a very lucrative and easily replicated template, leading to an increase of psychological thrillers and dramas revolving around them for some time.
Variations on the non-manic psychopath began to emerge from the same sources in different genres with varying levels of success. Frequently, the success of a particular model of psychopath depends on the skill or iconic qualities of the actor portraying them in a particular film. The variations of "elite psychopath" have become less mannered and more subdued over time, leading to characterizations that are more clinical and motivated by lack of empathy and occupational requirements rather than abundance of dysfunctional behaviors.
Notable examples of the "elite psychopath" variations:
- Tommy DeVito and "Nicky" Santoro (Joe PesciJoe PesciJoseph Frank "Joe" Pesci is an American actor, comedian, and musician.He is known for playing a variety of different roles, from violent mobsters to comedic leads to quirky sidekicks...
) in Martin ScorseseMartin ScorseseMartin Charles Scorsese is an American film director, screenwriter, producer, actor, and film historian. In 1990 he founded The Film Foundation, a nonprofit organization dedicated to film preservation, and in 2007 he founded the World Cinema Foundation...
's films GoodFellasGoodfellasGoodfellas is a 1990 American crime film directed by Martin Scorsese. It is a film adaptation of the 1986 non-fiction book Wiseguy by Nicholas Pileggi, who co-wrote the screenplay with Scorsese...
and Casino (film)Casino (film)Casino is a 1995 crime drama film directed by Martin Scorsese. It is based on the non-fiction book of the same name by Nicholas Pileggi, who also co-wrote the screenplay for the film with Scorsese...
respectively. - Bridget Gregory/Wendy Kroy (Linda FiorentinoLinda FiorentinoLinda Fiorentino is an American actress. She is best known for her roles in the films Dogma, Vision Quest, Men in Black, After Hours and The Last Seduction.-Personal life:...
) in The Last SeductionThe Last SeductionThe Last Seduction is a neo-noir 1994 film directed by John Dahl.The movie features Linda Fiorentino as the femme fatale, Peter Berg as a small town man whose one night affair turns into more than he wanted, and Bill Pullman as Fiorentino's husband who is chasing her and running from loan sharks at...
; a femme fataleFemme fataleA femme fatale is a mysterious and seductive woman whose charms ensnare her lovers in bonds of irresistible desire, often leading them into compromising, dangerous, and deadly situations. She is an archetype of literature and art...
who sexually manipulatesPsychological manipulationPsychological manipulation is a type of social influence that aims to change the perception or behavior of others through underhanded, deceptive, or even abusive tactics. By advancing the interests of the manipulator, often at the other's expense, such methods could be considered exploitative,...
men for her own purposes. - Charles Bushman (J.T. Walsh) in Sling BladeSling BladeSling Blade is a 1996 American drama film set in rural Arkansas, written and directed by Billy Bob Thornton, who also stars in the lead role. It tells the story of a mentally impaired man named Karl Childers who is released from a psychiatric hospital, where he has lived since killing his mother...
; a mental patient who brags about kidnapping and murdering women. - Raymond Lemorne (Bernard-Pierre DonnadieuBernard-Pierre DonnadieuBernard-Pierre Donnadieu was a French actor.-Biography:Bernard-Pierre Donnadieu studied theater and film at the Sorbonne Paris III and began his career in film at the age of 25 by making appearances with acclaimed directors...
) of The VanishingThe Vanishing (1988 film)The Vanishing is a French/Dutch film adaptation of the novella The Golden Egg by Tim Krabbé, released October 27, 1988. Directed by George Sluizer and starring Bernard-Pierre Donnadieu, the film is about the disappearance of a young Dutch woman and her lover's obsessive search...
; a mild-mannered chemistry teacher and family man who buries a woman alive to see if he is capable of "the ultimate evil". - John Doe (Kevin SpaceyKevin SpaceyKevin Spacey, CBE is an American actor, director, screenwriter, producer, and crooner. He grew up in California, and began his career as a stage actor during the 1980s, before being cast in supporting roles in film and television...
) in David FincherDavid FincherDavid Andrew Leo Fincher is an American film and music video director. Known for his dark and stylish thrillers, such as Seven , The Game , Fight Club , Panic Room , and Zodiac , Fincher received Academy Award nominations for Best Director for his 2008 film The Curious Case of Benjamin Button and...
's Se7enSe7enSeven is a 1995 American thriller film, which also contains horror and neo-noir elements, directed by David Fincher and written by Andrew Kevin Walker. It was distributed by New Line Cinema and stars Brad Pitt, Morgan Freeman, Gwyneth Paltrow, R...
; a religious fanatic who murders people according to the Seven Deadly SinsSeven deadly sinsThe 7 Deadly Sins, also known as the Capital Vices or Cardinal Sins, is a classification of objectionable vices that have been used since early Christian times to educate and instruct followers concerning fallen humanity's tendency to sin...
. - Kathryn Merteuil (Sarah Michelle GellarSarah Michelle GellarSarah Michelle Prinze , known professionally by her birth name of Sarah Michelle Gellar , is an American actress, singer and executive producer...
) in Cruel IntentionsCruel IntentionsCruel Intentions is a 1999 American drama film starring Sarah Michelle Gellar, Ryan Phillippe, Reese Witherspoon, and Selma Blair. The film is an adaptation of the 18th-century French epistolary novel Les Liaisons dangereuses by Laclos and is set among wealthy teenagers living in modern New York...
; a devious, amoral socialite who exploits sexually naïve people for her own amusement. - Neil MacCauley (Robert DeNiro) in Michael Mann's HeatHeat (film)Heat is a 1995 American crime film written and directed by Michael Mann. It stars Al Pacino, Robert De Niro, and Val Kilmer.De Niro plays Neil McCauley, a professional thief, while Pacino plays Lt. Vincent Hanna, veteran LAPD homicide detective tracking down McCauley's crew...
; a professional thief with no personal attachments and a penchant for violence. - Mr. Blonde (Michael MadsenMichael MadsenMichael Søren Madsen is an American actor, poet, and photographer. He has appeared in more than 150 films, most of them small independent films, though he has starred in central roles in such films as Reservoir Dogs, Free Willy, Donnie Brasco, and Kill Bill, in addition to a supporting role in Sin...
) in Quentin TarantinoQuentin TarantinoQuentin Jerome Tarantino is an American film director, screenwriter, producer, cinematographer and actor. In the early 1990s, he began his career as an independent filmmaker with films employing nonlinear storylines and the aestheticization of violence...
's 1992 film Reservoir DogsReservoir DogsReservoir Dogs is an American crime film marking debut of director and writer Quentin Tarantino. It depicts the events before and after a botched diamond heist, but not the heist itself. Reservoir Dogs stars an ensemble cast: Harvey Keitel, Steve Buscemi, Tim Roth, Michael Madsen, Chris Penn, and...
; a career criminal who murders a room full of people with casual disregard. - Gaear Grimsrud (Peter StormarePeter Stormareis a Swedish film, stage, voice and television actor as well as a theatrical director, playwright and musician.- Early life :...
) in FargoFargo (film)Fargo is a 1996 American dark comedy-crime film produced, directed and written by brothers Joel and Ethan Coen. It stars Frances McDormand as a pregnant police chief who investigates a series of homicides, William H...
; a taciturn thug who speaks little and kills reflexively. - Alonzo Harris (Denzel WashingtonDenzel WashingtonDenzel Hayes Washington Jr. is an American actor, screenwriter, director, and film producer. He first rose to prominence when he joined the cast of the medical drama, St. Elsewhere, playing Dr...
) in Antoine FuquaAntoine FuquaAntoine Fuqua is an American film director. He directed the film Training Day as well as Tears of the Sun, King Arthur, Shooter and Brooklyn's Finest...
's Training DayTraining DayTraining Day is a 2001 crime drama film directed by Antoine Fuqua, written by David Ayer, starring Denzel Washington and Ethan Hawke. The film follows two LAPD narcotics detectives over a 24-hour period in the gang neighborhoods of South and East Los Angeles.The film was a box office success and...
; a corrupt detective who believes he is above the law. - Vincent (Tom CruiseTom CruiseThomas Cruise Mapother IV , better known as Tom Cruise, is an American film actor and producer. He has been nominated for three Academy Awards and he has won three Golden Globe Awards....
) in Michael MannMichael MannMichael Mann is the name of:*Michael Mann , musician and professor of German literature, son of Thomas Mann*Michael Mann , Anglican clergyman...
's CollateralCollateral (film)Collateral is a 2004 crime thriller film starring Tom Cruise and Jamie Foxx. It was directed by Michael Mann and written by Stuart Beattie. It was Mann's first feature film to be shot mostly with high-definition cameras. Mann had previously used the format for portions of Ali and for his CBS drama...
; a nihilisticNihilismNihilism is the philosophical doctrine suggesting the negation of one or more putatively meaningful aspects of life. Most commonly, nihilism is presented in the form of existential nihilism which argues that life is without objective meaning, purpose, or intrinsic value...
professional killer with no compunctions about killing anyone. - Daniel Plainview (Daniel Day-LewisDaniel Day-LewisDaniel Michael Blake Day-Lewis is an English actor with both British and Irish citizenship. His portrayals of Christy Brown in My Left Foot and Daniel Plainview in There Will Be Blood won Academy and BAFTA Awards for Best Actor, and Screen Actors Guild as well as Golden Globe Awards for the latter...
) of Paul Thomas AndersonPaul Thomas AndersonPaul Thomas Anderson is an American film director, screenwriter, and producer. He has written and directed five feature films: Hard Eight , Boogie Nights , Magnolia , Punch-Drunk Love and There Will Be Blood...
's There Will Be BloodThere Will Be BloodThere Will Be Blood is a 2007 drama film written, co-produced, and directed by Paul Thomas Anderson. The film is based on Upton Sinclair's 1927 novel Oil!. It tells the story of a silver miner-turned-oilman on a ruthless quest for wealth during Southern California's oil boom of the late 19th and...
; a paranoid oilman with a pathological ambition and seething hatred of people. - Anton ChigurhAnton ChigurhAnton Chigurh is the main antagonist of the Cormac McCarthy novel No Country for Old Men and the film of the same name. He is portrayed by Javier Bardem in the film.- Background :...
(Javier BardemJavier BardemJavier Ángel Encinas Bardem is a Spanish actor. In 2007 he won the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor for his role as sociopathic assassin Anton Chigurh in No Country for Old Men, and has also garnered critical acclaim for roles in films such as Jamón, jamón, Carne trémula, Boca a boca, Los...
) in No Country for Old MenNo Country for Old Men (film)No Country for Old Men is a 2007 American crime thriller directed by Joel Coen and Ethan Coen, and starring Tommy Lee Jones, Javier Bardem, and Josh Brolin. The film was adapted from the Cormac McCarthy novel of the same name...
; a hitman who kills virtually everyone he encounters and flips a coin to decide the fate of some of his victims. - Hans LandaHans LandaColonel Hans Landa is the primary antagonist of the 2009 Quentin Tarantino film Inglourious Basterds. He is portrayed by Austrian actor Christoph Waltz.- Character :...
(Christoph WaltzChristoph WaltzChristoph Waltz is an Austrian-German actor. He received international acclaim for his portrayal of SS-Standartenführer Hans Landa in the 2009 film Inglourious Basterds, for which he won the Best Actor Award at the Cannes Film Festival and the BAFTA, Golden Globe, Screen Actors Guild Award and...
) of Quentin Tarantino's Inglourious Basterds; a jovial SS officer who visibly delights in toying with and killing people.- Similarly, the titular characters were shown to be visually delighted in killing people.
- Eddie Biasi (Stanley TucciStanley TucciStanley Tucci is an American actor, writer, film producer and film director. He has been nominated for several notable film awards, including an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor, for his performance in The Lovely Bones...
) in It Could Happen To YouIt Could Happen to YouIt Could Happen to You may refer to:* "It Could Happen to You" , a 1944 popular standard by Johnny Burke and Jimmy Van Heusen* It Could Happen to You , a mystery film directed by Alfred L...
; an out-of-work actor with a slick tongue and ability to lie easily who maxes out his wife's credit cards. When she wins the lottery, he returns to manipulate her into giving him more money. - Lord Cutler Beckett (Tom HollanderTom HollanderThomas Anthony "Tom" Hollander is a British actor who has appeared in productions such as Enigma, Gosford Park, Cambridge Spies, Pride and Prejudice, Pirates of the Caribbean, In the Loop, Valkyrie and Hanna.-Early life:Tom Hollander was born in Bristol and raised in Oxford, Oxfordshire, the son...
) in the Pirates of the CaribbeanPirates of the CaribbeanPirates of the Caribbean is a multi-billion dollar Walt Disney franchise encompassing a series of films, a theme park ride, and spinoff novels as well as numerous video games and other publications. The franchise originates with the Pirates of the Caribbean attraction, which opened at Disneyland in...
film series, a ruthless and manipulative businessman who seeks to destroy piracy no matter the cost. He even goes as far as to take control of Davy JonesDavy Jones (Pirates of the Caribbean)Davy Jones is a fictional character and antagonist in the Pirates of the Caribbean series. Davy Jones is the captain of the Flying Dutchman , roaming the seas in search of souls to serve upon his vessel for a century...
and the Flying Dutchman, and then publicly condemns to the gallows hundreds of people (even children) in order to awaken the hatred of the pirates and generate war. - Peter Creedy (Tim Pigott-SmithTim Pigott-SmithTim Pigott-Smith is an English film and television actor.-Early life:Pigott-Smith was born in Rugby, Warwickshire, the son of Margaret Muriel and Harry Thomas Pigott-Smith, who was a journalist. He was educated at Wyggeston Boys' School, Leicester, King Edward VI School Stratford-upon-Avon, and...
) in V for VendettaV for Vendetta (film)V for Vendetta is a 2005 dystopian thriller film directed by James McTeigue and produced by Joel Silver and the Wachowski brothers, who also wrote the screenplay. It is an adaptation of the V for Vendetta comic book by Alan Moore and David Lloyd...
, a cold-blooded, power-hungry politician who has no qualms about releasing a viral epidemic on his own country in order to usher in a dictatorshipDictatorshipA dictatorship is defined as an autocratic form of government in which the government is ruled by an individual, the dictator. It has three possible meanings:...
. - Captain Vidal (Sergi López i Ayats) in Pan's LabyrinthPan's LabyrinthPan's Labyrinth is a 2006 Spanish Spanish-language dark fantasy film, written and directed by Mexican film-maker Guillermo del Toro. It was produced and distributed by the Mexican film company Esperanto Films...
, a merciless, brutal fascistFascismFascism is a radical authoritarian nationalist political ideology. Fascists seek to rejuvenate their nation based on commitment to the national community as an organic entity, in which individuals are bound together in national identity by suprapersonal connections of ancestry, culture, and blood...
soldier in Francoist Spain; without remorse, he tortureTortureTorture is the act of inflicting severe pain as a means of punishment, revenge, forcing information or a confession, or simply as an act of cruelty. Throughout history, torture has often been used as a method of political re-education, interrogation, punishment, and coercion...
s his prisoners and impulsively kills nearly everyone he regards as an enemy.
Remnants of the manic, uninhibitedly impulsive psychopath still remain in film, although the model varies depending on the intention of the filmmaker and the requirements of the project. Some of the manic psychopath tropes remain consistent with real-life examples of serial killers (Henry: Portrait of a Serial Killer
Henry: Portrait Of A Serial Killer
Henry: Portrait of a Serial Killer is a 1986 crime horror film directed and co-written by John McNaughton about the random crime spree of a serial killer who seemingly operates with impunity. It stars Michael Rooker as the nomadic killer Henry, Tom Towles as Otis, a prison buddy with whom Henry is...
, Kalifornia
Kalifornia
Kalifornia is an American thriller/road film, directed by Dominic Sena and starring Brad Pitt, Juliette Lewis, David Duchovny, and Michelle Forbes. The film focuses on an aspiring writer and his photographer girlfriend who are traveling cross-country to research serial killers...
) while others tend to be intentionally unrealistic and sensationalized for satirical or comical effect (Natural Born Killers
Natural Born Killers
Natural Born Killers is a 1994 crime/black comedy film directed by Oliver Stone about two victims of traumatic childhoods who became lovers and psychopathic serial killers, and are irresponsibly glorified by the mass media...
, Serial Mom
Serial Mom
Serial Mom is a 1994 American dark satire written and directed by John Waters, starring Kathleen Turner as the title character, Sam Waterston as her husband, and Ricki Lake and Matthew Lillard as her children. Despite statements to the contrary in the movie, the story is completely fictional...
). A moderate balance of all familiar models of psychopathy has been found in recent years in cinema with psychopaths occupying roles in films about characters who are products of harsh environments, post-traumatic stress disorder, or personal ambition and cultural influence. Oftentimes the films will emphasize the nature of dissociative properties of the local or national culture and its influence on the dissociative, narcissistic, and remorseless selfishness of the characters.
See also:
- Patrick BatemanPatrick BatemanPatrick Bateman is a fictional character, the antihero and narrator of the novel American Psycho by Bret Easton Ellis, and its film adaptation. He has also briefly appeared in other Ellis novels.-Biography and profile:...
- Blue Velvet
- The Joker
- Harry Lime
- Reverend Harry PowellReverend Harry PowellReverend Harry Powell is a fictional character in Davis Grubb's 1953 novel The Night of the Hunter. He was portrayed by Robert Mitchum in Charles Laughton's 1955 film adaptation, and by Richard Chamberlain in the 1991 made for TV remake...
Portrayals in literature
- The JapanJapanJapan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
ese novel Battle RoyaleBattle Royalethumb|260px|Cover of the 2009 expanded edition, ISBN 978-1-4215-2772-3 is a 1999 Japanese novel written by Koushun Takami. The story tells of schoolchildren who are forced to fight each other to the death....
features a character named Kazuo Kiriyama who appears to suffer from a form of Pseudopsychopathic Personality DisorderPsychopathyPsychopathy is a mental disorder characterized primarily by a lack of empathy and remorse, shallow emotions, egocentricity, and deceptiveness. Psychopaths are highly prone to antisocial behavior and abusive treatment of others, and are very disproportionately responsible for violent crime...
- psychopathic tendencies due to physical brain traumaPhysical traumaTrauma refers to "a body wound or shock produced by sudden physical injury, as from violence or accident." It can also be described as "a physical wound or injury, such as a fracture or blow." Major trauma can result in secondary complications such as circulatory shock, respiratory failure and death...
.
- Dan WellsDan Wells (author)Dan Wells is an American horror fiction author. A Utah native, he currently resides in Orem, Utah.-Early life:Wells wrote his first novel, Choose Your Own Adventure, when he was in second grade. He followed up with several novellas, a serial and a series of comic books when he was in high school....
' young adult novels that feature protagonist John Wayne Cleaver (I Am Not a Serial KillerI Am Not a Serial KillerI Am Not A Serial Killer is a 2009 young adult thriller novel written by Dan Wells. It is the first installment in the John Wayne Cleaver trilogy. Its sequel, Mr. Monster, was released in 2010 in the UK. The third installment, I Don't Want To Kill You, was released in January 2011 in the UK...
and Mr. Monster), a clinically diagnosed sociopath who has created for himself a rigid set of rules designed to deny his violent impulses. He is nevertheless subject to strong homicidal urges which become harder to control as he becomes more and more involved in a serial homicide case.
- AlexAlex (A Clockwork Orange)Alex is a fictional character in Anthony Burgess' novel A Clockwork Orange and the film adaptation, in which he is played by Malcolm McDowell. In this film adaption, Alex's surname is DeLarge, in relation to Alex's reference to himself as "Alexander the Large" in the novel. This, in itself, is an...
from Anthony BurgessAnthony BurgessJohn Burgess Wilson – who published under the pen name Anthony Burgess – was an English author, poet, playwright, composer, linguist, translator and critic. The dystopian satire A Clockwork Orange is Burgess's most famous novel, though he dismissed it as one of his lesser works...
' A Clockwork OrangeA Clockwork OrangeA Clockwork Orange is a 1962 dystopian novella by Anthony Burgess. The novel contains an experiment in language: the characters often use an argot called "Nadsat", derived from Russian....
shows many of the psychopathic tendencies shown above — sadism, delusions of grandeurDelusions of GrandeurDelusions of Grandeur is an album by Fleming and John that was released in 1995.-Track listing:# "I'm Not Afraid" — 3:13# "Break The Circles" — 3:01# "Delusions Of Grandeur" — 3:45# "Love Songs" — 4:33# "Letters In My Head" — 3:56...
, and a total disregard for the rights of others.
- The main character in the Japanese mangaMangaManga is the Japanese word for "comics" and consists of comics and print cartoons . In the West, the term "manga" has been appropriated to refer specifically to comics created in Japan, or by Japanese authors, in the Japanese language and conforming to the style developed in Japan in the late 19th...
Death NoteDeath Noteis a manga created by writer Tsugumi Ohba and manga artist Takeshi Obata. The main character is Light Yagami, a high school student who discovers a supernatural notebook, the "Death Note", dropped on Earth by a god of death, or a shinigami, named Ryuk...
, Light YagamiLight Yagami, also known as is a fictional character and the main protagonist of the manga and anime series Death Note. He is an extremely intelligent, athletic, popular, but bored young man who finds the Death Note dropped by the Shinigami Ryuk by sheer chance...
, develops psychopathic tendencies through his use of the Death Note, becoming the mass murderMass murderMass murder is the act of murdering a large number of people , typically at the same time or over a relatively short period of time. According to the FBI, mass murder is defined as four or more murders occurring during a particular event with no cooling-off period between the murders...
er Kira, with the goal of eliminating criminals. Over the course of the series he becomes more and more evil until he loses sight of his original goal and becomes obsessed with becoming a "god". The series' spin-off novel, Death Note Another Note: The Los Angeles BB Murder Cases, also includes a character, BB, or Beyond Birthday, who is presumed to be a psychopath.
- Cathy Ames from John SteinbeckJohn SteinbeckJohn Ernst Steinbeck, Jr. was an American writer. He is widely known for the Pulitzer Prize-winning novel The Grapes of Wrath and East of Eden and the novella Of Mice and Men...
's East of Eden is literally described as possessing a "malformed soul", pathologically incapable of feeling anything for anyone, even her own children. She swindles and manipulates virtually everyone she comes in contact with, and as a young girl murders her own parents.
- Justice Lawrence John Wargrave from Agatha ChristieAgatha ChristieDame Agatha Christie DBE was a British crime writer of novels, short stories, and plays. She also wrote romances under the name Mary Westmacott, but she is best remembered for her 66 detective novels and 14 short story collections , and her successful West End plays.According to...
's 1939 mystery novel And Then There Were NoneAnd Then There Were NoneAnd Then There Were None is a detective fiction novel by Agatha Christie, first published in the United Kingdom by the Collins Crime Club on 6 November 1939 under the title Ten Little Niggers which was changed by Dodd, Mead and Company in January 1940 because of the presence of a racial...
exhibits many indicators of a psychotic including being lying and manipulative towards the other characters, a remorselessness for their deaths, egocentricity and grandiosity, superior intelligence, and lack of self control, which he passes off as a wish to see justice carried out on the other nine guests at the island.
- Lord VoldemortLord VoldemortLord Voldemort is the main antagonist of the Harry Potter series written by British author J. K. Rowling. Voldemort first appeared in Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone, which was released in 1997...
from JK Rowling's Harry PotterHarry PotterHarry Potter is a series of seven fantasy novels written by the British author J. K. Rowling. The books chronicle the adventures of the adolescent wizard Harry Potter and his best friends Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger, all of whom are students at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry...
series exhibits many of the traits associated with psychopathy, including aggressive narcissism, a sense of entitlement, exceptional intelligence, manipulative behaviour and a complete contempt and lack of regard for others. Rowling herself has described Voldemort as "a raging psychopath".
- Patricia HighsmithPatricia HighsmithPatricia Highsmith was an American novelist and short-story writer most widely known for her psychological thrillers, which led to more than two dozen film adaptations. Her first novel, Strangers on a Train, has been adapted for stage and screen numerous times, notably by Alfred Hitchcock in 1951...
's recurring character Tom Ripley — a thief, con artist and occasional murderer — is portrayed as devoid of conscience — in The Boy Who Followed RipleyThe Boy Who Followed RipleyThe Boy Who Followed Ripley is a psychological thriller by Patricia Highsmith, the fourth in her acclaimed series about career criminal Tom Ripley . In this book, Ripley continues living quietly in his French estate, Belle Ombre, only obliquely involved in criminal activity...
he admits that he has never been seriously troubled by guilt — and capable of cold-blooded violence (he beats most of his victims to death). He has typically been regarded as "cultivated," and an "agreeable and urbane psychopath."
- In Khaled HosseiniKhaled HosseiniKhaled Hosseini , is an Afghan-born American novelist and physician of ethnic Tajik origin. He is a citizen of the United States where he has lived since he was fifteen years old. His 2003 debut novel, The Kite Runner, was an international bestseller, selling more than 12 million copies worldwide....
's The Kite RunnerThe Kite RunnerThe Kite Runner is a novel by Khaled Hosseini. Published in 2003 by Riverhead Books, it is Hosseini's first novel, and was adapted into a film of the same name in 2007....
, Assef is a clear psychopath. This is not, of course, due to his endorsement of NazismNazismNazism, the common short form name of National Socialism was the ideology and practice of the Nazi Party and of Nazi Germany...
and later the Taliban, but rather due to an ability to remain superficially charming in spite of relentlessly bullying other children.
- The character Patrick Hockstetter from Stephen KingStephen KingStephen Edwin King is an American author of contemporary horror, suspense, science fiction and fantasy fiction. His books have sold more than 350 million copies and have been adapted into a number of feature films, television movies and comic books...
's ItIt (novel)It is a 1986 horror novel by American author Stephen King. The story follows the exploits of seven children as they are terrorized by the eponymous inter-dimensional predatory life-form that exploits the fears and phobias of its victims in order to disguise itself while hunting its prey. "It"...
is described as a psychopath. He displays sadistic behavior towards animals by trapping them in a refrigerator and watching them starve to death. He also kills his infant brother, Avery. Many of King's other villains fit the criteria of psychopathy, most notably Annie WilkesAnnie WilkesAnne Marie Wilkes Dugan, usually known as Annie Wilkes, is a fictional character and the antagonist/main villain in the 1987 novel Misery, by Stephen King. In the 1990 film adaptation of the novel, Annie Wilkes was portrayed by Kathy Bates, who won the Academy Award for Best Actress for her portrayal...
from Misery Randall FlaggRandall FlaggRandall Flagg is a fictional character created by Stephen King. Flagg has appeared in seven novels by King, sometimes as the main antagonist and others in a brief cameo. He often appears under different names; most are abbreviated by the initials R.F. There are exceptions to this rule; in The Dark...
from The StandThe StandThe Stand is a post-apocalyptic horror/fantasy novel by American author Stephen King. It demonstrates the scenario in his earlier short story, Night Surf...
and the The Dark TowerThe Dark Tower (series)The Dark Tower is a series of books written by American author Stephen King, which incorporates themes from multiple genres, including fantasy, science fantasy, horror and western. It describes a "Gunslinger" and his quest toward a tower, the nature of which is both physical and metaphorical. King...
series and serial killer Frank Dodd from The Dead ZoneThe Dead ZoneThe Dead Zone may refer to:* The Dead Zone , a 1979 novel by Stephen King* The Dead Zone , a 1983 film adaption of the novel, starring Christopher Walken and directed by David Cronenberg...
.
- Several of William ShakespeareWilliam ShakespeareWilliam Shakespeare was an English poet and playwright, widely regarded as the greatest writer in the English language and the world's pre-eminent dramatist. He is often called England's national poet and the "Bard of Avon"...
's villains display psychopathic traits. Examples include IagoIagoIago is a fictional character in Shakespeare's Othello . The character's source is traced to Giovanni Battista Giraldi Cinthio's tale "Un Capitano Moro" in Gli Hecatommithi . There, the character is simply "the ensign". Iago is a soldier and Othello's ancient . He is the husband of Emilia,...
in OthelloOthelloThe Tragedy of Othello, the Moor of Venice is a tragedy by William Shakespeare, believed to have been written in approximately 1603, and based on the Italian short story "Un Capitano Moro" by Cinthio, a disciple of Boccaccio, first published in 1565...
; Richard IIIRichard III of EnglandRichard III was King of England for two years, from 1483 until his death in 1485 during the Battle of Bosworth Field. He was the last king of the House of York and the last of the Plantagenet dynasty...
; EdmundEdmund (King Lear)Edmund or Edmond is a fictional character and the main antagonist in William Shakespeare's King Lear. He is the illegitimate son of the Earl of Gloucester, and the younger brother of Edgar, the Earl's legitimate son. Early on in the play, Edmund resolves to get rid of his brother, then his...
in King LearKing LearKing Lear is a tragedy by William Shakespeare. The title character descends into madness after foolishly disposing of his estate between two of his three daughters based on their flattery, bringing tragic consequences for all. The play is based on the legend of Leir of Britain, a mythological...
; and Aaron the Moor in Titus AndronicusTitus AndronicusTitus Andronicus is a tragedy by William Shakespeare, and possibly George Peele, believed to have been written between 1588 and 1593. It is thought to be Shakespeare's first tragedy, and is often seen as his attempt to emulate the violent and bloody revenge plays of his contemporaries, which were...
.
- Taylor Caldwell's novel, Wicked Angel, is the story of a young boy named Angelo Saint (the fanciful name is the choice of his mother, who spoils him shamelessly). The story begins when the handsome, charming, and almost unnaturally intelligent "Angel" is four, and follows his malevolent career as his childish rages evolve into calculated attempts to eliminate anyone who opposes his goal to be the center of everyone's world. His desperate father, who knows something is wrong but isn't sure what, is told by a psychiatrist friend that Angel is a "textbook psychopath".
Due to the general portrayal of vigilante
Vigilante
A vigilante is a private individual who legally or illegally punishes an alleged lawbreaker, or participates in a group which metes out extralegal punishment to an alleged lawbreaker....
s as outlaws, many comic book vigilantes are portrayed as psychopaths despite the fact that they fight crime and are supposed to be heroic by default. Such characters are sometimes depicted as hostile to a judicial system in which the guilty often go unpunished. As a result they will typically style themselves as judge, jury, and executioner. The Punisher and Foolkiller
Foolkiller
The Foolkiller is a fictional character appearing in the Marvel Comics universe. He was created by writer Steve Gerber and first appeared in the pages of 1974's Man-Thing. He also had a ten-issue limited series that ran from 1990 to 1991, followed by another in 2007. There have been four different...
from the Marvel Comics
Marvel Comics
Marvel Worldwide, Inc., commonly referred to as Marvel Comics and formerly Marvel Publishing, Inc. and Marvel Comics Group, is an American company that publishes comic books and related media...
universe are two examples of vigilantes who remorselessly kill criminals as well as others whom they view as guilty. Rorschach
Rorschach (comics)
Rorschach is a fictional comic book character and antihero that was featured in the acclaimed 1986 DC Comics miniseries Watchmen...
and The Comedian from DC Comics
DC Comics
DC Comics, Inc. is one of the largest and most successful companies operating in the market for American comic books and related media. It is the publishing unit of DC Entertainment a company of Warner Bros. Entertainment, which itself is owned by Time Warner...
' Watchmen
Watchmen
Watchmen is a twelve-issue comic book limited series created by writer Alan Moore, artist Dave Gibbons, and colourist John Higgins. The series was published by DC Comics during 1986 and 1987, and has been subsequently reprinted in collected form...
are two examples of characters who are by default, crimefighters but act above the law and commit acts that may be unsympathetic. Psychopathic vigilantes are often described as being extremist in their views or ideologies, in part based on their own interpretation of right and wrong rather than a lack of ethics or morality. Examples of this could be the DC comics characters Jason Todd
Jason Todd
Jason Peter Todd is a fictional character that appears in comic books published by DC Comics. Jason first appeared in Batman #357 and became the second Robin, sidekick to the superhero Batman, when the previous Robin went on to star in The New Teen Titans under the moniker of Nightwing.Though...
and Nite-wing
Nite-Wing
Nite-Wing is a fictional character appearing in the DC Comics series Nightwing.-Fictional character biography:Tad Ryerstad is a sociopath and possesses a great deal of rage while being prone to loud outbursts, as well as frequently referring to himself in the third person...
.
Portrayals in video games
With the increased popularity of video games in mainstream culture, and the heightened production quality within the video game industry, many video game plot lines have incorporated psychopathic characters, most often to create antagonists (sometimes even protagonists) that are interesting and powerful enough to direct the story. Traits that highlight the "perfect" villain, such as intelligence, overt sadism, and a calm demeanor — especially under pressure or in harrowing conditions — are frequently employed in character design, although such a collection of characteristics in one individual may not be present in real psychopaths/sociopaths.Notable video game characters who display obvious or some psychopathic traits are:
Apollo Justice: Ace Attorney
In the fourth game of the Ace Attorney series, the primary villain (highlighted in the first and last cases, but having subtle influence throughout the game) is Kristoph Gavin, a former defense attorney and later convicted murderer whose outward charm
Superficial charm
Superficial charm is "the tendency to be smooth, engaging, charming, slick, and verbally facile."The phrase often appears in lists of attributes of psychopathic personalities, such as in Hervey Cleckley's The Mask of Sanity and Robert Hare's Hare Psychopathy Checklist.Associated expressions are...
, calm, and skill with manipulation (as well as his somewhat hedonistic behavior, such as his admission of enjoying manicures and having his prison cell filled with items for his own comfort) lead to him orchestrating the disbarment of a fellow defense attorney (his primary motivation seeming to be jealousy), manipulating a prosecutor (who is also his younger brother) without remorse, and even the attempted murder of a child with severe social/anxiety issues (after first gaining her trust). He is unusual in the series because whereas many villains that appear in the games are cartoonishly over the top and hard to view as true psychopaths (although Manfred von Karma of the first game comes close), he is played completely straight and mostly to invoke fear in the player.
Dead Rising
In Dead Rising
Dead Rising
is an action-adventure, survivor horror video game, developed by Capcom and produced by Keiji Inafune. It was released on August 8, 2006 exclusively for the Xbox 360 video game console. The game was a commercial success. It has been introduced into the Xbox 360 "Platinum Hits" lineup, and a cell...
the Boss characters are called "Psychopaths" for their traits. From Carlito Keyes, who was a terrorist who caused the zombie outbreak, to Adam the Clown, a Clown who went insane after seeing his audience devoured by the undead.
Kane & Lynch: Dead Men
Adam "Kane" Marcus and James Seth Lynch (Kane & Lynch: Dead Men
Kane & Lynch: Dead Men
Kane & Lynch: Dead Men is a cooperative third-person shooter developed by IO Interactive and published by Eidos Interactive for Microsoft Windows, PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360. The mobile phone version was developed by Kiloo and published by Eidos Mobile...
) are both convicted killers on death row
Death row
Death row signifies the place, often a section of a prison, that houses individuals awaiting execution. The term is also used figuratively to describe the state of awaiting execution , even in places where no special facility or separate unit for condemned inmates exists.After individuals are found...
who escape from prison. Although both Kane and Lynch display psychopathic traits, such as disproportionate aggression and remorselessness, Kane shows actual affection and concern for his wife and daughter, while Lynch's psychopathy seems to be linked with psychosis
Psychosis
Psychosis means abnormal condition of the mind, and is a generic psychiatric term for a mental state often described as involving a "loss of contact with reality"...
.
Metal Gear
- Liquid Snake (Metal GearMetal GearMetal Gear is a series of video games.Metal Gear may also refer to:*Metal Gear , bipedal tanks appearing in the Metal Gear series-Metal Gear video game series:...
series), Psycho Mantis (Metal Gear SolidMetal Gear Solidis a videogame by Hideo Kojima. The game was developed by Konami Computer Entertainment Japan and first published by Konami in 1998 for the PlayStation video game console. It is the sequel to Kojimas early MSX2 computer games Metal Gear and Metal Gear 2: Solid Snake...
), Solid SnakeSolid SnakeMetal Gear, initially released in 1987, introduces Solid Snake, the rookie recruit of the elite special-forces unit FOXHOUND. Snake is sent by team leader Big Boss into the rogue nation Outer Heaven to rescue his missing teammate Gray Fox and discover who or what the "METAL GEAR" mentioned is, and...
(Metal GearMetal GearMetal Gear is a series of video games.Metal Gear may also refer to:*Metal Gear , bipedal tanks appearing in the Metal Gear series-Metal Gear video game series:...
series), Fatman (Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of LibertyMetal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Libertyis a stealth action video game directed by Hideo Kojima, developed by Konami Computer Entertainment Japan and published by Konami for the PlayStation 2 in 2001....
), Yevgeny Borisovitch Volgin (Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake EaterMetal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eateris an award-winning stealth action video game directed by Hideo Kojima. Snake Eater was developed by Konami Computer Entertainment Japan and published by Konami for the PlayStation 2, and was released on November 17, 2004 in North America; December 16, 2004 in Japan; March 4, 2005 in Europe; and on...
), Ocelot (Metal GearMetal Gear (series)is a series of stealth video games created by Hideo Kojima and developed and published by Konami. The first game, Metal Gear, was released in 1987 for the MSX2. The player takes control of a special forces operative Solid Snake who is assigned to find the eponymous superweapon "Metal Gear", a...
series), and Hot Coldman (Metal Gear Solid: Peace WalkerMetal Gear Solid: Peace Walkeris a video game produced by Konami and Kojima Productions that was released for the PlayStation Portable in 2010. Peace Walker is the fourth Metal Gear title for the PSP, although it is only the second to be considered part of the series' main canon, following Metal Gear Solid: Portable Ops...
).
Resident Evil
- Albert WeskerAlbert Weskeris a character in the Resident Evil franchise. Although portrayed as a supporting character in the first game, he was later established as the primary antagonist of the series; he usually manipulated story events behind-the-scenes and had a role in more games than the other main characters...
(Resident Evil franchise) exhibits clear psychopathic characteristics, including a highly cunning intelligence, a pathological ego, lack of remorse for harming others, and manipulative tendencies.
Other villains with psychopathic traits include:
- Professor Hojo (Final Fantasy VIIFinal Fantasy VIIis a role-playing video game developed by Square and published by Sony Computer Entertainment as the seventh installment in the Final Fantasy series. It was originally released in 1997 for the Sony PlayStation and was re-released in 1998 for Microsoft Windows-based personal computers and in 2009...
) - Leo Kasper (Manhunt 2Manhunt 2Manhunt 2 is an action/adventure video game developed by Rockstar Games and the sequel to 2003's Manhunt. The game was released in North America for the PlayStation 2, PlayStation Portable, and Wii on October 29, 2007....
) - Kefka (Final Fantasy VIFinal Fantasy VIis a role-playing video game developed and published by Square , released in 1994 for the Super Nintendo Entertainment System as a part of the Final Fantasy series. Set in a fantasy world with a technology level equivalent to that of the Second Industrial Revolution, the game's story focuses on a...
) - Kuja (Final Fantasy IXFinal Fantasy IXis a role-playing video game developed and published by Square for the PlayStation video game console. It is the ninth title in the Final Fantasy series. The game introduced new features to the series like the 'Active Time Event', 'Mognet' and a unique equipment and skill system.Final Fantasy IXs...
) - Pokey Minch (EarthBoundEarthBoundEarthBound, also known as EarthBound: The War Against Giygas! and released as in Japan, is a role-playing video game co-developed by Ape and HAL Laboratory and published by Nintendo for the Super Nintendo Entertainment System video game console...
, Mother 3Mother 3Mother 3 is a role-playing video game developed by Nintendo, Brownie Brown and HAL Laboratory, and published for the Game Boy Advance handheld game console. It has only been released in Japan, alongside a limited supply bundle. It is the third video game in the Mother series, following EarthBound...
) - Dimitri Rascalov (Grand Theft Auto 4)
- Sephiroth (Final FantasyVII)
- Dutch Van Der Linde and Edgar Ross in Red Dead Redemption display clear and realistic psychopathic tendencies such as extreme aggression, quick to betray those around them to suit their own needs as well as killing without reason or remorse and disregard for the safety of the people around them.
- Xehanort (Kingdom Hearts)
- VanitasVanitasIn the arts, vanitas is a type of symbolic work of art especially associated with Northern European still life painting in Flanders and the Netherlands in the 16th and 17th centuries, though also common in other places and periods. The word is Latin, meaning "emptiness" and loosely translated...
(Kingdom Hearts) - Vladamir Makarov ( Modern Warfare 2 )
- Dr. Harlan Fontaine from L.A. NoireL.A. NoireL.A. Noire is a 2011 crime video game developed by Team Bondi and published by Rockstar Games. It was released for PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, Microsoft Windows. It was released as a 3-disc game for the Xbox 360 console, which prompts the player to switch to another disc at certain points in the...
exhibits several psychopathic traits, such as appearing to be a caring and charismatic psychiatrist, in order to prey on the fears, emotions and weaknesses of his patients,as well as others around him, to use them and control them for his own greed. Fontaine also callously betrayed, murdered and attempted to murder all who got in his way. Under his mask of being a kind and charming doctor, he is really a dangerous and manipulative criminal mastermind. - Dimentio from Super Paper MarioSuper Paper Mariois a platform style console role-playing game developed by Intelligent Systems and published by Nintendo. Originally developed for the Nintendo GameCube, it was released for the Wii in 2007. The style of gameplay is a combination of the previous Paper Mario titles and Super Mario Bros. titles...
has shown himself to remain calm as well as smile even when committing atrocious acts such as kidnapping and murder, and also plans to wipe out the entire universe when he dies.
Portrayals in television
- In soap opera PassionsPassionsPassions is an American television soap opera which aired on NBC from July 5, 1999 to September 7, 2007 and on The 101 Network from September 17, 2007 to August 7, 2008....
Alistair CraneAlistair CraneAlistair Ephraim Crane is a fictional character on the NBC/DirecTV soap opera Passions. Alistair is portrayed by John Reilly on a recurring basis from August 20, 2007 to May 20, 2008; before Reilly's contract run from January 21, 2005 to July 17, 2006, Alistair was also portrayed by David Bailey...
displays signs of psychopathy by raping his wives and by gradiosity, manipulation, extreme arrogance, lying, being highly intelligent, a control freak, feeling he is above the law for who he is and an incessant need for power. He has also tried to kill and kidnap his wives and family members on numerous occasions. And has succeeded at times. He also tried to steal a chalice to make himself omnipotent.
- In British television, Edmund BlackadderEdmund BlackadderEdmund Blackadder is the single name given to a collection of fictional characters who appear in the BBC mock-historical comedy series Blackadder, each played by Rowan Atkinson. Although each series is set within a different period of British history, each character is part of the same familial...
(Rowan AtkinsonRowan AtkinsonRowan Sebastian Atkinson is a British actor, comedian, and screenwriter. He is most famous for his work on the satirical sketch comedy show Not The Nine O'Clock News, and the sitcoms Blackadder, Mr. Bean and The Thin Blue Line...
) in the BlackadderBlackadderBlackadder is the name that encompassed four series of a BBC1 historical sitcom, along with several one-off instalments. All television programme episodes starred Rowan Atkinson as anti-hero Edmund Blackadder and Tony Robinson as Blackadder's dogsbody, Baldrick...
television series displays several signs of psychopathy, including grandiosity, lack of concern for others, and willingness to lie, cheat and steal to get what he wants. He is also highly intelligent (as humorously emphasized by the idiocy of most of the other characters).
- In the anime/manga Death NoteDeath Noteis a manga created by writer Tsugumi Ohba and manga artist Takeshi Obata. The main character is Light Yagami, a high school student who discovers a supernatural notebook, the "Death Note", dropped on Earth by a god of death, or a shinigami, named Ryuk...
, main character Light Yagami develops a severe God complex when he discovers a notebook that kills people whenever he writes their name in it, and grows steadily more psychopathic in his quest to create a perfect world over which he intends to rule as God while evading authorities.
- In the Showtime original series DexterDexter (TV series)Dexter is an American television drama series, which debuted on Showtime on October 1, 2006. The sixth season premiered on October 2, 2011. The series centers on Dexter Morgan , a bloodstain pattern analyst for the Miami Metro Police Department who moonlights as a serial killer...
, the eponymous protagonist Dexter MorganDexter MorganDexter Morgan is a fictional character in a series of novels by Jeff Lindsay, including Darkly Dreaming Dexter , Dearly Devoted Dexter , Dexter in the Dark , Dexter by Design , Dexter is Delicious and Double Dexter...
(Michael C. HallMichael C. HallMichael Carlyle Hall is an American actor whose television roles include David Fisher on the HBO drama series Six Feet Under and Dexter Morgan on the Showtime series Dexter. In 2009, Hall won a Golden Globe award and a Screen Actors Guild Award for his role in Dexter.-Early life:Hall was born in...
) is the police department's forensic blood spatter analyst protagonist who moonlights as a serial killer. He lives by a special code of ethics, given to him by his foster father Harry MorganHarry Morgan (Dexter)Detective Harrison "Harry" Morgan is a fictional character in the Showtime television series Dexter and the novels by Jeff Lindsay upon which it is based. In the television series he is portrayed by James Remar. Harry is Dexter Morgan's adoptive father, now deceased...
(James RemarJames RemarJames Remar is an American actor and voice artist. He has appeared in movies, video games, and TV shows. He is perhaps best known as Richard, the on-off tycoon boyfriend of Kim Cattrall's character in Sex and the City, as Ajax in The Warriors, as the homicidal maniac Albert Ganz in the 1982...
), according to which he only kills other murderers. In the novels and the TV series based upon it, Dexter makes frequent reference to his internal feelings of emptiness and total lack of conscience or empathy, although he does admit feeling a sense of responsibility toward the people in his life.
- In the long-running British science-fiction series Doctor WhoDoctor WhoDoctor Who is a British science fiction television programme produced by the BBC. The programme depicts the adventures of a time-travelling humanoid alien known as the Doctor who explores the universe in a sentient time machine called the TARDIS that flies through time and space, whose exterior...
, The MasterMaster (Doctor Who)The Master is a recurring character in the British science fiction television series Doctor Who. He is a renegade Time Lord and the archenemy of the Doctor....
, the archenemy of the DoctorDoctor (Doctor Who)The Doctor is the central character in the long-running BBC television science-fiction series Doctor Who, and has also featured in two cinema feature films, a vast range of spin-off novels, audio dramas and comic strips connected to the series....
, is shown to display obvious signs of psychopathy, including personal charm, a sadistic delight in killing, manipulative behaviour, a lack of conscience or self control and pathological narcissism. Former head writer Russell T Davies has also described the Master as a "sociopath and a psychopath".
- In teen drama Gossip GirlGossip GirlGossip Girl is an American young adult novel series written by Cecily von Ziegesar and published by Little, Brown and Company, a subsidiary of the Hachette Group. The series revolves around the lives and romances of the privileged teenagers at the Constance Billard School for Girls, an elite...
, Blake LivelyBlake LivelyBlake Christina Lively is an American actress and model who stars as Serena van der Woodsen in the television teen drama series Gossip Girl...
's character Serena van der WoodsenSerena van der WoodsenSerena Celia van der Woodsen is a fictional character in the young adult novel series Gossip Girl and its television adaptation. Serena is featured on the blog of the novel series' mysterious "Gossip Girl" narrator...
becomes a target of her former friend Georgina SparksGeorgina SparksGeorgina Sparks is a fictional character in the Gossip Girl novel series and a recurring character on the television series Gossip Girl. She is portrayed by actress Michelle Trachtenberg on the show...
, a scheming and manipulative sociopath; throughout the first, second and third season, she wreaks havoc on the Upper East SideUpper East SideThe Upper East Side is a neighborhood in the borough of Manhattan in New York City, between Central Park and the East River. The Upper East Side lies within an area bounded by 59th Street to 96th Street, and the East River to Fifth Avenue-Central Park...
.
- In NBC's series HeroesHeroes (TV series)Heroes is an American science fiction television drama series created by Tim Kring that appeared on NBC for four seasons from September 25, 2006 through February 8, 2010. The series tells the stories of ordinary people who discover superhuman abilities, and how these abilities take effect in the...
the recurring villain SylarSylarGabriel Gray, more commonly known by his assumed name of Sylar , is one of the primary antagonists and antiheroes in the NBC drama Heroes. Portrayed by Zachary Quinto, he is a superpowered serial killer who targets other superhumans in order to steal their powers...
displays clear signs of psychopathy and is frequently described as such by the characters, although his symptoms and past suggest he may in fact be a sociopath.
- In HouseHouse (TV series)House is an American television medical drama that debuted on the Fox network on November 16, 2004. The show's central character is Dr. Gregory House , an unconventional and misanthropic medical genius who heads a team of diagnosticians at the fictional Princeton-Plainsboro Teaching Hospital in...
episode "RemorseRemorse (House)"Remorse" is the twelfth episode of the sixth season of House. It aired on January 25, 2010.- Plot :The team takes on the case of 27-year-old Valerie , an attractive business consultant experiencing intermittent episodes of excruciating ear pain...
", Beau GarrettBeau GarrettBeau Jesse Garrett is an American actress and model.-Career:She was first hired by GUESS in the late 1990s. She is currently a spokesmodel for Revlon cosmetics, along with Halle Berry, Jessica Biel, Jennifer Connelly and Jessica Alba, and has also modeled for Double D Ranch and CosmoGirl...
plays Valerie, a psychopathic patient who turns out to have Wilson's diseaseWilson's diseaseWilson's disease or hepatolenticular degeneration is an autosomal recessive genetic disorder in which copper accumulates in tissues; this manifests as neurological or psychiatric symptoms and liver disease...
, and is cured of psychopathy, as it is a symptom of an underlying condition that first started showing signs at puberty.
- The MentalistThe MentalistThe Mentalist is an American police procedural television series which debuted on September 23, 2008, on CBS. The show was created by Bruno Heller, who is also the show's executive producer...
s main antagonist is Red JohnRed JohnRed John is a fictional character and the leading antagonist on the CBS crime drama The Mentalist. He is a serial killer who murders many people in California, Nevada, and Mexico...
, a serial killerSerial killerA serial killer, as typically defined, is an individual who has murdered three or more people over a period of more than a month, with down time between the murders, and whose motivation for killing is usually based on psychological gratification...
. He is also known for leaving a 'smiley' made with blood on the victims walls, drawing a parallel to the Zodiac KillerZodiac KillerThe Zodiac Killer was a serial killer who operated in Northern California in the late 1960s and early 1970s. The killer's identity remains unknown. The Zodiac murdered victims in Benicia, Vallejo, Lake Berryessa and San Francisco between December 1968 and October 1969. Four men and three women...
's cross-circle signature.
- Michelle RyanMichelle RyanMichelle Claire Ryan is an English actress.She is best known for portraying the role of Zoe Slater on BBC soap opera EastEnders. In 2007, she starred in the short lived American television series Bionic Woman...
plays a villainous and sociopathic version of Nimue in the BBCBBCThe British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
's MerlinMerlin (TV series)Merlin is a British fantasy-adventure television programme by Julian Jones, Jake Michie, Julian Murphy and Johnny Capps. It began broadcasting on BBC One on 20 September 2008. The show is based on the Arthurian legends of the wizard Merlin and his relationship with Prince Arthur but differs from...
.
- Keith Allen plays VaiseyVaisey, Sheriff of NottinghamThe Sheriff of Nottingham is the primary villain of the 2006 BBC television series, Robin Hood. Keith Allen's portrayal was described by the Hollywood Reporter as "very camp in the Alan Rickman tradition of sardonic villains," referring to Rickman's role as the Sheriff in the 1991 film Robin Hood:...
, Sheriff of NottinghamSheriff of NottinghamThe Sheriff of Nottingham was historically the office responsible for enforcing law and order in Nottingham and bringing criminals to justice. For years the post has been directly appointed by the Lord Mayor of Nottingham and in modern times, with the existence of the police force, the position is...
in the BBC's Robin Hood, a scheming, sardonic sociopath who thirsts for power, enjoys punishing enemies in sadistic ways and often displays a ferocious temper when Hood gets in his way.
- Sherlock HolmesSherlock HolmesSherlock Holmes is a fictional detective created by Scottish author and physician Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. The fantastic London-based "consulting detective", Holmes is famous for his astute logical reasoning, his ability to take almost any disguise, and his use of forensic science skills to solve...
in the BBC's drama Sherlock is portrayed as a self-proclaimed "high functioning sociopath" who takes delight in murders and other crimes, although he channels that energy into solving such crimes rather than committing. His nemesis, Jim Moriarty, is a psychopath, displaying extreme intelligence and narcissism and having no qualms about endangering or killing innocent people in order to confound Holmes.
- Reese and Francis Wilkerson in Malcolm in the MiddleMalcolm in the MiddleMalcolm in the Middle is an American television sitcom created by Linwood Boomer for the Fox Network. The series was first broadcast on January 9, 2000, and ended its six-and-a-half-year run on May 14, 2006, after seven seasons and 151 episodes...
have displayed clear signs of psychopathy throughout the show (Reese by enjoying tormenting various people as a bully as well as wrecking things of his brothers just to see their reaction, and Francis by constant abuses towards his family, as well as an indifferent and disregard for various norms, including willingly stealing a person's vehicle proceeding to total it and leave it in a burning wreck, constant hatred of his mother, as well as once pouring gasoline onto a teddy bear and attempting to ignite it at a very early age.), although the overall actions of their behaviors and their pasts would indicate that they are more closer to sociopaths.
- In the teen drama "90210"90210 (TV series)90210 is an American teen drama television series developed by Rob Thomas, Jeff Judah and Gabe Sachs, and the fourth series in the Beverly Hills, 90210 franchise created by Darren Star. 90210 is the first series produced by CBS Productions under the company's re-launch, but is now produced by CBS...
, Naomi ClarkNaomi ClarkNaomi Clark, played by AnnaLynne McCord, is a fictional character from the CW primetime drama 90210, the fourth series of the Beverly Hills, 90210 franchise...
's sister Jen appears on Beverly Hills to wreak havoc on her sister's life, exhibiting clear symtoms of psychopathy. Jen is described as a compulsive liar and a completely amoral socialite, who has slept with two (at least) of her sister's boyfriends/love interests to hurt her, and attempts to rob her of her newly obtained trust-fund money to compensate for having wasted her own. Throughout the 1st, 2nd and 3rd season she comits a number of evil actions to several characters who become her targets for one reason or the other.
- In its final three seasons, HBO's The WireThe WIREthe WIRE is the student-run College radio station at the University of Oklahoma, broadcasting in a freeform format. The WIRE serves the University of Oklahoma and surrounding communities, and is staffed by student DJs. The WIRE broadcasts at 1710 kHz AM in Norman, Oklahoma...
chronicled the rise of psychopathic criminal kingpin Marlo StanfieldMarlo StanfieldMarlo "Black" Stanfield is a fictional character on the HBO drama The Wire, played by actor Jamie Hector. Stanfield is a young, ruthless and ambitious player in the Baltimore drug trade who gains control of West Baltimore and is the head of his own drug crew.-Character background and plot...
(Jamie HectorJamie HectorJamie Hector is an Haitian-American actor who is known for his portrayal of Marlo Stanfield on the critically acclaimed HBO series The Wire.- Biography :...
) who terrorizes the drug culture of a fictionalized Baltimore. A number of Stanfield's entourage also exhibit signs of psychopathy, specifically, Chris Partlow and Snoop Pearson. While not violent, it is somewhat implied that drug lawyer, Maurice Levy is probably a psychopath as he shamelessly breaks the law to defend his clients, including advising murders of civilian witnesses.
- In Breaking BadBreaking BadBreaking Bad is an American television drama series created and produced by Vince Gilligan. Set and produced in Albuquerque, New Mexico, Breaking Bad is the story of Walter White , a struggling high school chemistry teacher who is diagnosed with advanced lung cancer at the beginning of the series...
, the character Tuco Salamanca is an extremely violent drug lord who frequently uses his own supply of crystal meth and exhibits psychopathic behavior.
- The Shield'sThe ShieldThe Shield is an American television drama series starring Michael Chiklis which premiered on March 12, 2002 on FX in the United States and concluded on November 25, 2008 after seven seasons...
Vic MackeyVic MackeyDetective Victor Samuel "Vic" Mackey, portrayed by Michael Chiklis, was the antihero and main protagonist of the FX crime drama series The Shield. Mackey was a corrupt and brutal Detective in the Los Angeles Police Department; he stole from drug dealers, routinely beat suspects and committed murder...
is a corrupt cop who lies flawlessly, commits brutal murders, and lives for the thrill of pushing law enforcement to its limits, and past. However, like Showtime's Dexter, Vic does have his own set of strict principles and ethics.