It’s safe to say that true-crime documentaries are very popular at the moment, and have been for at least the last five or so years. Whether people consume true-crime content because they’re morbidly curious, or they want to better understand modern-day law and societal issues (or a bit of both), the crime documentary sub-genre doesn’t seem to be going anywhere anytime soon.
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Part of its dominance is thanks toNetflix, which might be something of an unofficial home of true-crime documentaries, both feature films and - more commonly - miniseries'. But for those burnt out onMaking a Murderer,Tiger King, and the countless other documentaries on the platform that conform to a similar style and structure, there are plenty of other options out there. The following 10 were all made before Netflix started to dominate the true-crime market, and all show that these types of documentaries can be far more varied and surprising than some might give them credit for.
‘Tower’ (2016)
Ananimated film that’s not aimed at families,Towertells a disturbing and emotional true story in a unique, animated style. 1966 marked the year America was shaken by its first mass shooting, which was done by a lone gunman at the University of Texas in Austin, and left a total of 16 people dead.
Archive footage is animated over to make it more visually impactful, while audio interviews from the people who survived the event bring a great deal of heartbreaking emotion to the horrific story. It celebrates those who fought to save others during the event, and viscerally depicts a horrible incident that permanently shook the American psyche.
‘The Killing of America’ (1981)
Despite being over 40 years old,The Killing of Americais still shocking, and still retains relevance. It’s an uncompromising look at violent crime in America, focusing mostly on the (then-recent) 1960s and 1970s, and does so with harsh narration and a great deal of disturbing archival footage.
It’s certainly not shocking just for shock’s sake. While much of what it shows is difficult to look at, it uses those visuals to make a point about the violence inherent in 20th-century life, and to make the viewer confront such sights, and witness just how dangerous the world can be. It’s a hard-hitting, angry documentary, and its style can be seen as an influence for some ofMichael Moore’smost uncompromising documentaries, too (likeBowling For ColumbineandFahrenheit 9/11).
‘The Thin Blue Line’ (1988)
Legendary documentary filmmakerErrol Morris’best-known film is probablyThe Thin Blue Line, which also might stand as one of the most famous documentaries of the 20th century. It follows the investigation of a Dallas police officer’s murder, and uses dramatizations throughout that are (thankfully) not cheesy.
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While it focuses on one case, the documentary can be seen as a broader look at law enforcement and homicide in general. It’s got a great deal of style, keeping it engaging throughout, and tells a good story whilst also making you think about the themes it explores at the same time. Its influence can be felt in many crime documentaries released in its wake.
‘Murder on a Sunday Morning’ (2001)
An underrated documentary- perhaps owing to its age and somewhat dated presentation -Murder on a Sunday Morningdeserves to be counted among the best documentaries of the 2000s. It focuses on the trial of a 15-year-old who was accused of murder in Florida, and his defense team’s battle to show that the prosecution’s case isn’t as strong as they want the jury to believe.
It’s a film that mostly takes place in and around a courtroom, also making it one of the best courtroom movies of all time. Additionally, it’s a rare positive depiction of lawyers, as it soon becomes clear that lazy police work has led to a false accusation, and it falls to the defense counsel to target the flaws in said accusal. That a teenage boy’s life is literally on the line makes it an absorbing and suspenseful watch. It’s informative, emotional, thought-provoking, and a compelling story, all in one.
‘Dear Zachary: A Letter to a Son About His Father’ (2008)
A truly heartbreaking documentary about losing a loved one to a violent crime,Dear Zachary: A Letter to a Son About His Fatheris among the saddest documentaries of all time. It focuses on the parents of a young man who was murdered in cold blood by his partner, and the custody battle that ensues over their son’s infant child.
It’s such a difficult story to tell, and it gets sadder and more harrowing as it goes along. That it was also directed by a close friend of the murdered man makes things even more personal and emotionally devastating. No crime documentary should be an easy watch, butDear Zacharyis harder to watch than most; not so much for its graphic content, but for how impactful and soul-crushing its tragic story is.
‘A.K.A. Serial Killer’ (1975)
More of an experimental essay film than a traditional crime documentary,A.K.A. Serial Killeris nevertheless an important early example of a true-crime documentary. It uses sparse narration to describe the life of a young serial killer in Japan throughout the 1960s, offering brief comments about his life whilst showing footage of the places he lived, worked, and killed.
It asks a great deal of its audience, in terms of piecing together a complete story from the eerily peaceful visuals and infrequent narration. But everything’s there, and for patient viewers who want something unconventional, it may make for a very compelling, undoubtedly unique viewing experience.
‘The Two Escobars’ (2010)
A mix between a sports documentary and a crime one,The Two Escobarstells the story of two famous Colombians who weren’t related, but shared the same surname:Andres Escobar, a soccer superstar, andPablo Escobar, a notorious and powerful drug kingpin.
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At first, the two figures seem completely at odds, until the documentary finds interesting ways to show how their lives and legacies sometimes intertwined. It also uses its two main subjects to explore the history of Colombia throughout the late 20th century, and it manages to balance all its various subjects and topics very well, making for a surprising and consistently interesting documentary.
‘Paradise Lost: The Child Murders at Robin Hood Hills’ (1996)
Paradise Lost: The Child Murders at Robin Hood Hillsis a film that’s clearly influenced the type of true-crime documentary that became popular in the 2010s. It covers a horrific triple murder of three young children in Arkansas, and the investigation that led to the trial of three older boys who came to be known as theWest Memphis Three.
It’s not for the faint of heart, but it does a very good job of covering the entire story in detail, across a lengthy 2.5-hour runtime. It also had two follow-up films, in 2000 and 2011, and there’s another documentary - by different filmmakers - calledWest of Memphis(2012), which also covers the case and the treatment of the three boys who were accused of the terrible crime.
‘Into the Abyss’ (2011)
Werner Herzogis a filmmaker who’s equally great atdirecting documentaries as he is works of fiction, withInto the Abyssbeing one of his best films from the 2010s. It’s a remarkably simple documentary, at its core, as it focuses on interviewing death row inmates about their history, crimes, and outlook in life, knowing that their deaths are around the corner.
The heavy subject matter means it won’t be for everyone, but many of the interviews are remarkable, and unlike any others. It offers a bleak but unique perspective on death, and while it may be too morbid for some, there’s also a great deal to learn from a documentary as difficult as this.
‘O.J.: Made in America’ (2016)
Coming out right before the Academy Awards changed their rules to disallow miniseries' from winning a Best Documentary Oscar,O.J.: Made in Americawon said award for the year 2016. Even if it had been disqualified, that wouldn’t change the fact that it may be the greatest documentary of its decade.
Across five parts, totaling nearly eight hours,O.J.: Made in Americamanages to give a fresh perspective into the familiar story ofO.J. Simpsonand the media event that was his murder trial. The miniserieslooks at many topics, including crime, sport, flaws in the justice system, the price of fame, racism, and the media, combining it all into one coherent whole, and making for the best exploration of America’s legal system (or even America in general) in any documentary, ever. Undoubtedly, it’s an essential documentary masterpiece.
