A quiet suburban neighborhood is thrown into chaos when one of history’s most infamous serial killers moves in next door in the new horror film ‘Gacy: Serial Killer Next Door’. This spine-tingling movie brings the ghost of real-life monster John Wayne Gacy back to life in the form of a mysterious new neighbor hiding sinister secrets.
In this fictional account inspired by true events, a teenage boy’s curiosity about the reclusive man down the street soon draws him into a world of gruesome violence and evil that will change his life forever. As the teen unravels the buried crimes of his enigmatic neighbor, he inches closer to a dangerous confrontation with a manipulative psychopath who has left a trail of bodies in his wake.
Director Michael Feifer ratchets up the tension in this cat-and-mouse game between an innocent suburban youth and the notorious serial killer who wreaked havoc in Chicago in the 1970s. By bringing the Gacy legend back to life as a horror movie villain, ‘Serial Killer Next Door’ shows how even the safest neighborhoods can harbor pure evil behind closed doors.
Feifer’s film joins other horror movies like 1992’s ‘To Catch a Killer’ and 2010’s ‘Dear Mr. Gacy’ that have mined Gacy’s monstrous acts for big-screen thrills. But by depicting the killer’s havoc in suburbia, ‘Serial Killer Next Door’ makes the Gacy myth even more terrifying for audiences. This peek behind the masks people wear in polite society will leave thriller fans on the edge of their seats waiting to see what horrors emerge.
Along with its fresh twist on the Gacy legend, ‘Serial Killer Next Door’ also offers viewers a look inside the creative process of legendary Italian horror maestro Dario Argento in a new documentary premiering on Shudder. ‘Dario Argento Panico’ gives unprecedented access to Argento’s world as he develops new spine-chilling stories in hotel rooms and reflects on his influential career in the horror genre. With commentary from collaborators like Asia Argento and devotees like Guillermo Del Toro, this doc will give fright fans new appreciation for Argento’s visionary voice.
Rounding out the week’s new horror is ‘Departing Seniors’, a slasher movie with a modern twist centered around a queer, Mexican-American protagonist. As high school senior Javier uses psychic visions to stop a masked killer targeting his classmates, this teen screams subverts genre clichés with whip-smart humor and inclusive perspectives. Backed up by a talented young cast, ‘Departing Seniors’ brings a bold new voice to horror that signals an exciting evolution in the genre.
So while this may be a quiet week for new horror releases, these three films offer fresh approaches to thrills, chills, and kills for audiences craving something new. Whether it’s the ghost of Gacy, Argento’s creative world, or a progressive slasher, this week’s offerings show the versatile directions horror can go in.
