Best movies like Nightmare in Columbia County
Last updated March 2024
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Plot Summary:
The recounting of a terrible crime that wracked a family and galvanized police in South Carolina in the 1980's. Southern beauty pageant winner Dawn Smith is targeted by a sadistic stalker whose obsession with her leads him to kidnap her younger sister.
IMDB Rating: 5.6
IMDB Votes: 385
Genere: Crime, Drama, Thriller
Country: USA
Duration: 100 min
Plot tags: tense, rough, mind bending, serious, realistic, suspenseful, cult film
Best tv shows and movies like Nightmare in Columbia County (1991):
Similar in 78%
The Killing Time (1987)
Plot Summary:
After bagging his latest victim, a murderous sociopath (Kiefer Sutherland) decides to steal the dead man's identity and pose as the deputy of a remote coastal town, where the local sheriff (Beau Bridges) and his lover (Camelia Kath) are cooking up a few misdeeds of their own: namely, to kill the mistress's husband (Wayne Rogers) and pin the crime on the fledgling deputy. But in this town of half-truths, nobody's secret is safe.
IMDB Rating: 5.3
IMDB Votes: 1000
Genere: Crime, Drama, Romance, Thriller
Country: USA
Duration: 94 min
Plot tags: tense, rough, realistic, serious, suspenseful, neo noir, independent film, mind bending, eighties
Similar in 75%
I Can Make You Love Me (1993)
Plot Summary:
Laura Black has got it. She has got her master in computer science and she has got that great job in Silicon Valley. Time to say 'bye bye' to mom and dad and to leave Virginia. Everything seems to be fine with one exception. That guy Richard Farley at her new job. If he would stop his attempts to date her. Since weeks his psycho terror is going on now. Laura decides not to let him win. She does not want to be his 'victim'. May be an official complaint about Farley would solve her problem? Written by Oliver Heidelbach.
IMDB Rating: 6.4
IMDB Votes: 2000
Genere: Crime, Drama, Horror, Thriller
Country: USA
Duration: 92 min
Plot tags: slasher, sad, crime drama, creepy, rough, serious, realistic, suspenseful, disturbing
Similar in 85%
Reflections (2008)
Plot Summary:
Europol Agent Tom Brindle is called to Barcelona, Spain, to track down the notorious serial killer known as Pygmalion. A set of fingerprints lead to a young, volatile soldier, Marco Soler. Agent Brindle arrests Marco and intensely interrogates him, convinced that he has his man. Marco has an airtight alibi though and further investigation of the suspect leads Agent Brindle to a shocking discovery.
IMDB Rating: 4.7
IMDB Votes: 626
Genere: Crime, Drama, Thriller
Country: Spain
Duration: 100 min
Plot tags: scary, psychological, serious, rough, mind bending, realistic, suspenseful, detective
Similar in 82%
Class of '76 (2005)
Plot Summary:
Inspector Tom Monroe (Robert Carlyle) investigates the mysterious death of several people that the only thing they have in common is being classmates. In addition, the deaths appear to be related to a mysterious "faceless child.".
IMDB Rating: 6.2
IMDB Votes: 606
Genere: Crime, Drama, Mystery, Thriller
Country: UK
Duration: 180 min
Plot tags: rough, serious, suspenseful, suspense, psychological, mind bending, realistic
Similar in 82%
Quiet Kill (2004)
Plot Summary:
An attractive married woman and a member of the 'Country Club Tennis Set', is being neglected by her workaholic doctor husband, Jerry (Corbin Bernsen). Lonely and insecure, Amy foolishly falls for the seductive charms of a much younger man, Steve Sterns (Nicholas Celozzi) who is introduced to Amy by her good friend, Sheila. The love affair is very brief, as she realizes that Steve has a dark, sinister and obsessive side to his personality, or is it personalities? Amy tries to break off the relationship, only to find that her adulterous lover has become her stalker. She also fears that Steve is responsible for the numerous brutal murders of local prostitutes.
IMDB Rating: 3.6
IMDB Votes: 224
Genere: Crime, Romance, Thriller
Country: USA
Duration: 82 min
Plot tags: tense, serious, realistic, suspenseful, christian film, independent film, detective
Similar in 90%
American Crime (2004)
Plot Summary:
A young smalltown reporter, Jessie St. Claire, begins investigating a killer stalking his victims making video tapes. This might just be the career opportunity, which she has hoped for. When she herself becomes a target and suddenly disappears, the case attracts a colleague from the nationally syndicated television show "American Crime" as well. Together with Jessie's camera-man and later joined by her producer he tries to solve the mysterious case. Written by Oliver Heidelbach (IMDB).
IMDB Rating: 4.4
IMDB Votes: 1000
Genere: Crime, Thriller
Country: USA
Duration: 92 min
Plot tags: scary, serious, tense, rough, realistic, suspenseful, suspense
Similar in 79%
Dead Connection (1994)
Plot Summary:
After a series of murders in motel rooms are connected, a cop, Dickson, heads out on the trail to find a serial killer. He discovers that he signs the motel guest-books with the names of boxers, and hence gets a lead on him. However, when he just fails to catch up arrest him, the chase becomes personal.
IMDB Rating: 4.8
IMDB Votes: 587
Genere: Crime, Drama, Thriller
Country: USA
Duration: 93 min
Plot tags: detective, independent film, tense, rough, mind bending, serious, realistic, suspenseful, sexual, neo noir
Similar in 76%
Try to Remember (2004)
Plot Summary:
Fifteen years after a murderer is convicted he is released and all the witnesses against him begin to be murdered.
IMDB Rating: 5.5
IMDB Votes: 408
Genere: Crime, Drama, Mystery, Thriller
Country: USA
Duration: 96 min
Plot tags: psychological, rough, serious, realistic, scary, tense, mind bending, suspenseful
Similar in 79%
Last Screening (2011)
Plot Summary:
Sylvain, a film-obsessed 31-year-old, lives in the basement of a small art-house theater where he works as a programmer, projectionist and cashier. Each night, after the last showing, he goes out for a murderous ritual.
IMDB Rating: 5.6
IMDB Votes: 354
Genere: Drama, Thriller
Country: France
Duration: 81 min
Plot tags: tense, suspenseful, psychological, captivating, scary, bleak, serious, realistic, slasher
Similar in 79%
The Detective 2 (2011)
Plot Summary:
Mysteries keep revolving around Tam’s life.
IMDB Rating: 5.6
IMDB Votes: 582
Genere: Crime, Drama, Thriller
Country: Hong Kong
Duration: 104 min
Plot tags: realistic, atmospheric, serious, suspenseful, stylized, tense, rough
Similar in 79%
Jack Reed: One of Our Own (1995)
Plot Summary:
Jack Reed investigates a young woman whom he and his wife take into their household when she turns out to be targeted by unknown assassins.
IMDB Rating: 6.3
IMDB Votes: 300
Genere: Crime, Drama
Country: USA
Duration: 120 min
Plot tags: tense, rough, serious, realistic, suspenseful
Similar in 75%
The Prodigy (2005)
Plot Summary:
"The Prodigy" tells the story of small-time enforcer Truman Fisher's vicious conflict with a sadistic assassin who has chosen the unwilling Truman to be his successor. The assassin, who goes by the alias Rains and whose exploits have become the source of legend among Truman's underworld colleagues, drives Truman, through the pressure of constant violence and grief, to understand his own capacity for both bloodshed and compassion. Ultimately this reveals to Truman that he as with all of us, must find our place in this world or as Rains would say "our place in this grand design." This action begins quickly as Truman meets with a turncoat from a rival gang. This tense showdown erupts quickly into mayhem, when Rains makes his unexpected entrance. In the wake of the ensuing bloodbath, Truman is forced to reevaluate his own role in the small, violent world he inhabits, suddenly aware that there are larger powers at work which he does not understand.
IMDB Rating: 5.3
IMDB Votes: 921
Genere: Crime, Drama, Thriller
Country: USA
Duration: 120 min
Plot tags: exciting, rough, suspenseful, suspense, independent film, serious, realistic, surprise ending
Similar in 80%
The Keeper (2004)
Plot Summary:
When an apparently exemplary cop abducts and secretly imprisons a beautiful dancer, a deadly battle of wills between captor and captive ensues.
IMDB Rating: 4.7
IMDB Votes: 2000
Genere: Crime, Thriller, Drama
Country: UK, Canada
Duration: 95 min
Plot tags: psychological thriller, psychological, rough, serious, suspenseful, bleak, suspense, scary, slasher, realistic
Similar in 78%
The Grim Sleeper (2014)
Plot Summary:
Journalist Christine Pelisek helps law enforcement investigate the alleged serial killer known as the Grim Sleeper.
IMDB Rating: 5.4
IMDB Votes: 583
Genere: Biography, Drama, Thriller
Country: USA
Duration: 89 min
Plot tags: serious, realistic, suspenseful, tense, captivating, scary, rough, mind bending
Similar in 78%
Brother's Keeper (2002)
Plot Summary:
The FBI sought the help of Lucinda Pond (Jeanne Tripplehorn), a former agent of the body, to try to locate the author of a series of murders that allegedly may have committed his brother. Lucinda, who left the police years ago, decides to help reluctantly convinced by an old boyfriend (Leland Orser). The tracks are directly related to the abuse that Lucinda and her brother suffered during his childhood, which seems to be in the suspect has caused a serious psychological disorder.
IMDB Rating: 4.9
IMDB Votes: 377
Genere: Crime, Drama, Thriller
Country: Canada, USA
Duration: 90 min
Plot tags: psychological, tense, serious, suspenseful, scary, rough, realistic
Similar in 83%
Night Game (1989)
Plot Summary:
A police detective tracks a serial killer who is stalking young women on a beach front after each game that a baseball pitcher wins.
IMDB Rating: 5.0
IMDB Votes: 1000
Genere: Crime, Drama, Thriller
Country: USA
Duration: 95 min
Plot tags: slasher, detective, independent film, rough, offbeat, serious, realistic, suspenseful
Similar in 85%
To Serve and Protect (1999)
Plot Summary:
Three generations of Dallas police officers join together to track down the deadliest serial killer ever to terrorize Texas.
IMDB Rating: 5.5
IMDB Votes: 229
Genere: Thriller, Crime, Drama
Country: USA
Duration: 169 min
Plot tags: detective, psychological, exciting, tense, rough, mind bending, serious, realistic, suspenseful
Similar in 88%
Freeway Killer (2010)
Plot Summary:
For years he terrorized California motorists as he rode the endless highways searching for his next victim. The discarded bodies turned up beaten, sexually assaulted and horribly mutilated. Deceptively charming and intelligent, the scheming murderer easily avoided police at first. But as police closed in and the killer’s pattern grew more erratic, the only question was how many more will die?.
IMDB Rating: 5.4
IMDB Votes: 1000
Genere: Crime, Drama, Thriller
Country: USA
Duration: 85 min
Plot tags: rough, serious, suspenseful, scary, mind bending, realistic
Similar in 86%
Out of the Darkness (1985)
Plot Summary:
A gripping thriller telling the true story of the hunt and capture of David Berkowitz, a.k.a. "Son of Sam" — the infamous serial killer who stalked New York in the 70s.
IMDB Rating: 6.1
IMDB Votes: 471
Genere: Crime, Drama, Thriller
Country: USA
Duration: 94 min
Plot tags: psychological, detective, rough, mind bending, serious, realistic, suspenseful
Similar in 88%
Zodiac Killer (2005)
Plot Summary:
A young man who works at a nursing home uses the legendary Zodiac killer's M.O. to kill people who neglect their elderly relatives.
IMDB Rating: 2.1
IMDB Votes: 5000
Genere: Crime, Drama, Thriller
Country: USA
Duration: 83 min
Plot tags: slasher, rough, serious, suspenseful, disturbing, suspense, scary, bleak
Similar in 87%
Bundy: An American Icon (2009)
Plot Summary:
Bundy, starring Corin Nemec in the title role and co-starring Kane Hodder, details the dark psyche and previously unexplored motivations of the man who became known as one of the most notorious serial killers to leave behind a legacy of evil.
IMDB Rating: 3.7
IMDB Votes: 922
Genere: Crime, Drama, Horror, Thriller
Country: USA
Duration: 96 min
Plot tags: rough, serious, slasher, suspenseful, disturbing, scary, realistic
Similar in 87%
Boston Strangler: The Untold Story (2008)
Plot Summary:
Boston Strangler: The Untold Story is an intense true-crime thriller about Albert De Salvo, a wise cracking, small time criminal with an unrelenting sex drive, who ultimately falsely confesses to being the strangler that wreaked havoc in Boston during the early sixties. Guided by his manipulative cell mate, who knows more about the murders than he reveals, they devise a plan to gain all of the notoriety from the killings and the money from the reward. Meanwhile, Detective John Marsden, searches out the truth certain that they were not committed by one man. Fighting the bureaucracy of the day, Marsden lets his emotions get the best of him as he follows the trail of the murders.
IMDB Rating: 3.9
IMDB Votes: 759
Genere: Crime, Drama, Mystery, Thriller
Country: USA
Duration: 90 min
Plot tags: scary, psychological, serious, rough, realistic, suspense, spooky, suspenseful
Similar in 78%
Ed Gein: The Butcher of Plainfield (2007)
Plot Summary:
Inspired by the true story of one of the most gruesome killers in American history. Now, years after inspiring "Psycho's" Norman Bates, "The Silence Of The Lambs'" Buffalo Bill and "The Texas Chainsaw Massacre's" Leatherface, the story of real life serial killer Ed Gein is told once again. Nicknamed "The Butcher Of Plainfield," Gein was responsible for a rash of gory murders that sent shock waves through his rural Wisconsin town, and across America, in the late 1950's. Prepare to enter the evil mind and twisted world of "The Butcher Of Plainfield.".
IMDB Rating: 3.7
IMDB Votes: 2000
Genere: Crime, Drama, Horror, Mystery, Thriller
Country: USA
Duration: 90 min
Plot tags: disturbing, scary, rough, serious, slasher, suspenseful, suspense, realistic
Similar in 82%
Beautiful & Twisted (2015)
Plot Summary:
Following the murder of hotel heir Ben Novack Jr., police focus their investigation on his wife, Narcy.
IMDB Rating: 5.6
IMDB Votes: 2000
Genere: Crime, Drama, Thriller
Country: USA
Duration: 86 min
Plot tags: serious, realistic, tense, captivating, suspense, suspenseful
Similar in 85%
The Gunman (2004)
Plot Summary:
When Detective Ben Simm's wife is killed, he has to learn to be both father and mother to his little girl while searching for a Vigilante that has his own sense of justice.
IMDB Rating: 4.5
IMDB Votes: 465
Genere: Crime, Drama, Thriller
Country: USA
Duration: 90 min
Plot tags: disturbing, tense, serious, suspenseful, independent film, bleak, realistic
Similar in 89%
Gone but Not Forgotten (2005)
Plot Summary:
An Oregon woman vanishes. In her wake remains a single black rose & a note reading gone but not forgotten. Now a man stands accused: a private eye has gone missing: a detective knows more than she lets on: & a tough female attorney has entered a web of duplicity revenge & multiple murder.
IMDB Rating: 6.1
IMDB Votes: 705
Genere: Crime, Drama, Mystery, Thriller
Country: USA
Duration: 150 min
Plot tags: tense, realistic, psychological, serious, suspenseful
Similar in 78%
The Zodiac (2005)
Plot Summary:
An elusive serial killer known as the Zodiac terrorizes the San Francisco Bay in the late 1960s, while detectives aim to stop him before he claims more victims. Based on a true story.
IMDB Rating: 5.3
IMDB Votes: 7000
Genere: Crime, Drama, Horror, Mystery, Thriller
Country: USA
Duration: 158 min
Plot tags: rough, psychological, bleak, scary, serious, suspenseful, neo noir, detective, independent film, realistic
Similar in 82%
Taken in Broad Daylight (2009)
Plot Summary:
Every 24 hrs. after a child's been kidnapped by a stranger, chances of finding them alive diminishes to almost 100% ... The true and inspiring survival story of kidnapped teen, Anne Sluti, and how she manages to stay alive by manipulating her captor, engineering her own rescue and negotiating her safe release after 6 days of hell.
IMDB Rating: 5.4
IMDB Votes: 2000
Genere: Crime, Drama, Thriller
Country: USA
Duration: 89 min
Plot tags: rough, realistic, serious, suspenseful, exciting, bleak
Similar in 89%
The Gray Man (2007)
Plot Summary:
Early 20th century. Albert Fish, a seemingly benevolent father and grandfather who reared his family by himself after his wife deserted them, turns out to be a serial child molester and murderer. Based on a true story.
IMDB Rating: 5.9
IMDB Votes: 2000
Genere: Biography, Crime, Thriller
Country: USA
Duration: 97 min
Plot tags: rough, serious, realistic, suspenseful, suspense, disturbing
Similar in 80%
The Case of the Hillside Stranglers (1989)
Plot Summary:
The true chilling story of the "two of a kind", killing cousins Angelo Buono and Kenneth Bianchi, better known as the Hillside Stranglers, is told in this TV drama.
IMDB Rating: 6.0
IMDB Votes: 754
Genere: Crime, Drama, Thriller
Country: USA
Duration: 120 min
Plot tags: tense, rough, serious, realistic, suspenseful