5. 10 Rillington Place (1971)
John Christie was a notorious English serial killer who murdered at least 8 women (including his own wife) by strangling them at his flat - 10 Rillington Place, Notting Hill in London. When he moved out of the house in 1953 bodies were found in the house, including his wife Ethel - under the floorboards. Christie was hanged after being convicted of his wife's murder. 10 Rillington Place is a very memorable film. Once seen, it is rarely forgotten. This is largely due to Richard Attenborough's fantastic chilling portrayal of Christie as a dangerous, sadistic killer hiding behind a bland, mild, unassuming exterior. The portrayal of post war London looks very effective and the film has a dark, brooding atmosphere. There is no gore and the slow pace may get up some viewers' noses but the film is best seen as a capsule in time of a particular historical period. John Hurt plays Tim Evans - the husband of one of the victims in an excellent performance. He ends up being hanged for his wife's murder which was entirely due to Christie. This injustice forced Britain to re-examine their penal laws and ultimately led to the abolishment of the death penalty.