The 70s and serial killing.
 

Dean Corll - at least 28 boys killed.
John Wayne Gacy - at least 33 boys killed.
Ted Bundy - at least 30 girls killed.
Charles Manson - complicit in 9 murders.
Zodiac Killer - at least 9 murders.
Son of Sam - 13 people shot, six died.
Hillside Stranglers - 12 women killed.
William Bonin - at least 21 boys killed.

Crazy, crazy decade.

If I had to (got to?) be reincarnated in the past as any of them I suppose it would be Ted.

You should read The Stranger Beside Me by Ann Rule. Fascinating and horrifying at the same time.

That's one way to get an appearance with Throbbing Gristle.

I've read before that the improvement of the police in response to the serial serial killers has made it much more difficult to commit multiple crimes like these guys did, and this is why we see single event mass murders like school shootings and such so often. Potential serial killers either get caught/die in a manhunt (which largely deems them unnewsorthy by the media) or go for bigger numbers in the modern day.

Thoughts?

Mass murderers are boring. Albert Fish > Columbine

I know I know, but they're more practical.

I actually have read it.

I don't remember the name of it but there was one book she wrote that was basically a collection of short biographies on not very famous serial killers. Back before heavy forensics and cameras everywhere they would just wait inside a highway rest stop restroom or like a beach restroom during the off season and simply shoot whoever came in alone for a piss. Since there was was so little connection it was hard as hell to catch those guys back then.

Who else has watched Henry about a million times? I saw that **** in the theatre and came right back the following night to watch it again. Great movie.

One of the grittiest horror films ever made, ****ing love it.

Definitely. You would have to be very clever in this day and age. I figure people go to South America and India or the like and kill someone (probably a child from a sex ring) while on vacation. You still wouldn't get the buzz those 70's dudes got in the media, though.

Obviously, serial killers are far more interesting than mass murderers. Just killing people alone wasn't enough to get you famous. Those guys needed a schtick to work the media.