The Iceman and the Psychiatrist

The Iceman and the Psychiatrist

Directed by Arthur Ginsberg

Produced by HBO

200448 min7.4 / 10

A dark, psychologically probing documentary that places a confessed serial killer in direct dialogue with a psychiatrist, creating a tense examination of pathology and the nature of violence.

For the third time, HBO cameras go inside Trenton State Maximum Security Prison--and inside the mind of one of the most prolific killers in U.S. history--in this gripping documentary. Mafia hit man Richard Kuklinski freely admits to killing more than 100 people, but in this special, he speaks with top psychiatrist Dr. Park Dietz in an effort to face the truth about his condition. Filled with more never-before-revealed confessions, it's the most chillingly candid Iceman special yet as it combines often-confrontational interview footage between Kuklinski and Dietz with photos, crime reenactments and home movies that add new layers to this evolving and fascinating story.

Questions people ask

  • Does The Iceman and the Psychiatrist end with hope? No. Less hopeful than 96% of films.

  • Is The Iceman and the Psychiatrist easy watching? No. Less comforting than 92% of films.

  • Is The Iceman and the Psychiatrist violent? Yes. More violent than 80% of films.

  • Is The Iceman and the Psychiatrist scary? Yes. More frightening than 76% of films.

  • Is The Iceman and the Psychiatrist sad? About average. Almost exactly mid-range.

These describe how the film comes across, measured across the whole film and compared with other well-known films. They are not a content list — nothing here was counted or checked scene by scene, so for age-suitability or specific content use a classification board or a dedicated content-warning service.

88/ 100

Cinnamon Score

How much this film gives you that nothing else will, and whether it delivers.

There is almost nothing else like this.

Rarity84

How unlike any other film this one feels

Surprise95

How much more it delivers than it promises

Love85

How much audiences actually like it

The highest scores in the catalogue →

Ensemble

Like The Iceman and the Psychiatrist

Nearest across the full emotional profile.

Same Mood as The Iceman and the Psychiatrist

Nearest on what's most distinctive about this one.

Like The Iceman and the Psychiatrist, But Darker

Similar, pushed toward heavier and more intense.

Like The Iceman and the Psychiatrist, But Lighter

Similar, pushed toward warmer and easier.

Like The Iceman and the Psychiatrist, But Less Popular

Same territory, far fewer people have seen it.

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