netflix’s “Monster: The Ed Gein Story” Revives Interest in the Real-Life Horror That haunted America
A new Netflix series, Monster: The Ed Gein Story, is bringing the chilling crimes of Ed Gein back into the spotlight, decades after they gripped the nation and seeded the landscape of modern horror. The series, starring Charlie Hunnam, promises a deeply human exploration of the man behind the gruesome discoveries made in Plainfield, Wisconsin, in 1957. This renewed focus arrives as true crime continues to dominate popular culture, prompting a re-examination of the psychological and societal factors that contribute to such horrific acts, and the enduring impact of Gein’s crimes on the genre.
Ed Gein’s story isn’t simply a ancient footnote; it’s a foundational text for the slasher film and psychological thriller. His macabre acts directly inspired characters and plotlines in iconic works like Alfred Hitchcock’s Psycho and Tobe Hooper’s The Texas Chain Saw Massacre, and even Jonathan demme’s The Silence of the Lambs. Now, Netflix aims to dissect the life of the man who became a cultural boogeyman, moving beyond sensationalism to understand the roots of his disturbing behavior.
In November 1957, authorities investigating the disappearance of local hardware store owner Bernard Freundt stumbled upon a horrifying scene at Gein’s farm. The search uncovered human remains – skulls, bones, and organs - meticulously collected and fashioned into objects within his home. Freundt was among the victims Gein had murdered,but the extent of his crimes extended beyond that single case. He also confessed to killing his brother Henry in 1947, though he claimed it was accidental, and exhuming bodies from local cemeteries.
Gein’s crimes weren’t solely about murder. He crafted trophies from his victims: lampshades made from human skin, bowls fashioned from skulls, and clothing constructed from body parts. These acts,far beyond simple grave robbing,revealed a deeply disturbed psyche and a captivation with death and transformation.
the impact of Gein’s crimes reverberated through the entertainment industry. Alfred Hitchcock, captivated by the case, used it as a key inspiration for Norman Bates in Psycho (1960), a character who similarly lived with his deceased mother and exhibited unsettling behaviors. Tobe Hooper’s The Texas Chain Saw Massacre (1974) echoed Gein’s acts with its depiction of a family of cannibals and the use of human skin masks. even Buffalo Bill in The Silence of the Lambs (1991) drew parallels to Gein, creating clothing from his victims’ skin.
Monster: The Ed Gein Story distinguishes itself by aiming for a nuanced portrayal. Charlie Hunnam, the series lead, explained to Tudum, “This is going to be the really human, tender, unflinching, no-holds-barred exploration of who Ed was and what he did. But who he was being at the center of it, rather than what he did.” The series intends to delve into the factors that shaped Gein’s life, including his isolated upbringing and strained relationship with his deeply religious mother, Augusta.
Following his arrest, Gein was found legally insane and spent the rest of his life institutionalized. He died in 1984 at the Mendota Mental Health Institute in Madison, Wisconsin. while the details of his crimes remain deeply disturbing, the Netflix series offers a new chance to understand the complex and tragic story of Ed Gein, and to examine the enduring legacy of his horrors.
