Exploring the Dark Legacy of Ed Gein in Netflix's 'Monster: The Ed Gein Story'

A Deep Dive into Ed Gein's Infamous Crimes

Warning: Spoilers Ahead.

The ongoing debate about whether to focus on shock value or genuine substance in the portrayal of serial killers continues with a new Netflix series that aims to delve into the disturbed psyche of Ed Gein, an infamous American murderer.

Monster: The Ed Gein Story not only revisits the chilling details of Gein's life but also examines his significant impact on popular culture stemming from his gruesome acts.

Gein was apprehended in 1959 for the murders of two women, and investigations uncovered his disturbing habit of exhuming corpses to create macabre items from their skin and bones, including masks and a lampshade.

His obsession with his mother, Augusta, coupled with his struggles to form healthy relationships with women and possible undiagnosed schizophrenia, are often cited as factors contributing to his horrific actions.

This latest series follows previous seasons that explored the lives of other notorious figures, such as Jeffrey Dahmer and the Menendez brothers, but leans heavily into sensationalism and dramatic flair.

Unsettling comparisons are drawn between Gein's actions and the Holocaust. Despite his social awkwardness, Gein (played by Charlie Hunnam) becomes the object of fascination for true crime enthusiast Adeline (Suzanna Son), who shows him disturbing images from concentration camps.

These images evoke a paradoxical response in Gein, leading him to question why he should be held accountable for his own horrific acts when humanity can inflict such cruelty upon one another.

Vicky Krieps portrays Isle Koch, inspired by the German woman whose husband was a commandant at the Buchenwald concentration camp. Koch appears in surreal dream sequences, and the show perpetuates the myth that she had a lampshade made from the skin of Jewish prisoners.

The most significant influence on Gein is his abusive mother Augusta (Laurie Metcalf), who instills in him a belief that women are inherently sinful and punishes him severely for any transgressions.

Even after her death, Gein finds ways to keep her memory alive, and the series is rife with imagery of women being objectified and brutalized.

While misogyny is a recurring theme among serial killers targeting women, this portrayal seems to overlook that aspect, instead presenting Gein in a sympathetic light, despite the graphic depiction of his depravity.

The series paints Gein as a victim of his mother's cruelty, driven by uncontrollable urges and external pressures. Charlie Hunnam's nuanced performance enhances the perception of Gein as a tragic figure.

The Ed Gein Story engages in a broader discussion about society's obsession with serial killers. Gein's actions inspired numerous fictional works, including Robert Bloch's novel Psycho, which Alfred Hitchcock adapted into a classic film.

Gein also influenced characters like Leatherface from The Texas Chainsaw Massacre and Buffalo Bill from The Silence of the Lambs.

Several scenes in the series focus on the creation of Psycho, depicting fictional meetings between Bloch, Hitchcock (Tom Hollander), and his collaborator Alma (Olivia Williams).

Bloch comments on the violent nature of America while trying to understand Gein, although in reality, he did not meet Hitchcock until after the film was completed.

The series attributes lines to Hitchcock that are actually from Bloch's novel, emphasizing a moral decline in society and suggesting that humans are the real monsters.

Anthony Perkins (Joey Pollari), who portrayed Norman Bates in Psycho, is depicted as a troubled individual, mirroring Gein's own struggles. In a dream sequence, Gein confronts Perkins, suggesting a shared inability to look away from horror.

While the Holocaust influences Gein, the Vietnam War serves as a backdrop for The Texas Chainsaw Massacre. Hooper (Will Brill) questions what Gein would have thought of America's actions during that time.

By this point, Gein is in an asylum, portrayed as a benign, older version of his former self. The series suggests he serves as a twisted role model for other serial killers, featuring dream sequences with figures like Charles Manson.

Creators who seek to understand Gein's motivations deserve recognition, but this series falls short, indulging in grotesque imagery and misplaced empathy, failing to adequately reassess Gein's horrific legacy.

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