‘Monster: The Ed Gein Story’: What Everyone Gets Wrong About the Infamous Murderer
Fans of Ryan Murphy and Ian Brennan’s Monster anthology series eagerly anticipate the third season of the hit Netflix show. First, Evan Peters’ Jeffrey Dahmer got viewers talking, then the Menendez Brothers re-entered headlines via season two. Now, Charlie Hunnam will portray real-life murderer and body snatcher Ed Gein. Best known for Sons of Anarchy, the English actor will transform into the killer who stalked rural Wisconsinites.
Separating the chilling myths from the truth in Netflix’s ‘Monster: The Ed Gein Story’
Many myths and misconceptions about Gein have taken on a life of their own, especially because horror movies and shows blur fact and fiction. As true crime fans and Netflix subscribers prepare for Monster: The Ed Gein Story, let’s unpack the things people get wrong about the infamous murderer.
Ed Gein wasn’t a ‘serial killer’ in the classic sense.
Many people believe Gein killed dozens or even hundreds because of his gruesome reputation. However, he was only convicted of murdering two women: Bernice Worden and Mary Hogan, reports Britannica. In actuality, most of the body parts in his house came from graves he robbed, not murder victims.
He didn’t wear a ‘skin mask’ or ‘suit’ all of the time
Police did find a “woman suit” stitched from human skin. Popular lore suggests he constantly wore it and danced around in it, like Leatherface in The Texas Chainsaw Massacre. Gein did experiment with wearing pieces in private, but there’s no evidence he lived full-time in them.
Ed Gein wasn’t a cannibal.
Because of the skin lampshades and bowls made of skulls, people assume he also ate human flesh. However, there’s no credible evidence that Gein ever practiced cannibalism.
His house wasn’t full of dead bodies lying around.
Gein’s house was filthy and morbid. But some think it looked like a slaughterhouse with corpses everywhere. Investigators found crafted items made from body parts (masks, furniture, clothing). However, Gein usually processed remains rather than leaving them intact.
Ed Gein wasn’t the sole model for Leatherface, Norman Bates, or Buffalo Bill.
People often think Ed Gein solely inspired these famous movie characters. In reality, writers borrowed select traits. Psycho‘s Norman Bates had an unhealthy mother fixation. Leatherface of The Texas Chainsaw Massacre made masks out of human skin. Buffalo Bill in The Silence of the Lambs sewed a “woman suit.” However, none of these characters is a one-to-one copy.
He wasn’t outwardly terrifying.
Many imagine Gein as a menacing, monstrous figure. In real life, locals described him as a shy, quiet, somewhat odd handyman. Gein blended in, which is one reason his crimes shocked the community so much.
Gein was not a prolific killer, cannibal, or chainsaw-wielding maniac. What made him infamous was the bizarre, ritualistic use of corpses and the way his crimes blurred the line between murder and grave desecration. Monster: The Ed Gein Story premieres on Netflix on October 3.
