Netflix has released Monster: The Ed Gein Story, captivating true crime enthusiasts with a detailed exploration of one of America’s most infamous serial killers. Portrayed by Charlie Hunnam, Ed Gein’s life and gruesome deeds are scrutinized nearly seven decades after his reign of terror. This series chronicles Gein’s horrific actions while examining his profound influence on horror fiction, inspiring iconic characters that haunt contemporary screens.
Gein’s unsettling upbringing on a secluded farm in Plainfield, Wisconsin, under the strict guidance of his deeply religious mother, Augusta, provides a dark backdrop for his later actions. Augusta’s teachings instilled a warped view of women as inherently sinful, while his father remained largely absent. The mysterious circumstances surrounding his brother’s death only added to the family’s eerie atmosphere. The series suggests that Ed may have killed him—a notion not supported by real-life evidence. Nevertheless, this pivotal moment marked the beginning of Gein’s descent into madness, as he began to unearth graves, driven by a morbid curiosity.
Delving into the darkness of Gein’s psyche
The narrative of Monster oscillates between several thematic realms: Gein’s harrowing experiences on the farm, the atrocities of WWII through the lens of infamous war criminal Ilse Koch, and the evolution of Alfred Hitchcock’s Psycho. This multi-faceted approach provides viewers with a comprehensive understanding of Gein’s life and the horror genre’s evolution across eight gripping episodes.
Ed’s complex relationship with women
In the debut episode, Ed’s disturbing fixation with sexuality, women, and his mother becomes evident, further complicated by his fascination with Ilse Koch’s chilling legacy. Known for her horrific acts during the Holocaust, Koch’s grotesque creations from human skin serve as an unsettling influence on Gein. Following the death of his mother, Ed exhibits disturbing behavior by preserving her corpse in his home, engaging in delusional conversations as if she were still alive. This mental state leads him to a diet of canned beans and delusions.
As the series progresses, Gein’s grave-robbing escalates, culminating in the abduction of victims like Evelyn Hartley, a teenager who mysteriously vanished in the 1950s, portrayed in the series by pop star Addison Rae. Concurrently, he develops a romantic connection with Adeline Watkins, characterized by Suzanna Son. Although their love story gained notoriety after Gein’s arrest, many skeptics dismissed it as mere sensationalism.
The horrifying aftermath of Gein’s arrest
The climax unfolds with Ed’s last known murder of Bernice Worden, a local hardware store owner. Authorities discover a nightmarish scene in Gein’s home, complete with skin masks and a boiling human heart. The gruesome discovery is compounded by the revelation of Bernice’s mutilated body, a sight that deeply traumatizes her son, who is involved in the investigation.
Media frenzy and public fascination
With Adeline publicly sharing their alleged love story, the media frenzy surrounding Gein intensified, capturing the public’s morbid curiosity. Investigators estimated that Gein may have claimed the lives of up to 200 victims, yet the killer himself confessed to only two murders, attributing the rest to his grave-robbing exploits.
Following his capture, Gein’s cooperation with law enforcement leads to a psychiatric evaluation, where he is diagnosed with schizophrenia. Instead of facing trial, he is committed to a mental institution, where the notorious farmhouse becomes a grotesque tourist attraction, reminiscent of a Black Mirror episode. Fans of the macabre can only imagine the chilling remnants of Gein’s life, auctioned off for exorbitant sums.
While in the asylum, Gein finds solace in crafting rugs and experimenting with a ham radio—a pastime deemed harmless but allowing him to connect with the outside world. His conversations with fellow inmates, including Ilse Koch and Christine Jorgensen, a transgender woman portrayed by Alanna Darby, become a form of self-therapy, albeit a macabre one.
As the series culminates, Gein’s dark fantasies continue to unfold, including a chilling visualization of a nurse’s murder reminiscent of the Texas Chainsaw Massacre. Ultimately, Ed’s life concludes in the institution, where he succumbs to respiratory failure at the age of 77. The final episodes, while sensationalized for dramatic effect, reinforce the overarching theme of the series: the enduring legacy of history’s most horrifying figures.
The haunting conclusion
Gein’s unsettling upbringing on a secluded farm in Plainfield, Wisconsin, under the strict guidance of his deeply religious mother, Augusta, provides a dark backdrop for his later actions. Augusta’s teachings instilled a warped view of women as inherently sinful, while his father remained largely absent. The mysterious circumstances surrounding his brother’s death only added to the family’s eerie atmosphere. The series suggests that Ed may have killed him—a notion not supported by real-life evidence. Nevertheless, this pivotal moment marked the beginning of Gein’s descent into madness, as he began to unearth graves, driven by a morbid curiosity.0
Gein’s unsettling upbringing on a secluded farm in Plainfield, Wisconsin, under the strict guidance of his deeply religious mother, Augusta, provides a dark backdrop for his later actions. Augusta’s teachings instilled a warped view of women as inherently sinful, while his father remained largely absent. The mysterious circumstances surrounding his brother’s death only added to the family’s eerie atmosphere. The series suggests that Ed may have killed him—a notion not supported by real-life evidence. Nevertheless, this pivotal moment marked the beginning of Gein’s descent into madness, as he began to unearth graves, driven by a morbid curiosity.1