Watching Monster: The Ed Gein Story is certainly going to be tough for many as Ryan Murphy has delivered his most chilling story yet in his controversial Monster series.
Ed Gein, the man who inspired a whole genre of horror with such iconic films as Alfred Hitchcock’s Psycho and The Texas Chainsaw Massacre all drawing inspiration from this real-life psychopath and whilst not as popular as Dahmer or the Menendez brothers I’d argue that Ed Gein was far more disturbed and twisted than most of the more household names in true crime history.
This third season tackles the life—and crimes—of the infamous Wisconsin murderer and grave-robber who left a grotesque imprint not just on history, but on the horror genre itself.
An opening episode so bone-curdling and stomach-churning that it’s difficult to watch but also equally as difficult to look away as Charlie Hunnam delivers an outstanding performance which will instantly silence the doubters who had their eyebrows raised when his casting was announced. Whilst Hunnam is quite the looker (unlike the real Ed Gein) there’s no shying away from his incredible performance.
His dedication to the role even down to his softly spoken and eerily creepy voice stemmed from Hunnam gaining access to rare audio recordings of Gein. This fine balance between tender and psychotic is hypnotic to watch as Gein was heavily influenced by Nazi war criminal Ilse Koch, the wife of a commandant at the Buchenwald concentration camp, a woman who was accused of commissioning items from human skin of tattooed prisoners.
Gein thus replicated the acts of Ilse Koch for himself as the first episode explores his introduction to Nazi war crimes whilst also showing his rather unconventional relationship with his mother (played by Laurie Metcalf).
Metcalf as Augusta brings the forceful, religious zeal and emotional cruelty that allegedly shaped much of Gein’s worldview. The supporting cast is stacked with familiar faces bolstering the production’s pedigree and hinting at moments of subtle human drama amid the darkness.
At times Monster: The Ed Gein Story seems to toy with the truth particularly a scene involving his brother in the first episode, something that still to this day is an unknown event as Gein never confessed to this particular crime so the blanks have been filled in here and there with creative flair and freedom it seems.
The tagline of the movie ‘You’re the one who can’t look away’ rings true as I was equally as disgusted as I was captivated by this dark, visceral and truly heinous series that is easily the darkest instalment in the series to date.
Diving into the mindset of Gein whilst haunted by voices and visions is portrayed beautifully and weirdly the filmmakers have somehow managed to add this weird undertone of sympathy that we somehow feel for Gein after years of emotional and psychological abuse from his mother.
Trauma and isolation collide in spectacular fashion here and we’re just sitting back and watching the blood soaked fireworks light up our TV screens.
We are up close and personal inside Gein’s vision and the show doesn’t shy away from this but its the blurring of myth and reality that true crime fans may get annoyed with as the series seems to weaken when it starts playing with some of the factual truths.
Monster: The Ed Gein Story may be the boldest and most unsettling season in the Monster franchise so far. It dares to stare down the ambiguity of evil, and in doing so, asks more questions than it answers. With Hunnam and Metcalf anchoring a cast capable of nuance, it has the tools to transcend mere sensationalism. But it also carries the weight of expectation and the danger of sliding into myth.
This is one particular Netflix series that is going to get people talking, it’s a discomfort, it’s uneasy, it’s gross and repulsive yet it’s absolutely brilliant.
Our Rating
Summary
This is one particular Netflix series that is going to get people talking, it’s a discomfort, it’s uneasy, it’s gross and repulsive yet it’s absolutely brilliant.
