Ed Gein, le boucher

A man in his late forties, who lived in a small community of Plainfield, Wisconson. A local oddity by the name of Ed Gein (Steve Railsback), who is just a little different from others. Ed was tormented and abused years ago by his parents, especially his mother (The late:Carrie Snodgress). Since Ed's repression brought out the worse of him, which lead to brutal murders and countless mutilations from his victims and corpses.

Directed by Chuck Parello (Herny:Portrait of a Serial Killer 2, The Hillside Strangler) made a horrific, unflinching horror film. Which it is Based on a True Story of America's First Infamous Serial Killers. Railsback, who played a true Serial Killer before in Helter Skelter as Charlie Manson back in 1976. Which it was a 2 Part T.V. Movie. Railsback is well cast as Ed Gein.

DVD has an sharp Pan & Scan (1.33:1) transfer and an fine-Dolby 2.0 Surround Sound. DVD only extra is a trailer, but this DVD could have used more features of this fascinating true-life tale. Oddly Enough, they did a better Ed Gein movie back more than three decides ago with the film titled "Deranged". Railsback is also one of the Executive Producers for this film. (*** ½/*****).

True story of Ed Gein who, in the 1950s, killed women or dug up their corpses and...well, just guess! Gein was the inspiration for "Psycho".

This is a factual account of what happened. There is an earlier film (1972) called "Deranged" which basically told the same story. "Deranged" is a very good, very scary and extremely gruesome movie which played fast and loose with some of the facts. This one sticks to them. It's nowhere near as sick as the earlier film and isn't even that violent or bloody (except for a scene at the end), but it made me feel uneasy. Steve Railsback's excellent performance helps. You see the madness behind his mild-mannered exterior. Also there's a solid supporting cast and some good, spooky direction. The low budget does show (some of the sets look incredibly cheap) but the film does work.

Not for the screamish or weak of stomach.

Ed Gein - (Special pre-release preview) USA/2001/18. Dir. Chuck Parello.

Hailed as the inspiration for many of Hollywood's greatest murderers, Ed Gein was a real-life serial killer operating in 1950's Wisconsin. We were treated to a special pre-release preview of this forthcoming biopic. Many may have been left with a strange sense of déjà vu.

'Psycho', the novel upon which Hitchcock's classic horror is based was inspired by the activities of the reclusive farmer, with the author Robert Bloch living just fifty miles from the town of Plainfield where Gein lived. The domineering mother character is consequently a big part of both films, as she instructs her wayward son to kill from beyond the grave. The skin wearing antics of 'Buffalo Bill' in Jonathan Demme's `The Silence of the Lambs' (based on the Robert Harris novel) were also a part of the twisted Gein routine as his butchered and ate his way through his victims, spreading fear through small-town America.

`The Texas Chainsaw Massacre' and `American Psycho' also owe a debt to this true tale, which demonstrates the full extremes of human depravity. Such was the myth attached to this story that it is surprising that no one has tried to bring it to the big screen before. The character of `Psycho's' Norman Bates is undoubtedly far better known than his real-life inspiration but director Chuck Parello takes a brave step and tackles the monster head on.

Ed Gein's shy existence from abused child to grave robber and murderer are carefully charted, with his obsession for anatomy and his mother always in the background. Whether completely truthful or not, the film portrays Gein as more of a misguided bumpkin than a cold-blooded maniac. The opening shows apparently authentic news footage from the time, with neighbours expressing their shock that such a `nice, quiet young man like Ed' could be involved in such horrific crimes. This adds a touch of realism to the proceedings, but the remainder from childhood through killings to capture is standard fare, with few surprises en route.

How well I remember the radio broadcast on the day Gein's house of horrors was found. Because of public sensibilities, the grisly depredations could only be hinted at, which of course left the rest to over-ripe imaginations like mine. It was like the shell of Ozzie & Harriet America had suddenly been ripped, exposing something maybe beyond imagination. In terms of serial killers, Gein is far from the worst, only two confirmed murders though there could have been more. In terms of sheer dementia, however, it would be hard to surpass the fiendish Wisconsin farmer and grave robber. No wonder writer Bloch took an immediate interest, soon followed by moviemaker Hitchcock and his dark masterpiece.

The movie, I think, captures much of the banality of Gein's evil. On the outside he's a rather dull, disheveled sort, blending into the seedy rural background of run-down shops, clapboard houses, and shiny deer rifles. Actor Railsback low-keys it the whole way, only a smirk suggesting something happening on the inside. Clearly, the inner Gein only comes to life when wearing a woman's skin, literally. The problem, of course, is mother. The movie blends in her visual presence (Snodgress) at those times when the demented Gein gets an angry lecture. Seems Mom is some kind of religious nut in which loose women, the road to hell, and backward son combine into one venemous package. For Ed, there's no escape. She haunts him, and us, at every turn. The effect is both unsettling and revealing, showing that Gein's really only half-present at any one time, except maybe when he's frolicking as a woman.

Thankfully, the movie refuses to prettify anything. It also looks like actual b&w footage from Nov., 1957, appears now and again, lending some authenticity to the weirdness. Anyway, I suspect this film comes about as close to Gein's actual pathology as any of the many others. And what the narrative may lack in melodrama, it makes up for in morbid fascination.

This movie gets a lot more criticism than it generally deserves. Indeed, it is extremely low-budget, but it basically nails the whole point of Ed Gein better than anyone ever has, or possibly ever will. What seems to disappoint most people is the fact that the film sticks so closely to the story of what happened. The reality is, Ed Gein was not a serial-killer in any respect, and murdered two women who he may have felt resembled his dead-mother. What he is most remembered for, in-reality, are the ghoulish-excavations and "articulations" of dead-bodies.

It's very difficult for us to imagine in 2005 how much of a bombshell Ed Gein was in late-1950s America. In-fact, it's my own humble opinion that we still haven't entirely coped with the knowledge of such aberrant-behavior. Why do people do such things? Sometimes, there are no clear-answers, but the makers of "Ed Gein" have shed some much-needed light on what is known about Gein's metamorphosis into a full-blown ghoul. Surprisingly, a great-deal of the psychological subtext of his life has leaked-into films "based" on his "true story." Most successful-of-all--naturally--is Hitchcock's "Psycho," but Steve Railsback and Chuck Parello have shown us a very clear scenario into why Ed Gein became the man we know-of today. Gein was basically bisexual and had a strong-desire to BE a woman, like his mother.

As stated in "Psycho" so well, he wanted to "...become his mother," in a sad-attempt to "bring her back" to life. His father was a pathetic-drunk, and as is well-known, his mother had a god-like dominance (coupled with religious-fanaticism and sociopathic-attitudes)over the young boy. Ed was also deeply-traumatized by an incident on the family farm where he saw his parents slaughtering a pig--Ed was unable to assist them, and was often called a "panty-waist" by his mother. The incident, and a few others, are enacted convincingly by Parello and company, and much of the film takes-place in Gein's head (where it belongs).

There are a few continuity-errors: the headlights of a car are clearly from the 1990s in one insert-shot, and there are a few moments where the production-design could have been closer to what 1950s America looked-like. But, all-in-all, you have the definitive film on Ed Gein. It's all here, in all its pathetic-glory. This is what happens when someone is neglected by family and society spiritually and medically;this was simply a sick man who needed help. Nobody did until it was too-late. This isn't sexy and exciting to gore-hounds and thrill-seekers who come to a film like this not to learn something, but merely to stimulate their hunger for viscera. Excellent film! How can you lose with ole' Steve Railsback, anyway?

Postscript: It seems possible Mr. Railsback was a target-for-death of Mr. Robert Blake!