Edward Theodore Gein AKA Ed Gein was not an ordinary serial killer. His methods of killing and overall behavior are often considered absurd and abnormal. Not only did he kill people, but he was even known to be a body snatcher. He often used to rob graves and keep the remains of their bodies at his home. He even made household items from the bones and skins of the corpses.
Ed Gein usually operated in Plainfield, in the state of Wisconsin. Gein is known for the brutal murders of two women, Mary Hogan and Bernice Worden. However, it is suspected that this deranged man might have been involved in several other killings.
The fascination for Ed Gein eventually led directors to create a number of films inspired by his life, upbringing, and modus operandi. Here are some of them.
1. Psycho
Psycho was directed by Alfred Hitchcock and released in the year 1960. Just like Ed Gein, the antagonist of the film, Norman Bates, shares an unhealthy obsession with his mother. Both Bates and his real-life counterpart used to dress up like their respective mothers and take part in brutal killings.
According to IMDb, the synopsis of the film reads,
“A Phoenix secretary embezzles $40,000 from her employer’s client, goes on the run, and checks into a remote motel run by a young man under the domination of his mother.”
Psycho starred Anthony Perkins, Janet Leigh, Vera Miles, and several others.
2. The Silence of the Lambs
While Psycho only looks slightly inspired by Ed Gein’s life, The Silence of the Lambs almost replicates the killing methods of the real-life psychopath. This film is about the hunt for a serial killer Buffalo Bill who abducts women, kills them, and wears their skin and hair. To accomplish this goal, an FBI trainee seeks the help of Dr. Hannibal Lecter, a brilliant psychiatrist and also an imprisoned cannibalistic serial killer.
According to IMDb, the synopsis of the film reads,
“A young F.B.I. cadet must receive the help of an incarcerated and manipulative cannibal killer to help catch another serial killer, a madman who skins his victims.”
Jonathan Demme directed it while its screenplay was written by Ted Tally. It starred Jodie Foster, Anthony Hopkins, and several others.
3. The Texas Chainsaw Massacre
Although The Texas Chainsaw Massacre has a number of reboots and sequels, the original 1974 release will always be a classic. Its writer Kim Henkel compared its antagonist with Ed Gein and admitted that he thoroughly studied the case of the psychopath.
The villain, Leatherface, wore human faces during his crimes. This is something Ed Gein would do from time to time.
According to IMDb, the synopsis of the film reads,
“Five friends head out to rural Texas to visit the grave of a grandfather. On the way they stumble across what appears to be a deserted house, only to discover something sinister within. Something armed with a chainsaw.”
While Kim Henkel and Tobe Hooper were involved in its direction, writing, and production, its cast was led by Marilyn Burns, Allen Danziger, Paul A. Partain, Gunnar Hansen, and several others.
