Grotesque, Disturbing & Chilling -Monster: The Ed Gein Story | Netflix TV Review

GROTESQUE, DISTUBRING & CHILLING, MONSTER: THE ED GEIN STORY

This is the third segment in the biographical crime drama anthology television series, Monster, created by Ryan Murphy and Ian Brennan for Netflix. This season dissects the life and crimes of infamous serial killer, Ed Gein. Arguably the one who started it all, Ed Gein is a notorious murderer and this series holds nothing back when revealing the details of his crimes along with the details his traumatising background.

Monster is a grotesque series, a deeply disturbing dramatisation of true crime. It blends the lines between fact and fiction into a chilling blend of horror and disbelief. If you want to watch a faithful account of Ed Gein’s crimes - watch a documentary, this is Hollywood.

Monster: The Ed Gein Story attempts to add humility to Ed’s life and story, adding layers of emotional torment, abuse and neglect to discover the ultimate reason for his actions. The whole series plays as a puzzle, piecing together moments of his life to try and understand the most infatuating question, why?

Charlie Hunnam delivers a career defining performance, a performance which allows the audience to take a look inside the mind of the boogeyman. I hope his performances gets the recognition it deserves and isn’t clouded by peoples hatred of this series.

Each episode was an encapsulating world, sending me further into the rabbit hole of his destruction. Each episode becomes increasingly more disturbing and the final episode gives us a spine-chilling look into the other killers he inspired, which was sadly, a lot.

Monster: The Ed Gein Story is an exploration of Gein’s crimes and his life but the show is also tethered to cinema. Ed Gein’s crimes left an indescribable stain on filmmaking and this series explores this affect. I thought each episode was structured faultlessly and took the audience on a journey through time and crime. Seeing the process of creating ‘Psycho’ (1960), ‘The Texas Chainsaw Massacre’ (1974) and ‘The Silence of the Lambs’ (1991) only scratches the surface to Gein’s influences.

Seeing Alfred Hitchcock and Anthony Perkins sacrificing so much to make Psycho, it was a fascinating look behind the Hollywood machine.

This series, no matter how disturbing, is undeniably entertaining and shockingly intriguing. This is not my introduction to Ed Gein, nor is it my introduction to his influences but seeing them on screen was alluring. As humans we are drawn to darkness and this series never fails to bring to light the darkest stories in a visually memorable way.

The primary reason I continue to watch this anthology series isn’t because of the shock or the intrigue but purely for the unforgettable performances. Each season has brought us utterly spine-chilling, breathtaking performances from its lead actors. Charlie Hunnam is unrecognisable in this role, he transforms into the disturbed figure and encapsulates his mannerisms and voice. I was compelled by him and bewildered by his dedication to the role. He hasn’t left my mind since...

Monster: The Ed Gein Story isn’t for the faint of heart, for many it will be your introduction to his story, his story is extremely deranged. Although a dramatisation, it is no less upsetting and disturbing.

Probe Points

★★★★