Skin suits, skulls, and human hearts: Who is Ed Gein, Netflix’s next ‘Monster’? Watch Now

Netflix’s latest true crime anthology series, Monster, is diving deep into the dark and disturbing world of one of history’s most infamous killers—Ed Gein. Known as the Plainfield Ghoul, Gein’s gruesome story has haunted the collective consciousness for decades, inspiring iconic horror films like Psycho and The Texas Chainsaw Massacre. Now, Netflix is shining a spotlight on this real-life monster, exploring the twisted psyche behind the horror and how one man’s disturbing acts continue to influence pop culture.

Who was Ed Gein?

Ed Gein (played by Charlie Hunnam in the series) was a reclusive farmer from Plainfield, Wisconsin, whose name became synonymous with depravity. Although he was confirmed to have murdered two women, the full extent of his crimes remains shrouded in mystery and speculation. Gein’s farm was discovered to be a veritable house of horrors: lampshades and masks crafted from human faces, furniture upholstered with human skin, and a “woman suit” made entirely of human flesh.

What sets Gein apart from other killers isn’t just the brutality of his crimes, but the bizarre, macabre craftsmanship he employed—products of a mind that was both deeply disturbed and eerily inventive. When authorities raided his property in 1957, they found a scene straight out of a nightmare. The sheer grotesqueness of his home and the objects he created shocked the nation, and his case became a blueprint for fictional horror villains.

Why is Ed Gein so influential?

Despite killing only two confirmed victims, Gein’s case has had an outsized influence on horror and popular culture. His crimes inspired the character Norman Bates in Hitchcock’s Psycho—a motel owner with a dark secret—who is widely regarded as the archetype of the disturbed motel proprietor. His ghoulish obsession with skin and body parts also heavily influenced Leatherface from The Texas Chainsaw Massacre, a character who dons a mask made of human skin.

Criminologists and psychologists have long debated the nature versus nurture question surrounding Gein’s life. Was he a product of his abusive upbringing and extreme isolation, or was he inherently predisposed to violence? His childhood was marked by trauma: growing up on a farm, he was subjected to physical abuse by his alcoholic father and a domineering, religiously fanatic mother. She instilled in him a fierce, often oppressive view of morality, warning him about the dangers of women and society’s immorality.

After his mother’s death in 1945, Gein’s mental state appeared to spiral further. He transformed his farm into what he called a “musem”—a shrine to his mother, where he kept her belongings pristine and untouched, even as his own life descended into squalor. The house’s interior was a disturbing testament to his obsession with her memory and his twisted view of death and decay.

The fascination with Gein’s story

What makes Gein’s story so captivating and terrifying is the blend of psychological complexity and outright horror. As James Alan Fox, a criminology professor, points out, Gein’s case had “the whole smorgasbord”—murder, grave robbing, and a deeply disturbed family dynamic. His acts of desecration and cannibalistic tendencies (though unproven in many cases) exemplify a level of depravity that continues to fascinate and horrify.

Gein’s crimes also raise profound questions about the influence of childhood trauma and mental illness. Was he a monster born or made? His story invites us to examine how a life filled with abuse, isolation, and religious fanaticism can distort a person’s mind beyond recognition.

What to expect from Netflix’s ‘Monster’

Netflix’s Monster aims to peel back the layers of Gein’s troubled psyche, exploring the environment that shaped him and the gruesome acts that defined him. The series promises a chilling portrayal of one of the most disturbing figures in American crime history, shedding light on the blurred lines between monstrosity and humanity.

As viewers, we are reminded that behind every horror story lies a complex web of circumstances, trauma, and mental illness. Ed Gein’s story is a haunting testament to how darkness can take root in the most isolated and neglected corners of the human mind—and how that darkness can inspire nightmares for generations to come.

In conclusion

Ed Gein remains one of the most unsettling figures in true crime history, a man whose gruesome acts continue to inspire horror fiction and ignite our darkest curiosities. As Netflix’s Monster brings his story to the screen, it offers a chance to confront the terrifying questions about what drives a person to such depths—and whether understanding that darkness can help prevent it. Prepare for a chilling journey into the heart of human depravity, where skin suits and skulls are not just props but haunting symbols of a true-life monster.