13 Horror Movies Inspired by the Life and Crimes of Ed Gein

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Ed Gein’s disturbing crimes have inspired countless horror movies, solidifying a dark legacy. While his story is tragic, it’s perhaps unsurprising that real-life evil captivates audiences more than acts of kindness, especially with the rise of true crime podcasts. Though it offers no comfort to those affected, Gein’s story has given us some iconic films. His methods have been the basis for many famous fictional serial killers, even influencing filmmakers like Alfred Hitchcock from the very beginning.

Now that Netflix’s Monster: The Ed Gein Story is getting a lot of attention, we’ve rounded up 13 of the best movies inspired by the horrific crimes of Ed Gein, one of the most notorious serial killers in history.

13
‘Hitchcock’ (2012)

The film Hitchcock isn’t so much a thriller as a look into the life of the famous director Alfred Hitchcock, brilliantly portrayed by Anthony Hopkins. It focuses on the difficulties and pressures he faced while making Psycho, especially his fascination with shocking imagery and the complicated dynamic with his wife and creative partner, Alma Reville.

A Film About a Film Inspired by a Killer

The film explores the creative mind of a famous director, but largely centers on his struggles with the studio and public doubt as he becomes fascinated by the true crimes of Ed Gein – the man who inspired the character Norman Bates. It portrays Hitchcock’s unsettling obsession with Gein, even imagining conversations between them. Hopkins’ performance shows Hitchcock both intrigued and horrified by Gein’s disturbed mind, creating a uniquely layered and unsettling horror experience.

12
‘Ed Gein: The Musical’ (2010)

You heard that right: Ed Gein: The Musical is a dark comedy musical about the infamous Ed Gein. This independent film, made in Wisconsin and directed by Steve Russell, stars Dan Davies, who also wrote the script and helped produce it. It’s a song-and-dance take on Gein’s life, featuring original music.

Fresh Angle on Gein’s Legacy

This musical is delightfully quirky and unexpectedly memorable. Featuring outlandish characters like Sheriff Murdock and Nurse Vicodin, it’s more strange and funny than scary. Turning the story of Ed Gein into a musical could have been a disaster, but Ed Gein: The Musical pulls it off. While it doesn’t celebrate his crimes, it uses humor to debunk the legends surrounding him. Its broadcast on PBS and Retro TV, along with a 2025 stage production, demonstrate its devoted fanbase.

11
‘Three on a Meathook’ (1972)

William Girdler’s Three on a Meathook is a classic, low-budget slasher film. It begins with four friends on a lakeside trip whose car trouble leads them to accept help from a quiet local man named Billy Townsend. He offers them shelter at his family’s farmhouse, where he lives with his overbearing father. As the women begin to vanish, Billy starts to doubt his own mental state. However, the real shock comes when it’s suggested that Billy’s father might be the killer, framing Billy to hide his own crimes.

A Cult Relic

The film deliberately leaves the audience guessing whether Billy is a murderer or simply being manipulated, concluding with a dark and unsatisfying ending. While taking inspiration from the real-life story of Ed Gein, it focuses on similar themes of loneliness in a rural setting, a troubled family relationship, and the terror that can happen within a home. Billy’s inner turmoil and vulnerability reflect Gein’s own mental struggles, and his father figure is reminiscent of a controlling influence. Though not slick or refined, the movie has a gritty, throwback appeal to 1970s exploitation films.

10
‘Psycho’ (1960)

Okay, so as a huge Hitchcock fan, I always find it interesting how Psycho, even with its R rating, is actually pretty mild compared to the true story it’s loosely based on. The movie barely touches on the really disturbing stuff Ed Gein did. But what does feel incredibly accurate is Norman Bates’ relationship with his mother – that obsession is totally pulled from Gein’s life. And honestly, the way Bates dresses… well, that part also hits a little too close to home when you learn about Gein.

Mother Issues and a Lonely Motel

Few films have had a bigger impact than Psycho, and it’s clear why, thanks to Hitchcock’s masterful direction. While famous for its shocking shower scene, the entire movie is brilliantly crafted. Psycho takes inspiration from the disturbing crimes of Ed Gein, but Hitchcock transforms them into a suspenseful and psychologically tense experience. Anthony Perkins delivers a subtly unsettling performance, and Bernard Herrmann’s music remains incredibly effective at building tension.

9
‘The Texas Chain Saw Massacre’ (1974)

Rumors circulated that Ed Gein consumed parts of his victims, and this idea heavily influenced Tobe Hooper’s iconic film, The Texas Chain Saw Massacre. While Gein himself denied these claims, the suggestion of cannibalism adds a particularly disturbing layer to the movie. The film follows a group of young people on a road trip through the Texas countryside who inadvertently encounter a terrifying family of cannibals, with the menacing Leatherface leading the charge and wielding a chainsaw.

Grimy and Deeply Gein-Esque

Like many disturbing details in The Texas Chain Saw Massacre, cannibalism is implied rather than directly shown. The film also hints at the real-life killer Ed Gein’s habit of dismembering victims and crafting objects from their remains. Interestingly, the Sawyer family’s house in the movie closely resembles Gein’s actual home. Police searching Gein’s property discovered horrifying items like bowls made from skulls, a corset and leggings fashioned from human skin, and collections of noses. Thankfully, the movie only shows dangling bones and feathers, avoiding the more gruesome details.

8
‘Deranged’ (1974)

While not the most extreme film on this list, Deranged was surprisingly difficult to locate for many years. Released in 1974, it seemed lost until the mid-1990s, when it thankfully became available to watch again. The movie centers on Ezra Cobb, a reserved farmer deeply affected by the death of his intensely religious mother. Her beliefs, particularly her strong dislike of women, continue to haunt him. Following her death, he disinters her body and embarks on a series of grave robberies and murders.

A Cinematic Mirror to Gein

What makes the film Deranged stand out is the actor chosen to play Ezra Cobb, who is based on Ed Gein: Roberts Blossom. Many will recognize Blossom as the kind old man from Home Alone. Essentially, the movie retells the true story of Gein. Its low-budget filmmaking actually enhances the horror, making it feel very real and unsettling. While it’s not a mainstream film, it’s highly regarded by fans for how faithfully it portrays the events.

7
‘Motel Hell’ (1980)

Motel Hell is similar to Tobe Hooper’s The Texas Chain Saw Massacre, but it focuses more on being unsettling than truly scary. It’s a quirky film where a young woman develops feelings for a much older man, Rory Calhoun, who plays Vincent. Vincent and his sister, Ida, run a motel and a meat business, but they have a dark secret: they capture travelers, bury them, and then sell them as smoked meat.

Cannibalism With a Wink

The film draws heavily from the Ed Gein case, particularly with its focus on cannibalism – even more so than The Texas Chain Saw Massacre. Motel Hell isn’t for all viewers, but if you’re interested in seeing a Hollywood veteran clearly enjoying himself while subjecting people (including John Ratzenberger, known from Pixar films) to a bizarre and terrifying ordeal – being buried alive, for example – then this movie is worth checking out.

6
‘The Silence of the Lambs’ (1991)

Jonathan Demme’s The Silence of the Lambs is widely considered one of the greatest horror films of the 1990s, and it continues to be a remarkably suspenseful movie. The story follows Clarice Starling, a young FBI trainee, who must interview the imprisoned serial killer Dr. Hannibal Lecter to get help with a case involving a different killer who is kidnapping and skinning women.

An Unforgettable Masterpiece

Anthony Hopkins and Jodie Foster are famous for their incredible performances as Hannibal Lecter and Clarice Starling, and deservedly so. However, while Lecter is the more iconic character, it was actually Ted Levine’s portrayal of Buffalo Bill – a character with disturbing habits and horrific crimes – that was based on the real-life serial killer Ed Gein.

5
‘Ed and His Dead Mother’ (1993)

The film Ed and His Dead Mother centers on Ed Chilton, a quiet hardware store owner who is still heartbroken over the loss of his mother, Mabel. Things take a strange turn when a salesman named A.J. offers to bring her back to life. Ed accepts, but the resurrected Mabel is drastically different – her behavior becomes increasingly aggressive, and Ed is forced to grapple with both fond memories and the terrifying reality of his undead mother destroying his life.

Gein Reimagined As a Son Who Couldn’t Let Go

The early ’90s dark comedy Ed and His Dead Mother isn’t exactly a masterpiece, but it boasts a fantastic cast. Alongside Steve Buscemi are familiar faces like Ned Beatty (from Superman: The Movie), Jon Gries, John Glover (Gremlins 2: The New Batch), and the wonderful Miriam Margolyes as Ed’s mother. While it doesn’t entirely come together like many low-budget indie comedies, Buscemi and Margolyes are reliably charming and enjoyable to watch.

4
‘In the LIght of the Moon’ (2000)

This film, also called In the Light of the Moon, tells the chilling story of Ed Gein, a man who lived a lonely and disturbing life. Directed by Chuck Parello and featuring a haunting performance by Steve Railsback, the movie shows how Gein, growing up in 1950s Wisconsin with a strict and religious mother, became increasingly isolated and mentally unstable. After his mother’s death, he began to exhume bodies and ultimately murdered two women, using their remains to create macabre decorations in his house.

An Unflinching Portrayal

The horror in Ed Gein feels disturbingly realistic and unavoidable. The film avoids typical horror tropes and instead presents a straightforward portrayal of the man himself, which is what makes it so unsettling. Michael Railsback delivers a tragic, yet distant, performance as Gein – he’s neither a monster nor someone you feel sorry for. The film’s atmosphere is bleak, and the scenes with Gein’s mother are particularly chilling. While it wasn’t a critical success (currently at 20% on Rotten Tomatoes), it’s considered essential viewing for dedicated horror fans.

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2025-10-22 05:06