By Netflix‘s Monster: The Ed Gein Story has faced criticism for its entirely fabricated depiction of certain occurrences and the distortion of his genuine life narrative to mirror elements of later tales that were vaguely inspired by his misdeeds. Nevertheless, lead actor Charlie Hunnam, who portrays Gein in the series, asserts he “never sensed we were sensationalizing” the chronicle of Gein’s life.
“I never sensed we were exaggerating it. I never experienced on set that we executed anything gratuitous or for shock value. It was solely in an effort to convey this narrative as truthfully as we could,” Hunnam shares with EW. “If audiences are urged to discuss it and ponder it, I sincerely hope they will be motivated to view the show. What I would aspire to and feel very sure about is that it was a profoundly earnest examination of the human experience and the reasons behind why this young man acted as he did.”
Regrettably for those dedicated to integrity and authenticity in recounting such a serious narrative, the program predominantly focuses on inference, fabrication, and twisting of actual details into a farcical, campy narrative that scarcely captures what is genuinely known of Ed Gein’s existence and offenses.
“Is it Ed Gein who endured abuse and was left in seclusion and grappling with undiagnosed mental health issues and…that expressed itself in some quite dreadful manners? Or was the true monster the multitude of filmmakers who drew inspiration from his life and sensationalized it to create entertainment and darken the American psyche in the process?” Hunnam prompts viewers to reflect on the real “monster” of the tale. “Is Ed Gein the villain of this show, or is Hitchcock the villain of the show? Or are we the villains of the show because we are engaging with it?”
These questions might be ironically posed for Monster, which neglects to sincerely address most of these philosophical notions or even provide a genuine opportunity to explore them amidst portrayals of Gein as a charming ladies’ man who supposedly pursued people with a chainsaw (both fabrications designed for the series).
Monster: The Ed Gein Story is currently available for streaming on Netflix. You may also explore the 25 finest shows to stream on Netflix at this moment.