Responsible for inspiring more horror films than any other monstrous serial killer, Ed Gein admittedly has a legacy that lives on. It’s just unfortunate how he went about securing that legacy. But, in an age where true-crime podcasts are increasingly popular, perhaps it’s not so surprising that the evil of society inspires more cinematic ventures than the average altruist. It’s a sad truth and of absolutely no consolation, but at least film fans get some classics out of the tragedy. And classics there have been. From all the way back to the works of Alfred Hitchcock himself, some of the most famous fictional serial killers of all time base their MO on the true exploits of Ed Gein.
With Netflix’s Monster: The Ed Gein Story captivating audiences, here are 13 of the best films that owe their very existence to the sick exploits Ed Gein, of one of history’s most famous mass murderers.
13
‘Hitchcock’ (2012)
Set during the production of Psycho, Hitchcock is more like a behind-the-scenes character study of the legendary director Alfred Hitchcock, played with charm by Anthony Hopkins. It zeroes in on the creative and personal tension surrounding the making of the movie, particularly Hitchcock’s obsession with the gore and his strained relationship with his wife and collaborator Alma Reville.
A Film About a Film Inspired by a Killer
Even though the movie is all about offering a unique perspective on the legendary director’s creative process, a huge chunk of it focuses on his battle with studio resistance and public skepticism as he finds himself drawn to the real-life crimes of Ed Gein, whose acts of murder inspired the character of Norman Bates. The movie dramatizes Hitchcock’s eerie fixation with him, even stages imaginary conversations with the two. Hopkins’ Hitchcock is both amused and disturbed by Gein’s pathology, and it’s like a meta-horror moment of the highest order.
12
‘Ed Gein: The Musical’ (2010)
Yes, it’s exactly what it sounds like. A dark comedy musical about Ed Gein titled Ed Gein: The Musical. Directed by Steve Russell and starring Dan Davies (who also wrote and co-produced), this Wisconsin-made indie film turns one of America’s most notorious killers into a song-and-dance spectacle. The plot loosely follows Gein’s life and is all set to original musical numbers.
Fresh Angle on Gein’s Legacy
Campy, irreverent, and surprisingly catchy, with characters like Sheriff Ray Murdock and Nurse Vicodin adding a touch of absurdity, this one leans more into the surreal than the horrific. Turning Ed Gein into a musical is either genius or madness, but Ed Gein: The Musical somehow makes it work. His crimes aren’t glorified, but treated with humor for the sole purpose of deflating the mythos around the man. It aired on PBS and Retro TV, and even got a stage adaptation in 2025, which proves its cult appeal.
11
‘Three on a Meathook’ (1972)
Three on a Meathook is a low-budget slasher movie from William Girdler that starts with a classic setup. Four young women on a lakeside getaway accept help from a shy local named Billy Townsend after their car breaks down. He brings them to his farmhouse, where he lives with his strict father. Soon, the women start disappearing and Billy starts questioning his own sanity. But the twist is, his father may be orchestrating the murders, blaming Billy to cover up the crimes.
A Cult Relic
The movie never really reveals whether Billy is a killer or a pawn, and ends on a bleak, unresolved note. Loosely inspired by Ed Gein, it borrows the rural isolation, the disturbing parent-child dynamic, and the horror of domestic space turning deadly. Billy’s confusion and emotional fragility mirrors Gein’s own psychological torment, while the father’s presence recalls Augusta’s influence. It’s not a polished movie, but it’s got that ‘70s grindhouse charm.
10
‘Psycho’ (1960)
Alfred Hitchcock’s Psycho may be rated R, but it’s the tamest movie on this list by a long shot, and it shows next to none of Gein’s real-world activities. However, Norman Bates’ obsession with his deceased mother rings very true to Gein’s time on Earth, as is Bates’ tendency to dress up in women’s clothing.
Mother Issues and a Lonely Motel
Psycho has influenced more films than arguably any other, and thanks to Hitchcock’s incredibly tight direction it’s easy to see why. Psycho is known for its groundbreaking shower scene, but every other scene is just as effective. The movie basically took Gein’s twisted legacy and filtered it through Hitchcock’s lens of suspense and repression. Anthony Perkins’ performance is unnerving in its restraint, and Bernard Herrman’s score still rattles nerves.
9
‘The Texas Chain Saw Massacre’ (1974)
There’s been much speculation that Gein ate some of his victims, and that’s an element incorporated into Tobe Hooper’s masterful The Texas Chain Saw Massacre. Gein denied it, but it’s an element that gives Hooper’s classic an even creepier edge. It centers on a group of young friends traveling through rural Texas as they stumble upon a farmhouse and fall prey to a family of cannibalistic killers, led by the chainsaw-wielding Leatherface.
Grimy and Deeply Gein-Esque
Of course, like many of the other grotesque going ons in The Texas Chain Saw Massacre, cannibalism isn’t outright shown to the audience. But, it’s there, as is Gein’s tendency to dismember his victims and wear their skin on his face. Another frequently-present element of the film, the dastardly Sawyer family’s home, is also very similar to real life. When police searched Gein’s home, they found bowls made from human skulls, a corset made of a woman’s skin, leggings also made of skin, and some noses. Fortunately, the movie settles for showing the viewers dangling bones and feathers everywhere.
8
‘Deranged’ (1974)
On one hand, Deranged is one of the tamer films on this list. And yet, for a time, it was the hardest one to find. Between its 1974 release and the mid-’90s, it looked as though the film was lost forever, but it’s since been made available to the viewing public. The plot follows Ezra Cobb, a quiet farmer who is devastated by the death of his religiously fanatical mother. Her teachers, especially her hatred for women, linger in Ezra’s mind. And after her death, he exhumes her body and begins a spree of grave robbings and murder.
A Cinematic Mirror to Gein
The most interesting thing about Deranged is the casting choice for Ed Gein’s stand-in, Ezra Cobb. Specifically, he’s played by Roberts Blossom, whom film fans might know as the elderly next door neighbor in Home Alone. Which is to say that the movie basically recreates the story. It’s low-budget aesthetic works in its favor, making the horror feel raw and unfiltered. Though not widely known, it is revered by fans for its accuracy.
7
‘Motel Hell’ (1980)
Motel Hell is basically Tobe Hooper’s The Texas Chain Saw Massacre if that original film made a much smaller attempt to be frightening. Motel Hell is more creepy than anything else, unless one is factoring in goofy. After all, it’s a movie where a 20-something woman gradually falls for a 58-year-old Rory Calhoun. He plays Vincent, a farmer, who runs a roadside motel and meat business with his sister Ida. But their secret is that they trap unsuspecting travelers, bury them in their garden, and later turn them into smoked meat.
Cannibalism With a Wink
Where the Gein influence comes into the film is the whole cannibalism aspect, which is an even stronger throughline in Motel Hell than it was in The Texas Chain Saw Massacre. Motel Hell is in no way going to be for everyone, but for those who want to see a Hollywood legend have the absolute time of his life while hypnotizing some people (including Pixar favorite John Ratzenberger) while they’re buried up to their necks, this is the movie to rent.
6
‘The Silence of the Lambs’ (1991)
By far one of the best horror movies from the ’90s, Jonathan Demme’s The Silence of the Lambs was and remains one of the tensest cinematic experiences ever gifted audiences. In it, FBI trainee Clarice Starling is tasked with interviewing imprisoned serial killer Dr. Hannibal Lecter to gain insight into another killer, who is abducting and skinning women.
An Unforgettable Masterpiece
Plenty of words have been written about Anthony Hopkins and Jodie Foster’s work as, respectively, Hannibal Lecter and Clarice Starling, and considering they both deliver acting masterclasses it’s easy to see why. But not even Lecter was the one inspired by Gein. Instead, it was Ted Levine’s Buffalo Bill, with his proclivities for wearing women’s clothing and committing grisly crimes.
5
‘Ed and His Dead Mother’ (1993)
In Ed and His Dead Mother, we follow Ed Chilton, a mild-mannered hardware store owner still grieving the death of his mother, Mabel. His life takes a bizarre turn when a mysterious salesman named A.J. offers to resurrect her. Ed agrees, Mabel returns, but she’s not the same. Her behavior grows increasingly violent and Ed finds himself caught between nostalgia and horror as his undead mother ruins his life.
Gein Reimagined As a Son Who Couldn’t Let Go
A low-budget wacky dark comedy from the early ’90s, Ed and His Dead Mother, at the very least, has a terrific cast. Backing up Buscemi are Superman: The Movie’s Ned Beatty, Jon Gries, Gremlins 2: The New Batch’s John Glover, and the legendary Miriam Margolyes as the titular mom. Ed and His Dead Mother is certainly the lightest-toned film on this list, and like many dark indie comedies it doesn’t quite work. But Buscemi and Margolyes never fail to be likable presences, as they are here.
4
‘In the LIght of the Moon’ (2000)
Also known by its alternate title In the Light of the Moon, this biopic dives headfirst into the grim and isolated world of Ed Gein. Directed by Chuck Parello and starring Steve Railsback in a disturbing performance, it chronicles Gein’s descent into madness in 1950s Wisconsin. Raised by a domineering, religious mother, Ed grows up socially withdrawn and emotionally stunted. After her death, he begins robbing graves and murders two women, using their remains to decorate his home.
An Unflinching Portrayal
In Ed Gain, the horror feels both mundane and inevitable. There’s no fictionalization or allegory here. It’s a direct movie about the man himself, and it’s unsettling because of how grounded it is. Railsback plays Gein with a kind of tragic detachment. He’s not monstrous, but not sympathetic either. Also, there’s a bleakness to Gein’s world and the scenes with his mother are especially haunting. It didn’t make waves critically (Rotten Tomatoes sits at a low 20%), but for horror purists, it’s a must-watch.