hyped garbage

It was OK. I don't see why everyone loves it so much. It wasn't very smart or deep or well-directed.

Good films always raise compelling questions, whether the format is fiction or documentary fact.

Exactly the movie you think it is, but not the movie you want it to be.

The "Ed Gein" of this flick is not the real Ed Gein--how the real one carried himself. Therefore, this is really a travesty which should be avoided.

There have been many films made that are either based on the case or simply the character of the real-life "Plainfield Ghoul" Ed Gein but this is the one that sticks the closest to the facts. Once again, Steve Railsback assumes the role of a notorious American criminal as he did once before as Charles Manson in "Helter Skelter" and he plays the role wonderfully. Mr. Railsback also served as producer of this film and apparently insisted that Carrie Snodgrass play the role of Mrs. Gein, Ed's mother which she did with gusto (as she does in any film that she is in Miss Snodgrass put on a great performance!). This is not an easy film to watch as the facts that surround this case are gruesome and grotesque and this film certainly does not shy away from that fact but for anyone who has seen "Silence of the Lambs", "Psycho", or "The Texas Chainsaw Massacre" and has ever wondered what the real story was all about this is the most accurate portrayal of the facts out there. Part of a series of films about serial killers such as "Bundy" "Gacy" and "Speck" this film is by far the very best of the bunch.

Surprisingly good umpteenth re-telling of Ed Gein seems to be the most on-track with how the notorious nutcase's life went down. There's a scene early on where a neighbor proclaims to Ed after going to the movie show with her son, "You guys are going to those horror movies all the time." Ed answers tellingly, "They're very educational." I think this film successfully lets us see what can happen to a man mentally wounded by the upbringing of an overbearing, fanatical mother. The film shows how she seems to be the guiding force behind the murders and cover-ups. For instance, mother(commandingly played by Carrie Snodgress)manipulatively commands Ed to kidnap and kill a bar matron named Mary(Sally Champlin)for dirty-mouthed hussies deserved to have their mouths washed out with poison. And, poor store clerk Collette(Carol Mansell)is singled out for no apparent reason but mainly perhaps she represents that lust that is dormant in Ed's heart. Somehow, despite mama Augusta's death, a huge part of her remains inside Ed's mind..a towering presence that can manipulate and order him to do things.If you see a loosely, but at times accurate film from the early 70's, DERANGED, both are similar in ways, but have a different feel towards the circumstances regarding Ed's situation. This film plays Ed's life more matter-of-factly without the dark humor that lay at the heart of DERANGED. This film wants to show us the way Ed was without winking at how absurd he was and his bizarre, sick habits regarding skinning victims and eating their innards..often feeding the unaware neighbors next door people they've know from the city. The film also shows how Augusta's insistent disgust towards "modern women" has penetrated Ed enough where he can not remain around females who are different from his mother. Her quoting from the bible, mainly Revelations, is often reverberating around in his skull bearing down on him to "do God's work" so that his mother could return to earth to be with him. Steve Railsback, a criminally underrated actor, again is perfect as another serial killer(he portrayed Charles Manson amazingly in "Helter Skelter" in 1976 made-for-TV effort)with Ed Gein. He seems to tap into the man's simple-mindedness and delusional, quiet madness. He makes him strange, but also deceptively harmless. We can see why we might be leery to hang around him, but trusting him doesn't seem that difficult. The film isn't that gory, but does show how he does the work mother tells him to do.

This film is on DVD as "Ed Gein"; a much better title than the generic "In the Light of the Moon".Yes, this is bizarre, and insane. It is also based on truth. I remember reading once that Stephen King when he was a child, grew up being intrigued by Cahrles Starkweather, and his Midwest massacres. This story is all the more infamous because of Gein's necrophilia, and Steve Railsback is excellent(we may remember him from the earliest, and best "Helter Skelter" 1979 TV movie).While there are some oddities to this film, that is to be expected. This occurred in a desolate part of Wisonsin, cold and unforgiving. Augusta Gein (very well portrayed by Carrie Snodgress) was a fire and brimstone old world person, who lived in the Gein household long AFTER her death.....You will enjoy this film, and may want to read up up on the facts after seeing this. Sally Champlin, as Mary Hogan, is also pretty bizarre, as the local obese barmaid Gein takes a liking to.This subject is bizarre, but the film shows it in the cold light of day. In the end, Ed Gein spent his life living tranquilly in a state asylum. The nurses commented that he was very polite, and a gentleman. Good film for Halloween 9/10.