Ed Gein: The Butcher of Plainfield (2007)

This is one of the most inaccurate attempts to make a dramatization of the real life events. The movie takes so much liberty with the story, it just comes off as a lie. The main villain looks nothing like Ed Gein, and his actions are nowhere near to what Ed Gein had done in reality. The way the movie was done, he might have as well pop out a chainsaw and wield it around. There is a much better independent movie called Ed Gein (2001), so I'd recommend to all who are interested in the gruesome case of Ed Gein to watch that one instead - this one is just a bad attempt to make a slasher movie out of real life. And it appears that my review is too short, because I really have nothing else to say about this movie, so I'll just write this down at the end. In the words of The Critic, Jay Sherman, "It stinks!".

Inspired by the true story of one of the most gruesome killers in American history...With big successes like "Psycho" and "Silence of the Lambs", the story of Ed Gein (in a highly fictionalized manner) has been told many times. The story was probably told best in a film called "Deranged". But this may be the runner-up.Clearly the writer-director did not want to tell the completely true story, because it there is enough deviation to show that this does not match up with Gein's life. There are some attempts, though -- such as his dead mother and brother, and at least they actually set the film in Plainfield (though being shot in California, it looks nothing like the place.)

First the good points.This movie has a strong and effective atmosphere about it and does have an intensity about it. Thats about it. Ed Gein has a horrific and appalling history that is ultimately tragic, BUT, if you are into the history and cases of serial killers this movie is not for you. It is so far off the facts and story that it reminds me of a certain huge cartoon corporation that rewrites great literature to make it nice for the kiddies EXCEPT that in this movie the substitutions of facts for more horrific effect fails epically as they are rather less gruesome than the facts. Add to that the appalling acting and you have wasted 90 minutes that you could have been having fun in. I recommend reading the book instead.

It's important to keep in mind that this film is "inspired" on what happened, not "based on" the true story. But so is "The Texas chainsaw massacre", "Psycho" and "Silence of the lambs". It's not that the movie sucks big time, but think of the fact that it purports to be the true story ... No, I just don't buy it.The acting is a bit so-so. They definitely got the wrong actor who plays Ed.I don't know really ... take it for what it is, a half-good B-movie. I agree on what others say: "Why make up a story when the truth is way more gruesome" ...