Inaccurately detailed account of the effect Ed Gein had on the lives of Plainfield, Wisconsin, following the burdened sheriff's department and, in particular, the new deputy whose life would change forever when the psycho kidnaps/brutalizes his mother.
While Kane Hodder proves that he can be even more menacing without make-up as a serial killer, he doesn't look at all like the Ed Gein we have read about, and seen photographs of. Director Michael Feifer's camera always keeps the actors closed in tight, perhaps a sign that he didn't have enough budget to fortify a realistic county. I felt a bit claustrophobic with this style, hoping that we could see more of the rural trappings within where Gein moved freely, creeping locals who were seemingly unaware that he could be some serial killer kidnapping folks. But, the camera only gives you so much, so you are forced to look at the faces of the characters up close, so the cast had to be up for the challenge. Unlike other users who have commented rather badly about the cast, I never found any of the actors unconvincing. I agree that the film's direction geared more towards the deputy's relationship with the sheriff's daughter and his beloved unflappable mother, may be a mistake because the title is "Ed Gein", not "Days of the Lives of Plainfield's Deputy out to find Ed Gein". The screenplay and film's execution clearly set up the fact that deputy Bobby Mason's(Shawn Hoffman)mother and girlfriend would be targets of Gein. Priscilla Barnes easily has a handle on Bobby's mother, Vera, making her a concerned and proud parent of her boy. Adrienne Frantz is Erica, Bobby's girlfriend, a pretty little chick whose doomed to be the final girl, who is badly hurt in a car crash when her man drives haphazardly down a dirt road after finding out Vera went missing. The film shows brief glimpses into Ed's psyche, with his mother barking orders reaffirming to the viewer that his childhood was a difficult one that has warped this man. We also see Ed in his barn carrying out gruesome deeds on a trapped victim, a kind waitress who is tied to a table, kept sedated as he removes her limbs. He eventually creates a costume from her flesh. As an Ed Gein film, it doesn't hold up I'm afraid. Researching the back story, it seems the filmmakers took liberties to craft their own tale of a lurking psycho always seeking fresh victims. This interpretation, unlike two previous films("Deranged" & "Ed Gein")stays away from elaborating what drove Ed to commit his deeds, using only images of an angered mother and voices driving him over the edge into rage and sadness. Another major problem is that Ed Gein isn't supposed to look like a scary, hulking menace and Hodder's character would be the first suspect in an investigation for missing and dead people. And, I'm hard-pressed to believe the real Ed Gein could suffocate a caretaker with his arm, snap his neck after underpinning his head between two trees, before smashing his skull with a log. I think, though, that Hodder, judging from this film, could be utilized in slasher films without wearing heavy make-up, because he has a sinister presence that can be a real asset if you are wanting an effective psycho. Unlike other films on Ed Gein, which infuse bits of twisted black humor, this particular tale is completely dark. Ed Gein never seems anything but an imposing figure on the edge of snapping at a moment's notice.
While Kane Hodder proves that he can be even more menacing without make-up as a serial killer, he doesn't look at all like the Ed Gein we have read about, and seen photographs of. Director Michael Feifer's camera always keeps the actors closed in tight, perhaps a sign that he didn't have enough budget to fortify a realistic county. I felt a bit claustrophobic with this style, hoping that we could see more of the rural trappings within where Gein moved freely, creeping locals who were seemingly unaware that he could be some serial killer kidnapping folks. But, the camera only gives you so much, so you are forced to look at the faces of the characters up close, so the cast had to be up for the challenge. Unlike other users who have commented rather badly about the cast, I never found any of the actors unconvincing. I agree that the film's direction geared more towards the deputy's relationship with the sheriff's daughter and his beloved unflappable mother, may be a mistake because the title is "Ed Gein", not "Days of the Lives of Plainfield's Deputy out to find Ed Gein". The screenplay and film's execution clearly set up the fact that deputy Bobby Mason's(Shawn Hoffman)mother and girlfriend would be targets of Gein. Priscilla Barnes easily has a handle on Bobby's mother, Vera, making her a concerned and proud parent of her boy. Adrienne Frantz is Erica, Bobby's girlfriend, a pretty little chick whose doomed to be the final girl, who is badly hurt in a car crash when her man drives haphazardly down a dirt road after finding out Vera went missing. The film shows brief glimpses into Ed's psyche, with his mother barking orders reaffirming to the viewer that his childhood was a difficult one that has warped this man. We also see Ed in his barn carrying out gruesome deeds on a trapped victim, a kind waitress who is tied to a table, kept sedated as he removes her limbs. He eventually creates a costume from her flesh. As an Ed Gein film, it doesn't hold up I'm afraid. Researching the back story, it seems the filmmakers took liberties to craft their own tale of a lurking psycho always seeking fresh victims. This interpretation, unlike two previous films("Deranged" & "Ed Gein")stays away from elaborating what drove Ed to commit his deeds, using only images of an angered mother and voices driving him over the edge into rage and sadness. Another major problem is that Ed Gein isn't supposed to look like a scary, hulking menace and Hodder's character would be the first suspect in an investigation for missing and dead people. And, I'm hard-pressed to believe the real Ed Gein could suffocate a caretaker with his arm, snap his neck after underpinning his head between two trees, before smashing his skull with a log. I think, though, that Hodder, judging from this film, could be utilized in slasher films without wearing heavy make-up, because he has a sinister presence that can be a real asset if you are wanting an effective psycho. Unlike other films on Ed Gein, which infuse bits of twisted black humor, this particular tale is completely dark. Ed Gein never seems anything but an imposing figure on the edge of snapping at a moment's notice.