Brent S I watched this movie some time ago and found it to be quite realistic regarding the events regarding the life and crimes of Ed Gein. Steve Railsback did a great job in portraying Gein and he is a sympathetic character despite the horrible things he did. It should be noted for the sake of the gorehounds that this movie is more about the man, his motivations, his relationship with his mother, and his sheer loneliness so you won't see loads of blood and guts flying about the place. This isn't "Friday the 13th", "Nightmare on Elm Street", or "The Texas Chainsaw Massacre". This is about the REAL man and what happened, so there's not a lot of focus on the sensationalistic, tabloid-esquire elements nor is Gein presented as a soulless killing machine. Probably the creepiest scene in the film is Gein dressed in his woman suit and mask, dancing in the light of the moon while beating a drum made of human skin. Eerie.I saw somebody else posting a mention that his wife felt Gein should have gone to prison because he knew what he did was wrong while the writer of that review disagreed. I concur with that writer. I know a little bit about the Gein case and the man was very sick, and by that, I mean he suffered from deep psychological issues and a severe psychiatric illness. In fact, when he was arrested he was terribly upset about the fact that he had taken the cash register from the hardware store. He insisted that he wasn't a thief, that he only wanted to take it apart to see how it worked. That's how dissociated he was from the horror of what he'd done. A large part of his fascination with the female bodies he unearthed (besides his confused sexual obsession with them) was that he wanted to dissect them to see exactly how they were different from the male body and how they "worked". His curiosity was surely furtive and guilty, but then he had been kept away from women by his mother and taught that all women were "unclean whores". What might have been a typical male sexuality and adolescent curiosity about the opposite sex was severely warped and not allowed to develop normally. Once he was institutionalized and received proper treatment and medication, he lived the rest of his life as a gentle, non-violent man who, though obviously mentally enfeebled, enjoyed listening to the radio, dancing with the nurses, did minor repair work around the hospital, and adopted well to the institutional environment.Anyway, I thought this was a pretty good portrayal of Gein that focused on the human aspect and not so much on the sensationalism. It's definitely a low-budget affair but despite that I would recommend this film.Cheers! B

alanmora 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.

DJAkin I am fascinated with historical figures such as this strange man. I saw a TV special about Ed Gein and decided to rent this movie. I was not too impressed with the movie. It was interesting but very shallow. Ed Gein was a very strange man who ate soup out of skull caps to name just one of the many disgusting things. What surprised me is how when he shot that one bartender, how she just kind of kept living as if she had not been shot at all! That was very strange. And Ed's mother was very odd in my opinion as well. I was told by Jake that his Mom molested him or literally tried to have or DID have sex with her son, Ed Gein. I am going to have to see if this is true in the book. Yes, I bought a book about this man who was the inspiration for the Texas Chainsaw Massacre. So, all in all, a mediocre rental.

MarieGabrielle 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.