In the Light of the Moon (2000)

User Rating:

5.6/10   

Director:

Chuck Parello

Writer:

Stephen Johnston (writer)

Release Date:

17 November 2000 (Spain)

Genre:

Biography | Crime | Drama | Horror | Thriller

Tagline:

Before DAHMER, Before GACY, There was ED.

Plot:

The story of Ed Gein, who dug up the corpses of over a dozen women and made things out of their remains before finally shooting two people to death and butchering their bodies like beef sides.

Plot Keywords:

Shooting | Domineering Mother | Arrest | Murder | Corpse

Awards:

4 wins & 1 nomination

Cast

Steve Railsback	...	Ed Gein
Carrie Snodgress	...	Augusta W, Gein
Carol Mansell	...	Collette Marshall
Sally Champlin	...	Mary Hogan
Steve Blackwood	...	Brian
Nancy Linehan Charles	...	Eleanor
Bill Cross	...	George Gein
Travis McKenna	...	Ronnie
Jan Hoag	...	Irene Hill
Brian Evers	...	Henry Gein
Pat Skipper	...	Sheriff Jim Stillwell
Craig Zimmerman	...	Pete Anderson
Nicholas Stojanovich	...	Dale
Dylan Kasch	...	Melvin
Tish Hicks	...	Leigh Cross

Also Known As:

Ed Gein (USA) (new title)
Under the Moonlight (USA) (working title)

Runtime:

89 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Certification:

USA:Not Rated | Iceland:16 | Portugal:M/18 | Netherlands:16 | Australia:MA | Germany:18 | Spain:18 | UK:15

Filming Locations:

Los Angeles, California, USA

Company:

Kunert/Manes Entertainment LLC

Trivia:

The Anderson home, where Ed is captured at the end of the movie, is the same house used as the Jarvis' home in Friday the 13th: The Final Chapter (1984).

Goofs:

Factual errors: Both Ed's mother and, later, Ed himself read passages from the book of Revelations in the Bible (primarily focused on the 'whore of Babylon')... but they are reading from about the first 10% of the book, while Revelations is the very last part of the book.

Movie Connections:

Version of The Texas Chain Saw Massacre (1974)

Reasonable but disappointing.

The bizarre story of Ed Gein has inspired many portrayals of screen serial killers, and will no doubt continue to do so. Because in this case the truth really IS stranger than fiction!

The obscure 1970s cult flick 'Deranged' changed the name of Gein to "Ezra Cobb", but stuck pretty much to the facts. 'Ed Gein' fails to surpass that overlooked movie. It has one or two good moments but I couldn't help but be disappointed.

The best thing by far about it is the strong performance of Steve Railsback as Gein. He gives it his best shot, and is almost as good as Roberts Blossom ('Deranged's star), but I don't feel that the movie overall is as effective. Railsback is a talented actor ('Helter Skelter', 'The Stunt Man') who has spent the last twenty years in b-grade hell ('Turkey Shoot', 'Lifeforce', 'Scissors', 'Barb Wire', 'Vanishing Point', 'Disturbing Behavior'). He deserves better, but I don't think this movie is going to help any. Too bad, because as usual he is much better than the material he has to work with. Better luck next time Steve!