The Texas Chainsaw Massacre made people never look at a chainsaw the same again. However, the cowriter and director for the gruesome movie stated that he was influenced by real life crime. In this article, you will learn the facts behind the true story and the movie adaptation of the infamous movie that saw a couple of sequels throughout the years.
The Real Details
The co-writer and director of the Texas Chainsaw Massacre Tobe Hooper told interviewers that the crimes of Ed Gein (dubbed the 'Plainfield Ghoul') gave him inspiration for the original movie. Gein committed crimes in and close to his hometown of Plainfield, Wisconsin. Not only was a murderer, but he also dug up corpses in local graveyards and created trophies and mementoes using the bones and skin of his victims.
In 1957, police discovered body parts in the home that Gein lived in. This prompted him to confess to murdering two women. In 1954, he claimed to have killed a tavern owner named Mary Hogan. He also took the life of Plainfield hardware store owner, Bernice Worden, in 1957.
After his arrest, Gein was deemed unfit to stand trial. However, after spending time in a mental health facility, he was tried in 1968 for the murder of Worden. The outcome was a sentence of life imprisonment, where his time would be spent in a mental hospital. Worden's body was found in Gein's shed. Inside his house, the heads of the two women were located. At the time, since it cost a lot of money to hold trials, he stood for only one trial.
Since Gein was only found guilty of the murder of Worden, he cannot technically be called a serial killer. However, his actions and story has played an important role in the creation of several fictional serial killers, such as Jame Gumb (The Silence of the Lambs), Norman Bates (Psycho), and of course, Leatherface of the Texas Chainsaw Massacre.
Gein had a history of suffering physical abuse at the hands of his alcoholic father. After the death of his mother (described as his one true friend), Gein boarded up the rooms of the farm that she used when she was alive. He soon gained an interest in reading death-cult magazines and stories based on adventure.
Gein lived to the age of 77 years old and died on July 26, 1984 of respiratory and heart failure.
Real Life vs Movie Facts
· Director Marcus Nispel released a remake of Chainsaw Massacre in 2003, using 'inspired by a true story' as a way to market the film. Details of the real crimes had been used in the plot of both movies, such as the use of human skin and body parts, cannibalism, and certain fetishes.
· The original case took place during the 1950s. Chainsaw Massacre is set in the 70s.
· A family that commits murders together (as seen in the movies) was not part of the real life events.
