Psycho: The Lost Tapes of Ed Gein (2023) User Reviews

Don't look at the ratings

[mradarley-47661 · 7/10 · 25 September 2023]

Had to put a small review after two episodes as I can't understand the low rating. If you like true crime then this is a good watch. They're not telling you anything we don't already know as such, it's just much more detailed and a 'deep dive into Geins crimes, mindset and family history. Also the impact on this quiet backwater town in Wisconsin which is forever known as 'Geinsville'. You also get to hear Geins voice for first time which is interesting. Anyway so far so good for me.

*edit* now watched all 4 episodes and it did dip slightly. The first episode remains the best one by far. That been said its still worth your time and a broad take on both him, his crimes and the impact the crimes made on cinema.

Could have been one documentary..

[laugh-10729 · 5/10 · 1 October 2023]

I was really looking forward to this mini series but am kind of disappointed. Actually hearing the bits of recordings of Ed answering questions was really the only parts of this worth watching. The first episode basically goes over everything and gives very few clips of his actual voice and you can hardly hear his voice but somehow you can hear the detective clearly. The second and third episodes were just like the first but with a few more audio clips. They have chopped the tapes and you'll hear one response and then in the next episode you'll find out it was actually the response to a different question and you don't really know if the answers they put up are from that actual conversation and I do not know why they would have mixed the recordings up like that. False accusations mentioned such as a perversion with his mother and a heart on the stove. I did not care for the podcast group they had as speakers. They were unnecessarily vulgar and making jokes, laughing and being disrespectful, childish and very inappropriate in their comments. Very few speakers with actual credibility, and half of them almost seemed to have a fascination with Ed Gein himself rather than the psychology behind his behavior. I felt like this could have been one film. Very repetitive and would have been better with less random discussion by irrelevant people and more of the true consistent recordings and actual photos or video recordings. Full of peoples different interpretations of who Gein was, disappointed.

It was ok

[jamespetenbrink · 5/10 · 13 October 2023]

As soon as I heard about this series I went and subscribed to mgm+ immediately. To think I was gonna finally hear ed geins voice after all these years. It wasn't what I had hoped for though. It was still interesting to hear Ed's voice but he said "thats right" 50% of the time. There were some photos I had never seen before like the house being burnt down some of thr pics that a neighbor took of it. The series could of easily been 2 shows not 4. They said the same thing over and over at times. Plus the last podcast on the left especially the toolbag in the middle, I think his name was Henry really tried their hardest to make me hate this show cause they brought nothing to it.

I can already tell reviews will be all over the 1-10 rating

[bigchart · 21 September 2023]

Ed Gein... oh boy... you meet people who have no clue who he is. Then you meet people that sound like they are fan boys. There is so much about this man and this case that absolutely answer why this all is.

You have to take into account the details of the crimes (which are also wildly all over the spectrum from gruesome reality to Hollywood fantasy), and the time in which they occurred. They will always be pretty rough, but its laughable that movies like TCM & SotL were "inspired" by him. And what's worse is that MANY times people are obviously WAY more familiar with the movies than they are the man, sometimes, once again, not even knowing who Ed Gein is.

From STRICTLY a psychological standpoint, everything involving Gein is fascinating, as many of the conditions that serial killers display can be used to look at/study him. And that's not counting other issues he had without the murders, like how he was likely what you'd call a slow adult, mentally incompetent, etc.; but a decade later that was revisited and the decision to not stand trial on those conditions was reversed. Then you have all the trauma he faced growing up with an alcoholic father and more or less crazy, bible thumping, isolationist mother.

Finally, and i GUESS THIS MAY BE CALLED SPOILERS so PROCEED WITH CAUTION.... He stood trial on 2 murders, with some decent contradictory accusations of how many more he was suspected to be responsible for, including his own brother The point is, you can never really tell what movie, show, series, etc., that you're watching will be accurate, over the top, have an agenda, etc. So far, seems like this show is kinda doing what I described this entire case as exhibiting, and that's I guess "running the gamut" of all the stuff that has kept this man's name, crimes, and lasting ramifications: some facts, some truth stretching, some horror elements, sone lingering questions, some speculation, but all in the name of what we ALL WANT when we turn on the TV--- ENTERTAINMENT.

Just keep the ENTERTAINMENT level up so that we dont decide to not finish the series, but also enough so that we also go and do our own research.

Entertainment + audience anticipation + self study is the formula for a successful Hollywood production.

Interesting topic with too much filler

[roakie72 · 6/10 · 21 October 2023]

Like a lot of these shocking docu-series, you realize the producers do all they can to stre-e-e-e-etch 90 minutes worth of material into four hours, and it really dilutes the finished product. The premise is a bit shaky, in that we're never told why these "lost tapes" have never been heard, not even by Gein's biographers. We're just supposed to accept that they are unearthed treasures. The tapes are somewhat interesting but anticlimactic because Gein doesn't have much to say. We hear from a few experts, a few interesting people who actually knew Ed Gein, a good cross section of contributors, and three sophomoric podcasters who, I guess are there for color but seem to think the whole topic is one big joke and end up dumbing down the documentary significantly. All the while, we see the same stock footage and hear the same audio clips over and over, even within the same episode. If all that superfluous filler had been trimmed it could have been an interesting and tight project. Not bad overall, but way too long.

More exaggerated sensationalization.

[schapart · 2/10 · 18 September 2023]

This is yet another so called "documentary" that relies on over-the-top dramatization to present a topic that would be so much more interesting if the filmmakers respected their audience. Notice all of the sinister background music. Why not just call it a horror film? Not to mention there is misinformation, and certain common rumors are presented as though they were true. One example is with the alleged occurrence of a human heart being found on Gein's stove in a frying pan. This is simply not true. The heart was found in a plastic bag on the floor near the stove. When Gein speaks you can barely hear his voice and these moments in the show are few and far between. Rather than forking out money for MGM+ go on YouTube and find a real Ed Gein Interview for free.

What is the problem with the narrators?

[TheArchies · 4/10 · 2 October 2023]

There is some interesting information - but is it enough, and compelling enough to put up with the annoying older pontificating gentlemen and their monotone lazy tongue speak? Nope. I made it thru almost two episodes before I just could no longer take it. And then they intermittently throw in a couple of younger bloggers and commentors, who try to dredge up excitement for this "fantastic find ", but fall exceptionally short and then they look exactly as they are - a little too happy to be included in this pile of nonsense with no substance to add to the conversation. Not really worth watching.

Best Ed Gein Documentary Yet!

[ArtVandelay72 · 10/10 · 19 September 2023]

I am basing this review solely off of the first episode! (I'm not going to go into any parts of the case) I've been intrigued by Ed Gein ever since I found out 3 of my favorite horror movies were based off of him i.e Silence of the Lambs, Psycho, and The Texas Chainsaw Massacre! I have seen all of the other Ed Gein documentaries and specials but none of them hold a candle to this series! It is well produced, the reenactments aren't cheesy like the other documentaries you'd see on TV, and and the guest speakers come from different backgrounds. This doc is gritty and doesn't shy away from all the evidence and facts that happened (though some statements they make are based on conjecture like him possibly being a cannibal but in the documentary they explain their reasonings for coming to those conclusions). To be honest, if you know about Ed Gein and everything that happened around the case, I would wait til all 4 episodes are out use the free trial to MGM+ or pay 5.99 to binge watch this series but if you don't know anything and want to go in blindly, I would start watching them immediately! This case will certainly shock you (to say the least). The recordings themselves are not the best quality but again they've been buried since the 1950's (although I'm sure you can find the transcripts online). There's also a lot of photographs of the crime scene and of Ed himself that I have NEVER seen before. To hear this man's voice for the first time surprised me, it really makes this case much more real and grounded. The acts ups tapes are sprinkled throughout the documentary to keep you hooked. Ed Gein was an interesting specimens to say the least.

Waste of time

[Spookylicious · 1/10 · 27 September 2023]

There are barely 10 questions heard from this said "tapes".

And they are the bad interrogation kind.

Investigator: "so you did this and that and such" Ed: yeah... I guess Investigator: And how did you feel when doing so. Did you feel this way and that, right?

Ed: yeah.

LET THE CRIMINALS EXPLAIN THEMSELVES.

How are we supposed to understand and get anything from their rotted brains if you just keep asking with the answers you want to get, just for them to give you a YES OR NO.

Useless investigators that don't get how conversations work shouldn't be doing the questioning.

If you just ask with an answer you're just putting the answer in their head and they will give you just that.

In this 2 EPISODES you don't get ANYTHING from Ed. You don't discover anything new. Everything is said by the "investigator" and all the guests which take part of most of the runtime.

And everything said has already been told and speculated a million times.

I don't know what was the point of any of this.

Best Gein Documentary so far

[planeofshadow · 10/10 · 30 October 2023]

The lost tapes didn't play a big part in the series. That being said, the documentary as a whole was great.

The Next Pod Cast on the Left crew were great as always. They are entertaining and knowledgeable.

The crime scene photos were shown to get a grasp of the true nature of what happened. I watch true crime all the time and after two episodes I had to take a break. It was gruesome to say the least. I learned far more about Ed Gein than I ever had. To see the body parts in boxes, the furniture made of human skin and to see the lady tied up like a deer and gutted was insane. If you can get past that, it's the best Ed Gein doc by far.

Skip the speculations

[Viking-GS-7132121 · 3/10 · 26 September 2023]

I wanted to like it and some parts were good but there's to much Speculations from bloggers and podcasters that say what they think happened without any prof that happened and it's been over 50 years so i assume that if it had merit it would be facts by now cause this is the most researched serial killer in history. It's hard to take it serious when the "experts" are 3 podcasters or someone that found about about Ed by mistake and than wrote a book. But if you can ignore that i would still recommend it because of the new tapes.and fotagedes it adds to the story that hasn't been known previously.

Distractingly over produced

[Djpolofish · 3/10 · 4 October 2023]

This could have been an interesting series listening to the tapes and revisiting some of horrors from the Geins case. Instead we have an overly produced mess with loud overly dramatic music that makes you feel like you're watching a low budget horror movie.

It seems more like an experiment to see if they could make a series with very limited new material. What we have shows that MGM thinks that dramatic music will hide how poorly researched and put together this docuseries is, repeated half truths that have been corrected over time are in here, the entire series feels lazy.

A frustrating and annoying watch.

Avoid at All Costs!

[chaplaindad · 1/10 · 26 September 2023]

There are truly no words to adequately chastise those responsible for this series. It is one thing to create a documentary that reveals Ed Gein through his own words. But that is not what this film series is about. Instead it is a vehicle intended to shock viewers and to dehumanize Gein's victims by showing graphic crime scene photos and starkly realistic recreations of disemboweled, beheaded, dismembered loved ones. Only an inhuman sickness of the mind and heart could compel anyone to create or want to display before others such craven sadism. The creators could have given us a truly intriguing dive into the mind and motivations of Gein by sticking to historical facts and professional insights. The gore is totally unnecessary. It clearly is added to shock and to deeply disturb. While the discussions by the researchers and psychologists are meaningful (the only part that has merit), the glibness of the podcast members, authors, and others (including, no kidding laughter at Gein's crimes) is almost as diabolical as Gein's utter disregard for those he so violently victimized. Yes, there are warnings to viewers that may be sensitive to such material. However, there isn't anyone that wouldn't be traumatized to some degree by the abominations that are shown. Tellingly, the end of the first episode offers crisis hotline information for those who may need to talk after viewing the film. In so many words, the creators are acknowledging their purposeful intent to traumatize viewers by offering the "help" after the damage has been done: they are both cause and cure, except it will be nearly impossible to unsee and wash clean from one's humanity the devastation the filmmakers have wrought. Steer clear of this series.

Don't believe some of these reviews!

[sublimecreators · 8/10 · 10 February 2024]

Because if you enjoy the horror genre as much as I do, you want to see this documentary. This is one of the best if not the best depiction explanation and exploration of Ed Gein that's currently available. No other documentary telling his story is going to provide you with his actual words in his voice. Yes his voice, for the first time in all of these years, this is the only documentary that's been able to allow you to hear the voice of the most impactful killer of all time. His influence will live in infamy. They have actual raw uncut footage, videos, documents pictures,letters etc. It's a 8.5.

Fascinating subject handled very poorly

[peter-p-scherr · 3/10 · 9 October 2023]

Ed Gein, often considered the prototypical serial killer before the concept gained widespread recognition, has left an indelible mark on popular culture. His gruesome actions have served as inspiration for numerous movies, shows, and books, most notably contributing to the creation of the Norman Bates archetype.

This series delves into Gein's early life, shedding light on his upbringing and the dynamics with his parents, with a particular focus on his relationship with his mother. However, the narrative takes a somewhat scattered approach, jumping from one intriguing event to another, interspersed with macabre commentary from various bloggers and fanboys. The excessive enthusiasm displayed by these individuals upon hearing Gein's long-lost voice recordings from police interviews can be a bit overwhelming.

Perhaps a more effective approach would have been a dramatization that carefully pieces together the story from its beginnings, allowing the events to unfold without the overshadowing influence of overly exuberant fan perspectives. Not worth it.

Really poorly done

[infernoguyrules · 1/10 · 10 October 2023]

This is the most pointlessly over-long thing i've ever tried to watch. The details of the story take about an hour to tell on their own, absolute max, but the whole first episode is just the same 4 people repeating in different ways "Was this guy nuts? In my opinion yeah, guy was totally absolutely nuts to the max that you can be nuts, if there was ever a guy more nuts than Gein I'd still only have Ed Gein as a frame of reference and I'd exclaim 'thats guys ED-GEIN-NUTS' and he'd reply "No, I'm actually more nuts" and I'd say "Prove it" and if he tried, it'd take his whole life,I'd never really believe him. Thats what i think about Ed Geins level of crazy" Its literally that stupid. I skipped most of this and i wish i'd skipped more, I regret everything about this being made. They literally got 3 guys from a podcast to sit down and give their opinions about the guy. Why?

People, This Is A Deep Fake, AI Generated BS !!!

[cantrelayne · 1/10 · 26 September 2023]

People out there honestly believe that in the last 66 years 'someone' 'unearths' a 'never - heard - before' recording of Ed Gein? Especially after 'Psycho?' People honestly think Alfred Hitchcock wouldn't have exploited that if it was real, really? All the supposed people on the 'tape' are long dead. Then people believe that an actual tape that is 66 years old and has not been stored properly {'unearthed'} is retrievable? No degradation, seriously? No pops, no hissing, no distortion, really? It would be dust if it was not stored in very specific perimeters. There is no authentic verification of these three voices. None. Digital conversion can do a lot, however there is even more it CANNOT do for a 66 year old 1/4" short reel, and that's IF it was in PRISTINE condition! It only took 7 minutes into the first episode to know this is a deep fake.

The facts are not even correct. Gein was a grave robber, there was no evidence to support anything outside of 2 murders. Gein was not a genius, and building him up to hero worship status that this mockumentary clearly does is almost worse than what he did, especially by the 'author'. It is clearly AI reading case notes and police reports 'in the style of law enforcement questioning a suspect circa 1957.' Dragnet is more authentic than this. Sadly there are too many people out there that will believe this is real. There is nothing new here except sick egos making money off a clinically diagnosed mentally ill 'human', 2 humans that were murdered and 9 human remains that were violated/ abuse of corpses {and all their family members' pain}. There is a reason the farm was burnt to the ground. How would you feel if it was your family member?

Fake AI tapes...here's the proof!

[moundbuilderart · 1/10 · 3 October 2023]

Sensationalist tabloid trash, and what's worse is that it isn't even Gein speaking. I live in Wisconsin, not far from where this happened. I have been researching this case for over 40 years. In that time, I found one piece of footage showing Gein speaking to a reporter. Sounds nothing like these tapes.

The timeline is off, the men who were interviewing Gein in the show never did, and weren't present at the time of his arrest. The timeline from when he was arrested at the Hill residence to when Joe Willimovsky of the Wisconsin Crime Lab arrived to question him is well documented. There is no time when this could have occurred as the director said in an article about this documentary.

Furthermore, I personally know the family of the late judge whom the director supposedly got the tapes from. They have no idea what this guy is talking about. Nice song and dance, but it's not true, at all. This is AI created. I'm sure they used the actual interrogation transcript for ideas on what to put together. Similar in parts, others wildly different.

All in all, poorly done, little credibility, and "experts" that are crude and insensitive about the subject matter. News flash, Gein was a human being with serious mental illness, and families of his victims still live in the area.

I :edit

[Headturner11 · 1/10 · 30 September 2023]

Thought there was going to be some huge revelation or something? No, the only thing is this "tape"? I swear I've heard him interviewed before like 20 years ago in something I watched on him? Also it sounds fake and like it was made for a movie or something because the main detective talking sounds like a scripted old style voice ( like they all spoke in old movies} also ( I turned it off in like 15 minites because everyone talking sounded to upbeat/excited and it's like it's made for millenials. Even in that short time it erased all the really creepy, disturbing stuff I'd seen before because they treat the material like it's funny. And the main guy( who somehow got a hold of a tape that supposedly never existed has like zero credibility. I don't even know what I was expecting but not this and I'm tired of all the documentaries coming out on things that had been done before sand better!

I wanted to edit after googling a bit and finding out these tapes that were acquired by this James buddy had been in a safe for like 50 plus years and the person in possession of these tapes( they had in a safety deposit box? Why weren't they logged into evidence and how were they not lost if they've existed this long and why give them to some guy all this time later. Yeah lacks all credibility. Should say at the beginning a fake tape we made or what have you!

Content for one episode stretched to four

[Skreee · 3/10 · 6 December 2023]

The "new recordings" are repeated over and over, the same few pictures are shown over and over. The tapes mostly have Gein say "yeah, I guess" and "I don't know really" (paraphrased). It's only interesting because it shows how much the interviewer himself is putting things in Gein's mouth. It's nice to see interviews of some of the people who met Gein or live or lived in the town, but all in all it's a waste of time.

Most baffling is how they used "AI" to animate some of the black and white photographs they have of Gein in prison, when they later see show actual filmed material. Silly. It ads nothing and only distracts.