Ed Gein may not have the same household name notoriety as fellow Wisconsin native Jeffrey Dahmer, but both murderers left behind a cruel legacy of violence that would go on to inspire the horror genre. Nicknamed the Plainfield Ghoul, Gein was primarily a grave robber who collected body parts to desecrate in every way possible.
From clothing and jewelry made of skin to kitchen utensils carved from bones and salted body parts, Gein's home was like a macabre museum preserving his twisted trophies. While Leatherface is also a graverobber, he has a significantly higher kill count than Gein, who claimed just two victims. However, the killer's alarmingly nonchalant demeanor, human-skin masks, and presumed cannibalism heavily influenced the film's silent, flesh-wearing, chainsaw-wielding cannibal.
In addition to "The Texas Chainsaw Massacre," Gein's disturbing crimes served as inspiration for other legendary horror films like "Psycho" and "Silence of the Lambs." If you ask Hooper, though, the film isn't necessarily about Gein — it's about the meat industry.
