Mrs. Gein?
Adeline!
Ah! Mother! Mother!
I know what you are.
I know what you are!
Sit down.
What are these for?
Well, they're for you.
You're the one who's been stealing my bra and panties, aren't you?
I know how many you've taken. I order them from Sears and Roebuck.
There's something real dark about you, Eddie Gein.
Yeah, well, it takes one to know one.
Well, you're right about that.
But you haven't been honest with me, Eddie.
So I'm going to give you one last chance to be truthful.
And if you're not honest with me, God as my witness, we're through.
I saw that dead body, Eddie.
Is that your mother's body?
No, it's not her.
Tell me the truth.
I am.
Where'd you get it?
Dug it up.
Why?
I guess I was interested.
She told me she just needed the bones.
-Who did? -Mother.
So that's what you call the dead body now?
Yeah. I mean…
That's her. That's Mother. She…
She's inside it.
I don't know how to describe it.
That body is Mother.
I understand.
You sure are a macabre one, Eddie Gein.
What was it like the first time you touched the flesh?
Well… it was pretty fresh.
She'd only been dead a week.
Once I saw a Weegee photo.
Somebody jumped off the Brooklyn Bridge,
and when they found the body,
the face was all smashed in like a jack-o'-lantern on Devil's Night.
Her face looks splattered like that.
Is that how she died?
No.
Died regular, I think.
I don't know why people get so persnickety about death.
Ashes to ashes, dust to dust. Just like it says in the Bible.
Nothing human disgusts me.
I think if a human can do it,
it's fascinating.
And, of course, you want to take these with a meal.
Yeah, yeah. Yeah. Just give them to me, Albert. Thank you.
Are you all right?
Oh.
Yeah, I forgot you were there.
Yeah, I'm fine. Don't mind me.
Just came in for more lime.
Oh.
What on earth do you need so much lime for?
-Well, I had another heifer die. -Oh.
-This was a young 'un. -Yeah.
Almost a calf, like.
Well, lime speeds up the decomposing.
That'll be, uh, 29 cents, if you please.
Oh, shoot.
I only have a quarter.
-I'll put some back. -Oh, Eddie.
I can cover the difference.
-I'll be sure to pay you back. -Oh, don't bother.
You're always such a bright light walking in here.
You're the only person
who's ever kind to me.
-That's not true. -It is. It is!
And true kindness always makes me cry.
Yeah.
Look at me.
My nerves… are fraying.
I'm coming apart at the seams.
Oh…
-You do look a little pale. -Yeah.
-Have you eaten anything? -I don't have an appetite.
I don't remember the last time I've eaten with…
with the pills the doctor's given me.
But it's done wonders for my figure.
I'd say.
I haven't been this slim since I was a schoolgirl.
But I'm just so nervous all the time.
Well, I'll tell you what.
How about you close up for an hour and I'll take you to supper?
What?
Oh, no, Eddie.
I just took your last quarter.
Well, I'll take you to the pharmacy. I got credit there.
Come on. Can't leave a lady crying anyhow.
Let's get you some victuals.
You know what?
I will, Eddie Gein, I will let you take me.
Bernice Worden works too hard.
That's right.
In Jesus' name, amen.
Amen.
Good food, good meat, good God, let's eat.
Albert, can I get some more coffee?
So, as I was sayin',
I'm proud of my son,
sheriff's deputy and all that.
But he never comes to visit.
He has his own life now.
But I was 17 when I had him.
I was barely a woman,
but suddenly I had this baby, you know? I was trapped.
You're not eating your beefsteak.
Yeah, I… I just need a cigarette,
and then my appetite will come right back.
Mm.
Bernice, it seems like there's something wrong.
No, no, no, no. It's…
No.
I'm sorry.
It's just that you remind me of him.
-Your son? -No, Bert.
The man I was madly in love with.
-Oh. -He came into the store.
My husband Leon had been dead about a year.
He was looking for clinching nails, but he didn't know what size.
Well, I know everything there is to know about clinching nails.
And the next thing I knew, we'd talk for hours and hours
and we were madly in love
and he told me that he'd run away with me
if that's what I wanted
and I told him, "Bert,"
I says, "I cannot be a wanton woman."
"I've… I have a son who's deputy, for Lord's sake,
and this is my last chance. "I need this to be real."
"You know, I cannot be known as that Jezebel
who runs the hardware store."
So he did.
He did. He left his wife and he moved in with me.
He told her, "Trudy."
"Trudy, I'm in love with the woman from the hardware store."
"And I've never been happier."
And then what happened?
She drank bleach, Eddie.
She killed herself.
Oh, boy.
Do you happen to know where they buried her?
Just out of curiosity.
Oh, Eddie, the scandal of it.
He couldn't take the gossip, you know,
all the tongue wagging,
and everybody blamed me, of course.
"That loose nail lady," they started calling me,
and then he just left.
You know, poof, like that, he was gone.
And now I'm on these pills and I'm afraid if I don't take them,
I don't know what will happen to me.
I think I might crack up.
Are you admiring my bust, Ed Gein?
Sorry.
Oh, no.
No, don't apologize.
What kind of brassiere is that?
I've never seen one so lacy.
Yeah, Bert bought it for me.
Although it pains me to be reminded of that,
I still wear it.
Honor our love lost.
You think I could wear it?
I beg your pardon?
Can I?
Well…
Yeah.
Seeing as you've been so kind to me,
who am I to say no?
Oh.
You're just like him,
pushing me to be naughty,
pushing me to be wanton.
Smell it.
It has my perfume on it.
What an evening this has turned out to be, Eddie.
-I don't want it to end. -Well, it doesn't have to.
-Oh! -Oh.
I'm a little out of practice.
Well, slow and steady wins the race.
Sure does.
Oh, hi
Who's she?
Nobody.
I think I'm going to get us a soda pop.
All right.
Whoa!
Oh!
Two Cokes, please.
Hello.
She would make a wonderful couch.
Oh, Eddie.
This has been just magical.
I haven't skated in years.
You make me feel like a girl again.
-You are a girl, huh. Look at you. -No, don't.
You know what would make this better?
I had something once, really hit the spot.
I had some wine.
Well, if it's wine that you want,
Mr. Gein,
I know just where to get some.
Mmm.
Oh, yeah.
-Oh, yeah. -Oh, yeah.
That hit the spot.
-Oh, did it? -Mmm.
What spot did it hit, Eddie?
-Oh! -Hm?
What spot did it hit?
Yeah?
Oh, wow.
It's so nice.
Your turn.
Okay.
Well, you're a naughty one, aren't ya?
Did you put that on at the rink?
Do you like it?
Yeah, I do.
Come here.
You really mean it?
Yeah, come to mama.
If you pump me good, Eddie Gein,
I'll let you wear my panties.
Oh, that's a deal.
-Yeah? -Oh.
I'm gonna get my panties off.
Here they come.
And here they are.
Come on, Eddie.
-Okay. -Yeah.
Here I come.
Oh, yeah. Oh, yeah.
Oh, yeah.
Whoa! Oh!
Oh, Eddie!
Oh, that's good.
Come on, Eddie. Come on, Eddie!
Oh, yeah.
You can wear my panties.
Oh, sure you can. Ah!
Oh, Eddie. Ah.
Okay.
-Yeah, right. -Yeah.
-Here I come -There you go.
Oh, yeah.
Whoa! Whoa! Whoa! Oh! Ah!
Oh, Eddie. Eddie!
Whoa!
It's a bit tight, but
I think it looks nice.
Let me see.
Look at you.
Naughty little piggy.
So… what do we do now?
Well…
We go upstairs and
you give me a kiss and a cuddle
and we turn off the light and…
tomorrow you go home and pack your things
and you move in here.
-You'd want me to move in? -Of course.
It's all settled. You can't stay in that house of yours.
We could lay out to Mackinac Island
and live forever and ever… in the sun.
Lavender lake.
This has been the most magical day.
-Yeah. -Mmm.
Oh, wait.
What is it?
I think I've got to tell you something.
What?
I might be in love with somebody.
Another girl. I don't think you know her.
What do you mean "might be?"
Well, I think I was, and then…
I don't know.
Look at me. Look at me.
Don't look a gift horse in the mouth.
You run home and get packing. You're moving in, Eddie Gein.
You're mine!
-Yes, ma'am. -Yeah.
Yes, ma'am.
Mother, dear.
Hello, Mother.
Now I'm here to tell you something.
I'm leaving.
I'm moving in with a girl.
Not the one I brought home.
A different one. A lady, like you.
I think you'll like this one.
I know who she is.
And you expect me to tell you she's a whore and a Jezebel,
but you knew that already, didn't you? You don't need me to tell you that.
No, I have to face the fact that I raised you wrong.
Eddie, I'm a failure.
-That's not true. -Good Lord knows I tried.
You were blinded by lust, just like your brother.
And now here you're leaving me just like he did.
And you're breaking my heart just like he did.
I'll visit every day, twice a day.
No, no, no. You get out now.
You leave.
Leave your poor old mother all alone.
But I promise you one thing. That woman will betray you.
And so will the next one. They'll abandon you
just like you're abandoning me.
I'd never abandon you.
And all I ever did to deserve it was to give you my whole life.
-Only gave you everything I had. -Okay. It's decided.
-I won't go. -No, sir. You go.
Get out. Now.
You already broke my heart, so…
Don't make it worse by dragging it out.
-I don't want to leave you, Mother. -Well, you already have.
She's the town pump.
That hardware store lady. She's the town bicycle.
Everybody's had a ride.
She fornicated with a married man.
She drove a good Christian woman to suicide,
who's burning in hell for it now and for all eternity.
And you know what the devil made you do.
He's wily. He tricked you.
The devil works in mysterious ways. He blinded you.
He tricked you.
What do you mean?
Venereal disease.
She's the town mattress.
She's crawling with it. Now you're crawling with it, too.
-No, I'm not crawling. -I smell it on you.
It's sickly sweet.
Like the juice you squeeze from a blister.
So go run to her, Eddie, your devil bride.
Put a demon in that old dusty womb.
Brush the cobwebs off her saggy dugs.
Make the beast with two backs with your syphilitic bride.
He blinded you, Eddie.
The devil blinded you.
I can forgive you for it, but…
I don't know.
I'm not sure the Lord will.
Just a minute!
Oh!
I was wondering when you'd be coming by.
-Hello, Bernice. -Hey.
I was hoping we could have a chat.
Wait till you see what I got.
You're closing up?
Deer season starts today, so nobody be coming in anyway.
Well, that's why I got my Martin. I'm thinking of going out myself.
Don't go hunting today.
First day's always the day somebody gets shot, and…
I can't lose you, Eddie Gein.
What are you after back there now?
Oh, wait till you see!
Oh, we're drinking wine every day now, are we?
Of course.
It's what they do on Mackinac Island.
And I made cold-cut Italian sandwiches.
They're what we had that day.
Sipping wine on the shore.
But I'm done thinking about him.
Now,
all I think about is you.
Open it.
They're my favorite brassieres.
Before, I wouldn't have dreamed of parting with them,
but knowing that I'm giving them to you…
Well, I… I kind of liked it.
Okay. Thank you.
To us?
Bernice, there's something I need to tell you.
Yeah?
This needs to be the end.
What?
I talked to Mother, and she told me something.
About your venereal disease.
What on earth are you talking about?
Quiet, please.
This is hard enough.
You're spreading a pestilence around town,
and now I've got it.
I, I, I do not have venereal disease.
That is a vicious rumor.
It's spread by tut-tutting busybodies
who don't know the first thing about true love.
I said quiet!
You're spreading pestilence, and now you spread it to me.
I'm ruined!
No one's ever going to want me now.
It's just a rumor.
You should have told me anyhow!
-How you have a reputation. -I…
-Yes. -No.
Yes. And now you've brought shame on me.
That means that…
That means that I brought shame on her.
-Who? -Mother!
Why didn't I listen to her?
Why'd I let you seduce me?
Jesus Christ, Eddie.
Don't talk like that!
He's seeing me!
Fornicating with a divorced woman.
Drinking wine and eating these sinful cold cuts.
And you and your unmentionables!
You lured me in, Bernice.
You made me do something that I didn't want to do.
Bullshit, Eddie.
How'd I force you to fuck me?
You see, that's what I'm talking about.
I did every deadly sin and one day,
the skivvies and the fornicating and the wine!
So what? You'd rather be a mama's boy, is that it?
That woman, that poor woman,
she's going to burn in hell 'cause of you.
The bleach drinker.
-Get out! -I'm going.
And you're going to burn in hell too
if you're spreading around venereal disease willy-nilly.
I said, get out!
And give me back my brassieres!
What's taking you so long? You changed your mind?
Because it's too late.
I'm going to go deer hunting.
I'd like to look at that Martin.
Are you kidding me? No!
I can't kill a deer with a .22, Bernice.
You're still the proprietress of this store.
Do you want my business or don't you?
Look at it.
And you and I are done.
I really thought we had something.
I thought I had a chance of another life with you, Ed.
Oh, you remind me of him.
Same face,
same rippling arms.
Oh, makes me weak.
Weak and sad.
-How much is it? -Nineteen dollars.
Never mind then.
Get out of here.
I don't want to ever see you again.
You ain't gonna.
No shame in admitting that you're lost.
I'm not lost. I just gotta find my bearings.
How long is it going to take you to find your bearings?
Gonna be dark soon. I don't want to freeze to death.
Look.
If we just keep walking straight, we're going to find a road eventually.
And then we just take that straight into town.
Okay, but you do sound like somebody who's lost.
I'm just saying.
Look!
Oh! Thank God.
See?
I told you we weren't lost.
Uh…
Is there anybody in there?
I don't see anyone.
Hello?
We're coming in, all right?
We just gotta warm up and then we'll be on our way.
Hello?
I didn't want you to come in here.
Sorry to bother you.
We were out deer hunting and we lost our bearings.
Wondering if you couldn't tell us the best way back in--
-Travis. Look. -What?
You shouldn't be watching this.
I did something real bad.
Show me.
What I am about to show you, a lot of folks would scream.
I really hope you don't.
Is that a dare, Ed Gein?
It's this way.
Eddie, I can't see anything.
Did she struggle?
No.
She didn't see it coming, so…
No.
What do we do now?
That's not true. You're just trying to give me nightmares.
No, I'm not. Ask my dad.
Tobe! Jeff! Suppertime!
Uncle Bill.
Jeff said you knew the boogeyman.
Sure did.
He lived next town over.
Seemed like a normal guy, too.
Everybody liked him.
-Even babysat a kid I knew, even. -Bill, this isn't dinner conversation.
What did he do?
Tell him, Dad.
Well, he killed people.
Dug up dead bodies and cut them up and skinned them.
-Bill… -Wait. Why'd he skin them?
-He was making a suit. -Bill!
What'd he use?
-For what? -To cut them up.
A 1940 Lombard chainsaw.
Sleigh bells ring, are you listening?
In the lane, snow is glistening
A beautiful sight, we're…
Walking in a winter wonderland
Gone away is the bluebird
Here to stay is a new bird
Wait! Wait! Ah!
When it snows ain't it thrilling
Though your nose gets a chilling
We'll frolic and play the Eskimo way
Walking hand in hand
In a crazy winter wonderland
That's where you got the idea?
Yeah, it was Christmas time at Montgomery Ward
and I thought,
"Well, here's one way to make the line go faster."
That's far out, man.
But also, you know, the boogeyman, Ed Gein.
Who?
Ed Gein. I told you about him. The guy in Wisconsin.
Lived just down the road from my aunt and uncle.
Scared the shit out of me when I was a kid.
We interrupt this program for a special report.
Good evening, my fellow Americans.
Over the past several weeks, you have heard a number of reports
on TV, radio, and in your newspapers on the situation in Southeast Asia.
Hey, Sticky, you wanna turn that shit off, please?
No way, man. Nixon's going to get us out of Vietnam.
-You know, quit calling me "Sticky." -Hold on, so wait.
So you're telling me that this is a true story?
I mean, more or less. Didn't you read it? There's all that voiceover at the top.
Yeah, no, I read it.
But I thought that voiceover was just kind of like a big, you know,
a big middle finger to the man, you know.
It is, man!
That's what I want this film to be.
Let me ask you something.
What's the last movie you saw that did anything for you?
They're just white noise. They're just "Mah, mah, mah, mah."
Talk about opiate of the people, man. You know?
When I left Washington in January of 1961…
Like Big Brother there. Lying.
Telling us everything's going to be alright
when we can see the world's on fire.
…who died there.
Three hundred Americans were lost every week…
I want to scare people.
I wanna… shock the whole world.
I want to wake everybody up.
Yeah, man.
I dig that.
You see the movie Psycho?
-That was based on Ed Gein, too, his life. -Mm.
I saw it in film school, and you know what?
I was fucking bored.
All that shit about his fucking mom. Who cares?
One shot of Janet Leigh undressing. Where's the pussy?
There's a whole shower scene and not one shot of her pussy.
And here this guy, Ed Gein, was digging up bodies and fucking them.
Ed Gein
couldn't get over the pictures he saw of World War II.
World War II.
it drove him literally insane,
those images.
Can you imagine if he saw what we're doing in Vietnam?
Hamburger Hill.
My Lai.
People watch, and they don't feel anything anymore
about the violence, the depravity, the tuned in and turned up.
-Shh! -Yeah, man.
But, um, listen.
You can't really make a movie about a guy who massacres five people with a chainsaw.
Why not? They're mowing down whole villages and putting it on TV.
They're burning babies.
Yeah, I hear you. I hear you.
But, Tobe, where are we gonna get the money?
-Who's gonna let us make this? -Nobody's gonna let us.
We just make it. We just do it.
War is terrible.
I'm gonna die if I don't.
All right.
I guess we're making Headcheese.
No.
Headcheese ain't right.
It's called…
Texas Chainsaw Massacre.
I'm not trying to be a pain. It just stinks to high heaven in there.
I almost threw up.
I just didn't know they were gonna use real animals.
Ask him.
Hey, Tobe, can we talk for a second about the smell?
Tobe.
Makeup needs you to approve these masks.
Yeah, just a sec.
Geez, you want to hear an actor complain?
Give him a job.
How's that? What do you think?
-Oh, my God. -Shit.
-Wow. -Tobe, that's fucking scary.
No.
Leatherface has three masks.
He takes on the personality of each one.
There's the worker.
He does the butchering, he wears a smock, and he doesn't like to work.
He feels guilty, but he's scared of his family, what they'll do to him.
Then there's the matron.
She's a bit more pale.
She's got a white wig, and she's the mother of the house.
She feels most at home… in the kitchen.
She just wants to provide for everybody.
And then…
there's the pretty lady.
With my eyes
Wide open…
She was Ed Gein's favorite.
…I'm dreaming
He put on a dead woman's face.
He put her scalp on his head like a wig.
Close to my heart?
With my eyes wide open
I'm dreaming
You're with me now
Sharing a vow
Never to part
I'm so afraid to close my eyes
Afraid that I'll find
That this lovely thrill…
But, get this, he wasn't queer.
Because he liked fucking girls.
So…
What does that make you, Leatherface?
I'm a transvestite cannibal lesbian!
I'm not making the movie this country wants.
I'm making the movie it deserves.
They created it.
The ugliness, the violence,
the cruelty, the depravity, the lies.
We're humans, but we're not human anymore.
So, this is what they get.
Roll sound. Sound speed.
Fifty-six, take four.
-Roll camera. -Marker.
And action!
-Jerry! -Jerry!
Jerry!
Hey!
In-a-gadda-da-vida, honey
Don't you know that I'm loving you?
In-a-gadda-da-vida, baby
Don't you know That I'll always be true?
Oh, won't you come with me
And take my hand?
Oh, won't you come with me
And walk this land?
Please take my hand
Let me tell you now
In-a-gadda-da-vida, honey
Don't you know that I'm loving you?
In-a-gadda-da-vida, baby
Don't you know That I'll always be true?
Oh, won't you come with me
And a-take my hand?
Oh, won't you come with me
And a-walk this land?