'Monster: The Ed Gein Story: 'You need a strong stomach to sit through 8 episodes'

"If you're squeamish, I wouldn't advise you to watch it."

That's the word from Graeme Raubenheimer on Monster: The Ed Gein Story, that's proving to be another hit for Netflix.

The infamous murderer and grave robber (born in 1906) inspired many of Hollywood's most iconic on-screen killers, notably Norman Bates in the Alfred Hitchcock classic Psycho.

This is the third season of the American biographical crime drama anthology series Monster, created by Ian Brennan.

The first season focused on serial killer Jeffry Dahmer (The Jeffrey Dahmer Story) and the second on the murder case of the Menendez brothers (The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story).

Movie critic Gayle Edmunds says this latest season cannot be called a documentary, pulling quite a few fantasy stunts to get the story across, 'some of which are whoppers'.

You do need a strong stomach for this, particularly to sit through eight episodes, she concurs.

The story goes deep into Geiner's dysfunctional childhood Edmunds says, as he grows up with his 'overbearing and very religious' mother in a remote rural setting where he didn't get much exposure to other people's ideas or opinions.

He was however exposed tothe terrible crimes of genocide during World War II, she adds.

"They draw on all these elements of how he became so desensitised to death and so obsessed with it as well. Only a few murders were pinned on Geiner, but the chances are there were more."

Added to this grisly storyline, is Geinger's penchant for stealing bodies from graveyards and 'doing unmentionable things' to them.

It's a grim watch, says Edmunds, but it does feature very strong performances, particularly from its star, Charlie Hunnam.

Both Hunnam and producer Ryan Murphy have hit back at criticism that the series is a sensationalist telling of the story.

To listen to Gayle Edmunds in conversation with Graeme Raubenheimer on CapeTalk's Weekend Breakfast, click on the audio link below: