Osgood Perkins Slams ‘Monster’ For “Netflix-ization Of Real Pain” After Father Anthony Perkins’ Depiction

As Ryan Murphy continues to make waves with his Netflix true-crime series, Osgood Perkins is calling out the latest season.

via: Pink News

In news that should surprise absolutely no-one, Ryan Murphy is being called out again over the latest instalment of his Monster series, which focuses on Ed Gein. This time the criticism is coming from Osgood Perkins, the son of Psycho star, Anthony Perkins.

Monster: The Ed Gein Story was released on Netflix at the beginning of October and sees Queer as Folk‘s Charlie Hunnam portray the real-life serial killer and body snatcher who served as the inspiration for The Texas Chainsaw Massacre and The Silence of the Lambs.

As well as exploring Gein’s story, Monster also explores the influence Gein’s crimes had, including on Alfred Hitchcock’s hit movie Psycho.

The depiction of Anthony Perkins (Joey Pollari) has already been criticised as “tasteless” due to the disturbing link drawn between Gein and Perkins.

In one scene Hitchcock (played by Tom Hollander) explains to Perkins why he cast him as Norman Bates, due to his closeted sexuality. “Gein had a secret,” Hitchcock explains. “A sexual function he could not express, and his inability to express his version of the sexual act turned inwards and transformed into sickness.”

“I chose you, because you alone understand this sickness. You have a secret Mr. Perkins, don’t you?” Hitchcock adds: “And this secret is making you sick. I had to cast you, Anthony. You’re like him.”

Perkins faced speculation about his sexuality for much of his career. The actor, who was closeted his whole life, was at one point in a relationship with Tab Hunter, who in his 2005 memoir, Tab Hunter Confidential: The Making of a Movie Star in which he discussed the pair’s relationship. Perkins also underwent ‘conversion therapy’ because of his sexuality, all of which is also played out in Monster.

Now, Osgood Perkins, the son of the Psycho star, has shared his take on the depiction of his father. Speaking to TMZ the younger Perkins said he hadn’t seen the show and “wouldn’t watch it with a 10-foot pole.” He also criticised streamers for profiting off true crime stories in the name of “glamourous and meaningful content.”

The Longlegs director added that culture is “increasingly devoid of context and that the Netflix-ization of real pain [ie the authentic human experiences wrought by ‘actual events’] is playing for the wrong team.”

Murphy’s latest season of Monster is not the first to draw a backlash from viewers. The two previous seasons, focused on Jeffrey Dahmer and then Erik and Lyle Menendez respectively also drew criticism.

The latter was criticised for glorifying true crime as well as sexualising the brothers’ relationship with each other. Erik even called out Murphy, complaining about how he was depicted. Murphy responded saying the Menendez brothers should be thanking him for the interest in their case that he generated.

All episodes of Monster are available on Netflix.