Henry: Portrait of a Serial Killer (1986)

User Rating:

7.2/10   

Director:

John McNaughton

Writers:

Richard Fire (written by) &
John McNaughton (written by)

Release Date:

September 1990 (USA)

Genre:

Crime | Drama | Horror | Thriller

Tagline:

Yeah, I killed my Mama...

Plot:

Based on the true life serial killer, Henry Lee Lucas.

Plot Keywords:

Murder | Serial Killer | Prostitute | Graphic Violence | Video Footage

Awards:

9 wins & 7 nominations

Cast

Mary Demas	...	Dead Woman / Dead Prostitute / Hooker #1
Michael Rooker	...	Henry
Anne Bartoletti	...	Waitress
Elizabeth Kaden	...	Dead Couple - Wife
Ted Kaden	...	Dead Couple - Husband
Denise Sullivan	...	Floating Woman
Anita Ores	...	Mall Shopper #1
Megan Ores	...	Mall Shopper #2
Cheri Jones	...	Mall Shopper #3
Monica Anne O'Malley	...	Mall Victim
Bruce Quist	...	Husband
Erzsebet Sziky	...	Hitchiker
Tracy Arnold	...	Becky
Tom Towles	...	Otis
David Katz	...	Henry's Boss

Runtime:

83 min | Australia:77 min | Norway:78 min | Sweden:78 min | Italy:75 min (edited for TV)

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Certification:

New Zealand:(Banned) (uncut) | New Zealand:R18 (cut) | Australia:R | Finland:(Banned) (1992) | Finland:K-16 (cut) (1998) | Finland:K-18 (cut) (1997) | Finland:K-18 (cut) (1992) | Canada:18+ (Quebec) | Finland:K-18 (uncut) (DVD rating) (2001) | Argentina:18 | Chile:18 | France:-16 | Ireland:18 | Netherlands:16 | Norway:18 | South Korea:18 | Sweden:15 | UK:18 | USA:Open (rating surrendered: 1989) | USA:X (original rating: 1988) | West Germany:18 | Iceland:(Banned) (video rating) | Iceland:16 (original rating) | Italy:VM18 (1992)

Filming Locations:

Austin, Texas, USA

Company:

Maljack Productions

Trivia:

Bizarrely, the origins of this film are to be found in a never-made documentary about professional wrestling. Director John McNaughton had worked for the Ali brothers (Waleed B. Ali & Malik B. Ali) as a delivery man with their video equipment rental business during the late 70s, and Waleed and McNaughton had always vowed to make a film together at some stage in the future. Several years later, the Ali brothers hired McNaughton to direct a documentary about organized crime in Chicago entitled Dealers in Death (1984). The film was well received and turned a profit, and the brothers were happy with McNaughton's directorial work. As such, they hired him to shoot a second documentary, this time about the professional wrestling in Chicago. A collection of previously thought lost VHS tapes showing wrestling in Chicago during the 1950s had been unearthed, and the brothers had agreed to purchase the tapes from the owner for use in the documentary. However, when the brothers went to buy the tapes, the owner doubled his price at the last minute, and the brothers pulled out of the deal. Waleed then had the idea to use the money set aside for the documentary to instead make a feature film, and he kept McNaughton on as director, offering him $100,000 to make a horror movie. Waleed didn't care what the film was about, he just wanted something in the horror genre. McNaughton had no idea what to write about until he saw an episode of the show "20/20" (1978) about Henry Lee Lucas, and he decided that his subject matter was not going to be a demon, a monster or an extra terrestrial, but a normal human being.

Goofs:

Revealing mistakes: Some obvious matte lines are seen in the film from time to time.

Quotes:

Becky: I don't want to talk about Leroy!
Otis: Okay, we don't have to talk about him! You hungry?
Becky: Yeah.
Otis: Good, I'm hungry too. I wonder if Leroy's hungry. (laughs)

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "Mystery Science Theater 3000: Attack of the the Eye Creatures (#5.18)" (1992)

Soundtrack:

Callin' Colleen

A realistic portrayal of a serial killer.

Henry Lee Lucas was the son of a prostitute and a railway worker.His mother seems to have detested the child and treated him with sadistic cruelty.In January 1960 he murdered his mother during the course of a quarrel,slashing at her with a knife.He was sentenced in a forty years in prison,but was recommended for parole after ten years.After that he met another drifter Ottis Toole.The two teamed up and left a bloody trail through Michigan,Ohio,Indiana,Illinois and Wisconsin.When Lucas was arrested he confessed to a total of three hundred and sixty murders(many of these admissions proved to be false).Both-Lucas and Toole-were sentenced to death."Henry:Portrait of a Serial Killer" is a pretty good film.Michael Rooker as a psychopathic killer is really believable.The supporting cast is also great.The scene when Lucas and Toole watch themselves murdering a family,who they tie up and kick to death,is very disturbing.A must see for any fan of the genre.Check it out,you won't be disappointed.