IMDb > Henry: Portrait of a Serial Killer (1986)
Henry: Portrait of a Serial Killer
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Henry: Portrait of a Serial Killer (1986) More at IMDbPro »

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Henry: Portrait of a Serial Killer (1986) -- Based on the true life serial killer, Henry Lee Lucas.
Henry: Portrait of a Serial Killer (1986) -- CineMagia.ro - Trailer (Flash)

Overview

User Rating:
7.2/10   8,551 votes
MOVIEmeter: ?
Up 33% in popularity this week. See why on IMDbPro.
Director:
John McNaughton
Writers:
Richard Fire (written by) &
John McNaughton (written by)
Contact:
View company contact information for Henry: Portrait of a Serial Killer on IMDbPro.
Release Date:
September 1990 (USA) more
Genre:
Crime | Drama | Horror | Thriller more
Tagline:
Yeah, I killed my Mama... more
Plot:
Based on the true life serial killer, Henry Lee Lucas. full summary | add synopsis
Awards:
9 wins & 7 nominations more
NewsDesk:
(29 articles)
Film Junk Podcast Episode #240: Where The Wild Things Are
 (From FilmJunk. 26 October 2009, 10:48 PM, PDT)

James Gunn’s Humanzee Is Ready For Delivery
 (From Beyond Hollywood. 13 October 2009, 7:34 AM, PDT)

User Comments:
A realistic portrayal of a serial killer. more (174 total)

Cast

  (Cast overview, first billed only)
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
more
Create a character page for: ?

Additional Details

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 more
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 more

Fun Stuff

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. more
Goofs:
Revealing mistakes: Some obvious matte lines are seen in the film from time to time. more
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)
more
Soundtrack:
Callin' Colleen more

FAQ

Did Henry really kill his mother?
Who are the five dead bodies seen early in the movie?
How much sex, violence, and profanity are in this movie?
more
15 out of 20 people found the following comment useful.
A realistic portrayal of a serial killer., 12 January 2001
9/10
Author: HumanoidOfFlesh from Chyby, Poland

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.

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