Henry: Portrait of a Serial Killer (1986)

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

Director:

John McNaughton

Writers:

Richard Fire, John McNaughton

Stars:

Mary Demas, Michael Rooker, Tracy Arnold

9 wins & 7 nominations.

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

Storyline

Henry likes to kill people, in different ways each time. Henry shares an apartment with Otis. When Otis' sister comes to stay, we see both sides of Henry; the "guy-next-door" and the serial killer. Low budget movie, with some graphic murder scenes.

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Plot Keywords:

murder | serial killer | prostitute | rape | nude woman murdered | 

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Taglines:

before "The Silence of the Lambs" comes the most highly acclaimed and controversial film of the year."

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Genres:

Biography | Crime | Drama | Horror | Thriller

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Certificate:

Unrated

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

September 1990 (USA)

Also Known As:

Henri, portret serijskog ubice

Filming Locations:

Austin, Texas, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$111,000 (estimated)

Gross:

$609,939 (USA)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Maljack Productions

Technical Specs

Runtime:

83 min 75 min (edited for TV)

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Director John McNaughton and actor Tom Towles both considered the character of Ottis to be a comic buffoon, and they consciously presented the character in a darkly humorous manner. Interestingly, Towles', a former US marine, formal training was in improvisational comedy, not dramatic acting.

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Goofs

Just after Becky buys a newspaper and sits down to read, a vehicle goes past and we see a camera on a tripod to the far right of the shot.

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Quotes

Henry: It's always the same and it's always different.

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Crazy Credits

Special Thanks to: Tony the Cop James Marks Family The Edward Dedmond Family

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Connections

Featured in Violence and the Censors (1995)

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Soundtracks

"Lavalite Waltz"
Written by Dan Haberkorn (as D. Haberkorn)
Performed by Dan Haberkorn

User Reviews

Is this a film to acclaim or condemn?

In 1960, Michael Powell committed professional suicide by directing and producing "Peeping Tom," a thriller in which a psychopathic murderer photographs his victims at the moment of death. Denounced as sick and without redeeming social value, "Peeping Tom" vanished from theaters, while its director, also denounced as sick, went on to make only two more films in the next eight years. Powell's film has gone on to attract an avid cult following and, if it hasn't done so already, so will "Henry: Portrait of a Serial Killer."

Loosely based on the real life exploits of Henry Lee Lucas, a leering, low IQ sicko who became a media star after claiming to have murdered several dozen people (some believe Henry was bragging), this film takes a gritty, realistic approach that creates the impression that we are watching real life unfold. Director John McNaughton exploits the discomfort the viewer is inclined to feel by presenting a scene in which Henry and his equally vicious former cellmate, Otis, videotape the rape and murder of one of their victims, then play it back for further amusement. This shocking episode effectively makes the point that those who seek second hand thrills through violent "entertainment" are almost as guilty as the perpetrators of such deeds. By casting anonymous non-stars in the leading roles (not that he had a choice considering the budget and the repellent subject matter), and focusing entirely on the exploits of the killers (there are no scenes of police investigating the crimes or peeks into the lives of the victims), McNaughton has created a brutal, amoral horror film that makes the bloodiest gorefest look benign. Although the real Henry was apprehended, his cinematic counterpart is never even suspected of his crimes, and gets off scot-free.

Is "Henry" a film to acclaim or condemn? It's a difficult question to answer, and I, for one cannot make a decision. It is so expertly made that I think McNaughton deserves a round of applause and maybe an Oscar. But, at the end of the video tape of the film that I watched, there was a commercial hawking "Henry" T-shirts ($14.98) and posters ($7.98). Both were available through "Henry Merchandising," and this attempt to turn this all too real murderer into a cult figure deserving of a fan club is despicable.