Henry: Portrait of a Serial Killer (1986)

Henry, a drifter, commits a series of brutal murders, supposedly operating with impunity.

Director:

John McNaughton

Writers:

Richard Fire, John McNaughton

Stars:

Michael Rooker, Tracy Arnold, Tom Towles

9 wins & 8 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

Loosely based on serial killer Henry Lee Lucas, the film follows Henry and his roommate Otis who Henry introduces to murdering randomly selected people. The killing spree depicted in the film starts after Otis' sister Becky comes to stay with them. The people they kill are strangers and in one particularly gruesome attack, kill all three members of a family during a home invasion. Henry lacks compassion in everything he does and isn't the kind to leave behind witnesses - of any kind.

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Plot Keywords:

murder | incest | murder of family | lead actor's first film | character name in title | 

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Taglines:

Yeah, I killed my Mama...

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Genres:

Biography | Crime | Drama | Horror | Thriller

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Certificate:

Unrated

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

7 September 1990 (USA)

Also Known As:

Henry, portrait d'un serial killer

Filming Locations:

Northbrook, Illinois, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$111,000 (estimated)

Gross USA:

$609,939

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

Actor Michael Rooker remained in character for the duration of the shoot, even off-set. He didn't associate or socialize with any of the cast or crew during the month-long shoot, and Director John McNaughton made sure Rooker was the only person on set to have a private dressing room. According to Costume Designer Patricia Hart, she and Rooker would travel to the set together each day, and she never knew from one minute to the next if she was talking to Michael or to Henry, as sometimes he would speak about his childhood and background, not as Michael Rooker, but as Henry. Indeed, so in-character did Rooker remain, that during the shoot, his wife discovered she was pregnant, but she waited until filming had stopped before she told him.

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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

TV Salesman: So what can I do for you, gentlemen?
Otis: Boy, it's hot in here. Isn't it?
TV Salesman: I'm kind of cold.
Otis: We want a TV.
TV Salesman: How much you got to spend?
Henry: [to Otis] What do you got?
Otis: Fifty bucks.
TV Salesman: [pointing to the B&W TV] I can let you have that set over there for fifty bucks.
Otis: Well, turn it on. We want to see if it works.
TV Salesman: What's the matter? Don't you trust me?
[...]

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Crazy Credits

Before the film begins the following can be read: "This film is a fictional dramatization of certain events. 'Henry' is not intended to be an accurate portrayal of a true story. The film is based partly on confessions of a person named Henry, many of which he later recanted. As to Otis and Betty, the film is fictional."

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Connections

Featured in The Borrower (1991)

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Soundtracks

Jukin
Written by T.K. Thady
Performed by Kid Tater and The Cheaters

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.