Drifter: Henry Lee Lucas (2009)

The true story of serial killer Henry Lee Lucas.

Director:

Michael Feifer

Writers:

Wood Dickinson, Michael Feifer

Stars:

Antonio Sabato Jr., John Burke, Kelly Curran

3 wins.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Antonio Sabato Jr.	...	Henry
John Burke	...	DA Farino
Kelly Curran	...	Becky
Kostas Sommer	...	Ottis
Rachel Ferrari	...	Female Victim (as Rachel J. Ferrari)
Kenneth W. Thornton	...	Man in Road (as Kenny Thornton)
Beth Shea	...	Olivia - Girl in Theater
Nino Simone	...	Billy - Guy in Theater
Jay Pickett	...	Officer Dollinger
Daniel Tostenson	...	Officer Miner
John Diehl	...	Sheriff Larabie
Caia Coley	...	Viola
Ezra Averill	...	Henry - 8 years old
Thomas Garner	...	Hennessey
Keleigh Averill	...	School Teacher

Storyline

The true story of serial killer Henry Lee Lucas.

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Plot Keywords:

serial killer | killer | character name in title | 

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Genres:

Crime | Horror | Thriller

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated R for violence, some aberrant sexuality and language

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

1 April 2009 (USA)

Also Known As:

Bloody Serial Killer

Filming Locations:

Llano, California, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$1,500,000 (estimated)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Feifer Worldwide, Renegade Pictures (I)

Technical Specs

Runtime:

91 min

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

At 14:40 of the movie there is a mugshot of a man on a Clipboard hanging below the map. That is actually a mugshot of the real Henry Lee Lucas.

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Goofs

When Henry is receiving shock therapy after his glass eye has been removed the actor's real eyeball is visible.

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Quotes

Henry: [referring to hitchhiker] Well, she ain't your type.
Ottis: But she sure is yours. I'll let you have her first.
Henry: Naw, I ain't too good with girls.
Ottis: She ain't a girl. She's just juicy white meat.

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Connections

References Frankenstein (1931)

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Soundtracks

Lonesome Blues
Written and Performed by Dana Ferandelli

User Reviews

Surprisingly mature biopic of the serial killer

HENRY LEE LUCAS: SERIAL KILLER is a modern B-movie retelling of the life of the infamous killer, originally played (to the hilt) by Michael Rooker in the unforgettable '80s movie HENRY: PORTRAIT OF A KILLER. Of course, this isn't on a par with that movie, but at least it does something entirely different. While the Rooker flick provided a realistic, slice-of-life portrayal of the killer at the peak of his infamous crimes, HENRY LEE LUCAS: SERIAL KILLER is a biopic told via annoying flashbacks (and forwards) that covers his entire life.

First off, the most surprising thing about this film is that Antonio Sabato Jr. (CRASH LANDING), a notable B-movie actor, actually gives a fine performance in the titular role. He plays Lucas as a hulking, scarred brute, who seems permanently stoned and given to unpredictable violence. At the same time he's charismatic to boot and certainly Sabato's performance outshines everyone else in the production.

For a low budget film, the production values for this are pretty decent, and I particularly enjoyed the exploration of Henry's childhood which sows the seeds for his latter day crimes. The best thing about the movie is that it doesn't dwell on the brutality of the crimes; the temptation for modern film-makers would surely be to sicken the viewer at every opportunity but this is surprisingly restrained, giving the production a mature feel as a whole.