[13], Critical reception at the film's premiere was mixed, and the resulting debate over the film's themes and morality helped to raise its profile. The film was finally released uncut on DVD in Australia in 2005; in 2010 another DVD release was approved, apparently without cuts in New Zealand for the first time. ... you sustain trauma lol it wasn’t that bad but it definitely took a different take on serial killer films than i was familiar with or prepared for at the time, as someone else put it, … The ideal atmosphere is achieved in the movie. Henry: Portrait of a Serial Killer is a controversial 1986 film that follows the exploits of a serial killer named Henry. "Henry" was filmed during the winter of 1985-86 by a Chicago director named John McNaughton, on a budget of $125,000, using unknown actors from the free-wheeling Organic Theater Company. Henry then smashes a TV onto his head. Certification: The original poster artwork was a painting by Joe Coleman. Becky reveals that her father raped her as a teenager. [7] Ultimately, the film, along with Peter Greenaway's The Cook, the Thief, His Wife & Her Lover and Pedro Almodóvar's Tie Me Up! [14] The film's subsequent theatrical release was able to capitalize on the positive reviews it had received throughout its controversial festival showings, and its theatrical reception was more positive. Henry: Portrait of a Serial Killer. Henry (Neil Giuntoli) takes a thankless job at a port-o-john company where he meets husband and wife, Kai... See full summary ». In the US, in 2005 a special 20th Anniversary Edition two-disc DVD was released by Dark Sky Films. "[18] In a review from 1989, Variety wrote the film "marks the arrival of a major film talent" in McNaughton. It's like the blood droppings from a deer you shot, and all they've got to do is follow those droppings, and pretty soon, they're going to find their deer. Becky tells Henry her plans, and they decide to go out for a steak dinner. The opening 10 to 15 minutes are extremely effective, as we follow Henry (Michael Rooker) while he is on the prowl looking for his next victims. Henry was filmed in 1985 but had difficulty finding a film distributor. The film was directed by Chuck Parello and starred Neil Giuntoli as Henry with Kate Walsh and Penelope Milford in supporting roles.[28]. Otis begins to molest the mother's corpse until Henry objects. "[16] On Metacritic the film has a weighted average score of 80 out of 100, based on 22 critics, indicating "Generally favorable reviews. The score to the classic film Henry: Portrait of a Serial Killer is now available on vinyl for the first time since 1990. Henry: Portrait of a Serial Killer. Here are four documentaries from 2020 with powerful and unique takes on unraveling true crimes. Otis (Tom Towles), a drug dealer and prison friend of Henry's, picks up his sister Becky (Tracy Arnold), who left her abusive husband, at the airport. Afterward, she tries to seduce him, but a drunken Otis enters and asks if he's interrupting anything. Edit. Henry: Portrait of a Serial Killer is a 1986 American psychological horror crime film directed and co-written by John McNaughton, about the random crime spree of a serial killer who seemingly operates with impunity. That's a quality you don't see in movies very much. During their Christmas break, a group of sorority girls are stalked by a stranger. This DVD included a newly recorded commentary from McNaughton, a 50-minute making-of documentary, a 23-minute documentary about Henry Lee Lucas, 21 minutes of deleted scenes with commentary from McNaughton, a stills gallery, and the original storyboards. This culminated in positive attention from Roger Ebert at the Telluride Film Festival in 1989. At Henry's urging, Otis plugs in the damaged TV, electrocuting the man. Henry: Portrait of a Serial Killer is a 1986 American psychological horror film directed and co-written by John McNaughton about the random crime spree of a serial killer who seemingly operates with impunity. $89.25. McNaughton decided to film a fictional version of Lucas's crimes. Following successful showings during which it attracted both controversy and positive critical attention, the film was rated "X" by the MPAA, further increasing its reputation for controversy. [citation needed], In 1992, Electric Pictures submitted the pre-cut theatrical print of the film to the BBFC for home video classification, once again missing the shot of the dead woman. This controversial horror classic follows a serial killer and his partner-in-crime. The Ali brothers gave McNaughton $110,000 to make a horror film with plenty of blood. When Otis is punched in the face by a young teenage boy he tries to sexually assault while selling him marijuana, he complains to Henry that he wants to murder the boy. You wonder if he even IS a human, no living creature can be so awful.So, if you ask yourself all this during this movie, and I assure you will, you could say it's an excellent film. The character of Henry shares many biographical concurrences with Lucas himself. Sure, he's never honored with an Oscar or any other important price for his performance, but everyone who sees this movie knows it's true. But complications set in when the film crew lose their objectivity and begin lending a hand. One character you create a sort of band with. Based upon this, Universal decided to remove the shot entirely. Only the old horror movies from the 30's and 40's could do that. Waxwork Records is excited to present Henry: Portrait of a Serial Killer Original Motion Picture Soundtrack. Henry: Portrait of a Serial Killer is a 1986 American psychological horror crime film directed and co-written by John McNaughton, about the random crime spree of a serial killer who seemingly operates with impunity. When he fights back, Otis grabs a rope and starts to choke the man. The DVD contained a commentary from director John McNaughton (recorded in 1999), a censorship timeline, comparisons of the scenes edited by the BBFC with their original uncut version, two interviews with McNaughton (one from 1999, one from 2003), a stills gallery and a biography of Henry Lee Lucas (text). Otis goes for a drink while Henry returns to the apartment. While Becky is in a state of shock, Henry grabs the rat tail comb from her hand and brutally stabs Otis, murdering him, and then dismembers his body in the bathtub. It premiered at the Chicago International Film Festival in 1986 and played at other festivals throughout the late 1980s. [8] On March 30, it opened at the Angelika Film Center in New York and Austin, Texas, and grossed $17,888 for the weekend. Actually, when I first saw this film at the age of 9 ( Too young, I know) I thought this actor was in fact a real-life psycho. They then steal a high-end TV and a camcorder and return home undetected. Article. Later that night, as Henry and Becky play cards, Becky asks Henry about the murder of his mother, the crime that landed him in prison. Read full review While the film was inspired by Lucas' confessions, the vast majority of his claims turned out to be false. The mission of the movie itself has succeeded. The opening 10 to 15 minutes are extremely effective, as we follow Henry (Michael Rooker) while he is on the prowl looking for his next victims. Henry: Portrait of a Serial Killer is a terrifying look at the banality of evil. Heck, you even start to hate the girl... For being so naive that is.Although many persons are killed and many violence occurs, Henry certainly ain't a gore or bloody film. 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 … One of the most harrowing American horror films of the 20th century, Henry: Portrait of a Serial Killer returns in an immaculate presentation that cements this shocking and thought-provoking plunge into a nightmare of the human soul as a true cinema landmark. [3][4][5], Henry was shot on 16mm in only 28 days for $110,000, in 1985. Siskel & Ebert described it as "a powerful and important film, brilliantly acted and directed." The movie was filmed in 1985 but had difficulty finding a distributor. Henry talks with the same, aggressive tone of voice during the whole movie, his eyes seem to shoot fireballs when the camera looks like in them and his appearance makes you want to puke. Henry advises Otis that every murder should have a different modus operandi so the police will not connect various murders to one perpetrator. [citation needed]. Which of these debut films would you most like to watch (or watch again, if you've already seen them)? The film's theatrical premiere was on January 5, 1990 in Boston, where it grossed $50,504 during the weekend. Henry: Portrait of a Serial Killer isn't entirely successful, but it's admirable nonetheless. Indeed, Rooker remained so in-character, that during the shoot, his wife discovered she was pregnant, but she waited until filming had stopped before she told him. In February 2003, the BBFC passed the film completely uncut, and in March 2003 the uncut version of the film was officially released in the UK for the first time. A sequel, Henry: Portrait of a Serial Killer, Part II, was released in 1996. Later on, the pair watch a recording of a home invasion where they murder a family of three. MPI did not plan a theatrical release for the film. Complete your Robert McNaughton - Ken Hale - Steven A. Jones collection. He migrates to Chicago, where he stops at a diner, eats dinner and later murders the elderly proprietors of a liquor store. 96. Brad Shellady, "Henry: Fabrication of a Serial Killer". Maximize Share. A collection of vintage wrestling tapes had been discovered, and the owner was willing to sell them to the Ali brothers for use in the documentary. In January 1993, the BBFC again classified the film '18,' but the Board also removed four seconds from the scene where the TV salesman is murdered, meaning a total of 42 seconds were removed from the home video release. That evening, Henry and Otis pick up two prostitutes; Henry murders both of them by breaking their necks. Shot on 16mm and starring Michael Rooker, who's probably best known nowadays as Yondu Udonta in the Guardians of the Galaxy. It stars Michael Rooker as the nomadic killer Henry, Tom Towles as Otis, a prison buddy with whom Henry is living, and Tracy Arnold as Becky, Otis's sister. Although the title makes Henry: Portrait of a Serial Killer seem like a cut-rate slasher flick, the movie is actually one of the most disturbing and terrifying examinations of mass murderers ever filmed. The killing spree depicted in the film starts after Otis' sister Becky comes to stay with them. Additionally, Ferman re-edited the scene so that the reaction shot of Henry and Otis watching TV now occurred midway through the scene rather than at the end. 41 of 62 people found this review helpful. Such confessions also increased his fame with the public. In the car, Becky confesses that she loves Henry. $119.00 previous price $119.00 + $9.90 shipping. I advise everyone to see this movie, if they haven't already. Suspicions of infidelity soon give way to something much more sinister. Henry and Becky dump Otis's body parts in a river and leave town. A film crew follows a ruthless thief and heartless killer as he goes about his daily routine. It was shot on 16mm in less than a month with a budget of $110,000. In 1984, executive producers Malik B. Ali and Waleed B. Ali of Maljack Productions (MPI) hired John McNaughton, a former delivery man for their video equipment rental business, to direct a documentary about gangsters in Chicago during the 1930s. The four women Henry encounters outside the shopping mall were all played by close friends of McNaughton. Back at their apartment, Henry explains his code of immorality: the world is "them or us". According to the 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. A widower takes an offer to screen girls at a special audition, arranged for him by a friend to find him a new wife. Henry: It's like a trail of sh*t, Otis. Use the HTML below. Otis is convinced by Henry to abandon that grudge for fear of being caught if he harmed the boy and, bolstered by the thrill of their previous homicide, decide to go on a random serial-killing spree together. The man is rude and sarcastic and begins to ridicule them for showing up with "a lousy $50 bucks" and berate Henry and Otis when they refuse to buy his black-market goods. Who are the five dead bodies seen early in the movie. A woman starts exhibiting increasingly disturbing behavior after asking her husband for a divorce. Hate and disgust for Henry and for his companion Otis. The release went live this afternoon from Waxwork Records. HENRY II: PORTRAIT OF A SERIAL KILLER picks up where the original left off, with Henry (Neil Giuntoli, The Shawshank Redemption ) taking a room with husband and wife Kai (Rich Komenich, The Amityville Horror ) and Cricket (Kate Walsh, Grey’s Anatomy ). Loosely based on the life of Henry Lee Lucas, this is a raw, gritty and overall savage character study of a serial killer. The next day, Becky gets a job in a hair salon. The MPAA rated the film "X," which was popularly associated with pornographic films at the time.[6]. "[20], The film was recognized by American Film Institute in 2003 for their AFI's 100 Years...100 Heroes & Villains list. A puritan Police Sergeant arrives in a Scottish island village in search of a missing girl who the locals claim never existed. Was this review helpful to you? The total time cut from the film was thus 113 seconds. The shocking true story of Henry Lee Lucas. 2,037 likes. For example, in the scene where Becky emerges from the subway, two men can be seen standing at the top of the stairs having a heated discussion. Henry: Portrait of a Serial Killer Finished in 1986, the movie wasn't released until 1990, when it was greeted with both positive reviews and considerable controversy. They book a motel room for the night. Otis seemingly accepts and drops the argument. A businessman accidentally kills The Metal Fetishist, who gets his revenge by slowly turning the man into a grotesque hybrid of flesh and rusty metal. My Friend Dahmer Jeffrey Serial Horror Movie Mylar Banner Poster Small 2.5X11.5. [5], Because the production had so little money, they could not afford extras, so all of the people in the exterior shots of the streets of Chicago are simply pedestrians going about their business. Dark, melancholic, depressing...Director McNaughton really creates world you don't want to live in. The BBFC waived the four seconds cut from the murder of the TV salesman, and 61 of the 71 seconds from the family massacre scene (they refused to reinstate the 10 seconds of the scene where Otis molests the mother after she is dead). It's based on the real Texan serial killers Henry Lee Lucas and Otis Toole. It was considered too extreme and after being withdrawn, was replaced by the current official poster. Later when Otis makes an incestuous pass at Becky, Henry violently threatens Otis, who promises not to do that again. Dealers in Death was a moderate success, and was well received critically, so the Ali brothers kept McNaughton on as director for a second documentary about the Chicago wrestling scene in the 1950s. He stops at the side of the road to dump Becky's blood-stained suitcase in a ditch, then drives away. [15] Rotten Tomatoes, a review aggregator, reports that 87% of 61 surveyed critics gave the film a positive review; the average rating is 7.58/10. In the early 1990's, HENRY: PORTRAIT OF A SERIAL KILLER was taken for a second time by the Australian Customs Service. Seller 100% positive. Lucas was convicted of 11 murders, but law enforcement officers and other investigators have overwhelmingly rejected his claims of having killed hundreds of victims. Otis worries that the police might catch them, however, Henry assures him that everything will work out. Dave Kehr of the Chicago Tribune said it was "one of the ten best films of the year" and that it "combines Fritz Lang's sense of predetermination with the freshness of John Cassavetes. Lucas died in prison of heart failure on March 13, 2001. In 1988, MPI hired Chuck Parello, who worked to have the film be released in theaters. Due to the rating, Atlantic pulled out. If you know that and see this movie, you can ask some serious question about how disturbing some of our fellow humans are. Vestron was the first distributor to show an interest in the film, but they pulled out over home video distribution disputes with MPI and fears of a potential lawsuit due to the film's use of real names. View production, box office, & company info, Cool Stuff: ‘Henry: Portrait of a Serial Killer’ Gets a Blood-Smeared Vinyl Soundtrack, Michael Rooker Channels Rowdy Burns in Days of Thunder Throwback Photo, Chilling 1989 British Serial Killer Film Cold Light Of Day Available on Blu-ray From Arrow Video, The 25 Best Serial Killer Movies of All Time. The next morning, Henry leaves the motel alone, gets into the car and drives away without Becky. The woman hitchhiking was a woman with whom McNaughton used to work. Loosely inspired by the confessions, since recanted, of a self-described mass murderer named Henry Lucas, the film uses a slice-of-life approach to create a docudrama of chilling horror. Following further controversy over the rating, Greycat Films picked up the film for distribution after it screened at the Boston Film Festival in 1989. Henry Portrait of a Serial Killer (1986) is a dark and terrifying film. Becky quits her job so she can return home to her daughter. The film is not fun to watch, but it is important in that it forces viewers into questioning our cultural fascination with serial killers. Henry is the titular protagonist villain of the highly controversial horror film Henry: Portrait Of A Serial Killer.Although he was based loosely on real life serial killer Henry Lee Lucas, most of the events in the movie are either fictional or heavily altered.. However, as the opening statement makes clear, the film is based more on Lucas' violent fantasies and confessions rather than the crimes for which he was convicted. Showing all 19 items Jump to: Certification; Sex & Nudity (6) Violence & Gore (8) Profanity (1) Alcohol, Drugs & Smoking (2) Frightening & Intense Scenes (1) Spoilers (1) Certification. A censored version was subsequently released on home video with cuts to the "family massacre" sequence. The characters of Henry and Otis are loosely based on convicted real life serial killers Henry Lee Lucas and Ottis Toole. It was subsequently picked up for a limited release in 1990 in an unrated version. This man shows no emotions what so ever. Read our editors' picks for the movies and shows we're watching in March, including "The Falcon and the Winter Soldier," Boss Level, and Zack Snyder's Justice League. He also went on to say that the film was an obvious candidate for the then-proposed A rating for films that were for adults-only which were non-pornographic. After an odd new medical student arrives on campus, a dedicated local and his girlfriend become involved in bizarre experiments centering around the re-animation of dead tissue. Real: Hannibal Lecter. Otis brings Becky back to the apartment he shares with Henry. [3], Rooker remained in character for the duration of filming, even off set, not socializing with any of the cast or crew during the month-long shoot. Although the title makes Henry: Portrait of a Serial Killer seem like a cut-rate slasher flick, the movie is actually one of the most disturbing and terrifying examinations of mass murderers ever filmed. Art director Rick Paul plays the man shot in the layby; storyboard artist Frank Coronado plays the smaller of the attacking bums; grip Brian Graham plays the husband in the family-massacre scene; and executive producer Waleed B. Ali plays the clerk serving Henry towards the end of the film. The film is an honest and disturbing attempt to come to grips with the sort of modern horror that we must - more urgently every day - try to understand. Intercut between this is images of the grizzly aftermath of his killings. [8] In its theatrical run, it eventually grossed $609,000, in part due to the continued controversies surrounding the film. Even slasher-movie fanatics will be disappointed by "Henry: Portrait of a Serial Killer 2 --- Mask of Sanity," a grim and plodding low-budget drama that likely will fast-forward to homevideo. Becky indicates a romantic interest in Henry for his actions having protected her. After the death of his wife and daughter in a car crash, a music professor staying at an old mansion is dragged into a decades-old mystery by an inexplicable presence in the mansion's attic. Still retaining its ability to unsettle, Henry: Portrait of a Serial Killer sets out with the objective to exemplify how a conventional countenance can adorn insanity. McNaughton credited the MPAA's refusal to accept any cuts as giving him the opportunity to release it uncut, as he would have made cuts had they requested it. Hannibal Lecter is not based on a real person, but he is largely inspired by the … Seller 100% positive. Otis and Henry argue after their camera gets destroyed while Otis is filming female pedestrians from the window of Henry's car. The film was classified '18' for theatrical release in April 1991, after 24 seconds were cut from the family massacre scene (primarily involving the shots where Otis gropes the mother's breasts both prior to killing her and after she is dead). With the producer, writer, and director in place and with the subject matter decided upon, the film went into production. [citation needed]. You must be a registered user to use the IMDb rating plugin. Lucas reported that the false confessions ensured better conditions for him, as law enforcement officers would offer him incentives to confess to crimes he did not commit. [citation needed], In 2003, Optimum Releasing again submitted the full uncut version of the film for classification for a cinema release, and later for a home video release. As you probably know, this film is partly based on the confessions of the real Henry Lee Lucas. Written by It was on many many levels a very important film. Keep track of everything you watch; tell your friends. Henry lacks compassion in everything he does and isn't the kind to leave behind witnesses - of any kind. The characters of Henry and Otis are loosely based on convicted real life serial killers Henry Lee Lucas and Ottis Toole. However, BBFC director James Ferman overruled his own team and demanded that the family massacre scene be trimmed down to almost nothing, removing 71 seconds of footage. Learn how and when to remove this template message, The Cook, the Thief, His Wife & Her Lover, Henry: Portrait of a Serial Killer, Part II, "The Top Ten Best Low-Budget Horror Movies Of All Time", "Henry: Portrait of a Serial Killer (1986)", "Henry: Portrait of a Serial Killer Reviews - Metacritic", "Review: 'Henry – Portrait of a Serial Killer, "AFI's 100 Years...100 Heroes & Villains Nominees", "Myth of a Serial Killer: The Henry Lee Lucas Story DVD", "The Productive Power of Confessions of Cruelty", "Henry: Portrait of a Serial Killer banned...art by Coleman", "Henry: Portrait of a Serial Killer, Part 2", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Henry:_Portrait_of_a_Serial_Killer&oldid=1008325292, Articles needing additional references from August 2016, All articles needing additional references, Articles with unsourced statements from June 2013, Articles with unsourced statements from August 2016, Articles with unsourced statements from September 2014, Articles with unsourced statements from December 2018, Articles with unsourced statements from October 2017, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License, Henry Lee Lucas became acquainted with a drifter and prostitute named. On his way back he encounters a woman walking her dog and is tempted to murder her, but abandons the idea and goes back to the apartment. Title: Atlantic Entertainment Group expressed interest in releasing the film theatrically but mandated that it have an MPAA "R" rating. When he returns, he finds Otis is raping Becky anally and is strangling her with her shirt. Poster art for "Henry: Portrait of a Serial Killer." The violence and the clinical, detached portrayal of Henry and his horrifying actions make Henry: Portrait of a Serial Killer a disturbing, thought-provoking film, but it certainly isn't one for every taste. A psychotic man, troubled by his childhood abuse, loose in New York City, kills young women and takes their scalps as his trophies. During filmmaking, costs were cut by employing family and friends wherever possible, and participants utilized their own possessions. This time it was the US laserdisc release from MPI Home Entertainment. He tells her he stabbed his mother because she abused and humiliated him as a child, often having sex in front of him, though he later claims he shot her (which also contradicts the version Henry told Otis in prison, in which he described how he killed his mother with a bat). The film played at several festivals throughout 1988 and 1989, where it attracted increasing amounts of attention. [citation needed], In the meantime, the Ali brothers brought Steven A. Jones onto the project as a producer, and Jones hired Richard Fire to work as McNaughton's co-writer. [19], It is listed in the film reference book 1001 Movies You Must See Before You Die, which says "Henry evokes horror through gritty realism and excellent acting. Rooker portrays migratory murderer Henry, and the camera follows him as he commits a series of vicious murders on … Henry invites him to join his philosophy of murder, trying to convince him of a relativistic nature of murder. Many things are suggested but not shown, and in this case it's actually more or at least as scary as showing the actual murders. Two siblings and three of their friends en route to visit their grandfather's grave in Texas fall victim to a family of cannibalistic psychopaths. Henry: Portrait of a Serial Killer (1986) Parents Guide Add to guide . Henry suggests that they go to his sister's ranch in San Bernardino, California, promising Becky they will send for her daughter when they arrive. Arriving in Chicago, Henry 'Michael Rooker, in what is undoubtedly the finest performance of his patchy career', moves in with ex-con acquaintance Otis and starts schooling him in the ways of the serial killer. [citation needed], After filming was finished, there was so little money left that the film had to be edited on a rented 16 mm flatbed which was set up in editor Elena Maganini's living room. Following this, Henry: Portrait of a Serial Killer premiered at the Chicago International Film Festival on September 24, 1986.
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