Henry: Portrait of a Serial Killer
by John McNaughton
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DVD details
Actor: Anne Bartoletti, Mary Demas, Michael Rooker, Tom Towles, Tracy ArnoldDirector: John McNaughton
Producer: John McNaughton
Writer: John McNaughton
Producer: Lisa Dedmond
Producer: Malik B. Ali
Producer: Steven A. Jones
Producer: Waleed B. Ali
Writer: Richard Fire
DVD: Region Code 0
Audio: English (Original Language), Dolby Digital 2.0 Stereo; English (Subtitled); Spanish (Subtitled)
Format: Color, Director's Cut, Dolby, DVD, Full Screen, NTSC
Picture Format: Pan & Scan, 1.33:1
Running Time: 83 minutes
DVD Release Date: 1998-11-03
Audience Rating: X (Mature Audiences Only)
Studio: Mpi Home Video
DVD Reviews of Henry: Portrait of a Serial Killer
DVD Review: THIS is horror!
Summary: 5 Stars
After 20 years, Henry remains one of the most compelling horror films ever made. The basic premise - a slice of life approach to the daily activities of a serial killer - had been done before (Bill Lustig's nauseating "Maniac") as well as since (the overrated "Man Bites Dog"), but none approached the impact or verisimilitude of John McNaughton's chiller.
Michael Rooker's intense offering is probably the only rendition of a serial killer that gives me nightmares. He seethes with rage and internal brokenness, and with the character of Otis, Tom Towles creates an inimitable caricature of a grotesque clown. Observing his progression from tortured accomplice to drooling necrophiliac is both disturbing and, occasionally, hilarious. In the audio commentary, McNaughton points out the humor that can be appreciated if you can tolerate the stench long enough to locate it. In the most reductive sense, Henry and Otis can be viewed as homicidal buffoons. Their reparte - particularly a post murder bit in a fast food parking lot, and Otis' "slow on the uptake" response when Henry hands him a gun in order to kill somebody - can be viewed as nihilistic Abbott and Costello bits.
The film's shortcomings mostly enhance its impact. The lack of funds necessitated a harsh, occasionally underlit 16mm look that makes the goings-on all the more realistic. This film is a masterpiece of aesthetic minimalism. Few directors have made equally powerful films under the umbrella of slick hollywood productions.
The DVD presentation is first rate. The transfer is clear, and the supplements - particularly a cache of deleted scenes, and a thorough doc present on a second disc - include pretty much everything a "Henry" fan could ask for.
DVD Review: Very quick, perfect condition
Summary: 5 Stars
Very satisfied with my purchase and would order from this seller again. Very pleased. Thanks!!DVD Review: A great film? Uh, no.
Summary: 1 Stars
I can't believe this film got any kind of critical acclaim. The dialogue is ridiculous, things such as the soundtrack musical choices during parts of the film are bizarre and the acting is not exactly DeNiro-ish.
DVD Review: Henry, portrait of a serial killer.
Summary: 4 Stars
I think this is the best of the serial killer films, well done in appearance with the grainy winter look of Chicago for the location, I would have liked some more details on the characters, but the producer was under pressure to get it rated for a broader audience. I have seen the part-two version, different actor, not as good as the original.DVD Review: Hard To Watch, Yet Impossible To Hate.
Summary: 5 Stars
I wasn't prepared for this movie. What I thought was going to be another "shock them out of their socks" film about blood and guts turned out to be a deeply disturbing film that made me highly uncomfortable while I watched it. It just kept getting darker and more twisted as the minutes ticked away.
I thought that it was a great movie. I can't think of any other movie that has really made me want to hide. It wasn't scary in the normal sense, but what scared me is the no-nonsense format in which the story is told. Gritty and low budget, you get the feeling that you shouldn't have started watching in the first place. Indeed, I got more than I bargained for and when it was over I thought to myself that it was one of the best movies I have ever seen... and I DO NOT want to watch it again.
There is one scene in particular that is just so disgusting and disturbing that I could barely watch it. However, I must say that the acting in this movie is incredible. Every character feels like they are real. I was especially amazed at the acting of the victims. One second they are alive and fighting for their life and family... the next second they are dead from a broken neck and laying there like a brand new corpse. It was incredible to watch. Top notch acting because it affected me so deeply.
Be warned, this is not a "let's get a scary movie on Friday night" kind of movie. This is a serious film in my opinion. It should never be played with children around, it should never be played if you have a fragile psyche.
I want so badly to hate this film. I hate the way it made me feel, I hate the things it made me think about, I hate that it seemed so real. With all of that hate you would think that I would actually hate this movie. But this movie goes by in a flash because it is so captivating... and in the end I had to admit to myself that I could never hate this movie. I have to admit that I love this movie and how powerful it is... and now I hope to never see it again.
Description of Henry: Portrait of a Serial Killer
Most horror films exist in a fantasy movie-world safely removed from our existence, populated by zombie-like killers and psychopathic madmen. The power of Henry: Portrait of a Serial Killer is its chilling placement in the mundane existence of everyday life. Michael Rooker plays Henry not as a raving psychopath but as the frumpy guy next door, a drifter who takes out his frustrations on random victims and escalates his body count after teaming up with the violent ex-con Otis (Tom Towles). Though not exceedingly gory in light of the excesses of such fantasy horrors as the Friday the 13th and Nightmare on Elm Street series, director John McNaughton's straightforward presentation and documentary-like style creates a chilling realism that many viewers will find hard to watch. McNaughton neither comments on nor flinches at the brutal violence, which reaches its apex in a disturbing camcorder-eye view of a particularly sadistic murder of a middle-class couple, with Henry and Otis smiling through the deed as they record it for their continued pleasure. Henry straddles the line between True Crime (though fictional, the story was inspired by the confessions of real life serial killer Henry Lee Lucas) and horror, a bleak, brutal kind of terror for a generation deadened by the escalating outrageousness of movie murders and nightly news crime scene clips. --Sean AxmakerDrama DVDs
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