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Buy itProduct Description
Henry, a solitary drifter, leads his ex-jailmate Otis on a senseless killing spree.
Product Details
| ISBN | 0788606654 |
| Title | Henry - Portrait of a Serial Killer (20th Anniversary) |
| Directed By | John McNaughton |
| Label | Mpi Home Video |
| MPAA Rating | R (Restricted) |
| Aspect Ratio | 1.33:1 |
| Format |
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| Original Release Date | 1990-09 |
| Brand | MPI |
| Studio | Mpi Home Video |
| Starring | Michael Rooker,Tracy Arnold,Tom Towles,Mary Demas,Anne Bartoletti |
| Running Time | 83 minutes |
| Release Date | 2005-09-27 |
| Manufacturer | Mpi Home Video |
| Publisher | Mpi Home Video |
| Region Code | 1 |
| Theatrical Release Date | 1990-09 |
| UPC | 030306770093 |
| EAN | 9780788606656 |
| Number Of Discs | 1 |
| MPN | 030306770093 |
| Creator |
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Customer Reviews
"No Plan's Perfect."...Review by Bindy Sue Frønkünschtein, 2010-08-12
HENRY (Michael Rooker) is a nice guy. He's calm, quiet, and respectful. HENRY also happens to be a prolific serial murderer. You see, HENRY is a complex person, peaceful on the surface, yet filled w/ atomic rage and vengeance. His flatmate Otis (Tom Towles), is a ten-time loser w/ a below average IQ. Otis is going nowhere. Little does he know, he's about to find purpose in life as HENRY's sidekick. Together, these two will find stress-relief, killing random stand-ins for the problems in their lives. Enter Becky (Tracy Allen), Otis' sister. She's moved in w/ HENRY and Otis, trying to start a new life for herself. Unfortunately, life doesn't always go according to plan. HENRY: PORTRAIT OF A SERIAL KILLER is an unsettling masterpiece of late 80s horror. We are only given glimpses of HENRY'S homicidal fury, just enough to offset his otherwise mild demeanor. When the true, internal HENRY is unleashed, even for a moment, we see the hideous beast that otherwise goes unnoticed. The real fear generated by this movie comes from it's understatement, its ordinariness. We get the distinct impression that we just might have met HENRY before, or may run into him in the future...
A descent into murder
Review by Zach Bibeault, 2010-07-23
John Naughton's 'Henry: Portrait' is a masterpiece and achieves something absolutely rare in
the realm of horror film: it successfully manages to have both a shocking display of gruesome
violence while at the same time being a film that deeply terrifies and horrifies. In general,
though most graphic horror films/slashers tend to have buckets of gore and graphic displays,
it generally does so at the cost of true horror (notice that the greatest horror films of all
time -- the likes of The Shining and Psycho -- have very little actual on-screen violence and
instead rely on psychological techniques to terrify audiences.
Henry does both, because not only is the violence incredibly realistic, but it is in a believable
real-world setting. Henry and Otis could be your next door neighbors, for all you know. Also
terrifying (and the most terrifying aspect of the film for me personally) is Otis' descent
into murder. Henry's association with Otis leads him to become an accidental accomplice to the murder
of two prostitutes; while stunned and somewhat guilted at first, Otis then is invited to partake
in violence himself and soon becomes a gleeful killer (this whole progression culminates in the
infamous family massacre scene, and eventually in an unsuccessful and unwise attempt to take
Henry's life himself).
Little more can be revealed without spoiling a good part of the movie. Suffice it to say that
this is a powerful, disturbing masterpiece of brutality that makes one seriously think about
the effects and implication of violence. Masterpiece.
DONT BUY THIS
Review by Sara Litzelman, 2010-06-22
This movie sucks. I read it was sooo scary but you dont even see him kill anyone! The movie is so short that you cant believe it just randomly ends? not worth the money. Its stupid.
Professionally Made, Morally Corrosive
Review by The JuRK, 2010-06-18
Everything is well done about this film. The acting is particularly strong, the direction unflinching, the writing hauntingly realistic...but you want to take a bath after watching it.
They've been playing it a lot on the Sundance Channel and Independent Film Channel. Even stranger that it's usually preceded and followed by some lighthearted gay films. What are those channels really trying to do...?
Not so much a horror film. The darkness of it is the open stare the film takes at careless psychosis and casual murder. The "horror" effect is the realization that such violence is often so ugly and indiscriminate...and defies Hollywood formulas. And that's scary.
THIS is horror!
Review by Moviefanatic12, 2009-11-14
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.
