Henry: Portrait of a Serial Killer (1986)

Director:

John McNaughton

Writers:

Richard Fire (written by) &
John McNaughton (written by)

Release Date:

September 1990 (USA)

Genre:

Crime | Drama | Horror | Thriller

Tagline:

Yeah, I killed my Mama...

Plot:

Based on the true life serial killer, Henry Lee Lucas.

Plot Keywords:

Murder | Serial Killer | Prostitute | Graphic Violence | Video Footage

Awards:

9 wins & 7 nominations

Cast

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
John Scafidi	...	Kid with Football #1
Benjamen Passman	...	Kid with Football #2
Flo Spink	...	Woman in Cadillac
Kurt Naebig	...	High School Jock
Kristin Finger	...	Hooker #2
Lily Monkus	...	Woman in Beauty Shop
Ray Atherton	...	Fence
Eric Young	...	Parole Officer
Rick Paul	...	Shooting Victim
Peter Van Wagner	...	Bum #1
Tom McKearn	...	Bum #2
Frank Coronado	...	Bum #3 (as Frank Coranado)
Lisa Temple	...	Murdered Family - Wife
Brian Graham	...	Murdered Family - Husband
Sean Ores	...	Murdered Family - Son
Pamela Fox	...	Hair Stylist
Waleed B. Ali	...	Store Clerk
Donna Dunlap	...	Dog Walker
Augie the Dog	...	Delores

Directed by
John McNaughton

Writing credits
Richard Fire		(written by) &
John McNaughton		(written by)

Produced by
Malik B. Ali	....	executive producer
Waleed B. Ali	....	executive producer
Lisa Dedmond	....	producer
Steven A. Jones	....	producer
John McNaughton	....	producer

Original Music by
Ken Hale
Steven A. Jones
Robert McNaughton

Cinematography by
Charlie Lieberman		(director of photography)

Film Editing by
Elena Maganini

Casting by
Jeffrey Lyle Segal

Art Direction by
Rick Paul

Costume Design by
Patricia Hart

Makeup Department
Michael J. Alonzi	....	makeup effects crew
Chuck Gatz	....	hair stylist
Herb Nordheimer	....	makeup effects crew
Bernd Rantscheff	....	makeup artist (as Berndt Rantscheff)
Jeffrey Lyle Segal	....	special makeup effects artist (as Jeffery Lyle Segal)
Scott Whitehead	....	makeup effects crew

Production Management
Lisa Dedmond	....	production manager
Steven A. Jones	....	post-production supervisor

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Andrew Bradburn	....	second assistant director
Paul Chen	....	first assistant director

Art Department
Frank Coronado	....	storyboard artist
Rick Paul	....	property master
Rick Paul	....	set dresser

Sound Department
Corey Coken	....	sound editor
Ric Coken	....	post-production sound mixer (as Rick Coken)
Dan Haberkorn	....	sound effects
Elena Maganini	....	post-production sound editor
Louie Quiroz	....	assistant post-production sound mixer
Patrick Yacono	....	sound re-recording mixer: restoration
Thomas T. Yore	....	sound recordist

Special Effects by
Lee Ditkowski	....	technical effects

Stunts
Paul M. Lane	....	stunts
David Woolley	....	fight coordinator

Camera and Electrical Department
Dave Buckley	....	grip
Brian Graham	....	grip
Dave Mahlman	....	assistant camera
Paul Petraitis	....	still photographer
Bernd Rantscheff	....	still photographer (as Berndt Rantscheff)
Bradley Sellers	....	assistant camera (as Brad Sellars)

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Patricia Hart	....	wardrobe

Music Department
Steven A. Jones	....	musical director

Other crew
Richard Fire	....	acting coach
Melanie Hecht	....	script supervisor
Steven A. Jones	....	title designer
David Le Boy	....	title designer (as David LeBoy)
Bradley Magon	....	production assistant

Thanks
Kevin Dougherty	....	special thanks
Greg Doyle	....	special thanks
Tommy Dubois	....	special thanks
Mic Fabus	....	special thanks
Neil Flynn	....	special thanks (as Neal Flynn)
Judith Gold	....	acknowledgment: Chuck Gatz courtesy of
Steven Hager	....	special thanks
Larry Hart	....	special thanks
Bob Jorgenson	....	special thanks
Jeanette Jorgenson	....	special thanks
C.J. Kavooras	....	special thanks
Alex Kerr	....	special thanks
Charles Michaels	....	special thanks
Becky Passman	....	special thanks
Elizabeth Passman	....	special thanks
Paul Petraitis	....	special thanks
Wendy Sander	....	special thanks
Mike Sandlass	....	special thanks
Laura Storto	....	special thanks
Barb Sun	....	special thanks
Greg Sun	....	special thanks
Pat Thompson	....	special thanks
Cath Whitney	....	special thanks
James Young	....	special thanks

Production Companies

• Maljack Productions

Distributors

• Greycat Films (1990) (USA) (theatrical)
• Kulturföreningen Kedjan (1992) (Sweden) (theatrical)
• Cinépix Film Properties (CFP) (1990) (Canada) (theatrical)
• Triangelfilm (1992) (Sweden) (theatrical)
• Astro Distribution (1997) (Germany) (VHS)
• MPI Home Video (1998) (USA) (DVD) (director's edition)
• MPI Home Video (2000) (USA) (DVD)
• Dark Sky Films (2005) (worldwide) (all media)
• MPI Home Video (2005) (USA) (DVD)
• Kamras Film Group (1992) (Finland) (theatrical)
• Alfa-Panorama Film & Video (1998) (Finland) (VHS)
• Atlantic Film (2001) (Sweden) (DVD)
• Dark Sky Films (2009) (USA) (DVD) (Blu-ray)
• Future Film (2001) (Finland) (DVD)
• Look Filmes (????) (Brazil) (VHS)
• MPI Home Video (????) (USA) (VHS)
• MPI Home Video (????) (USA) (video) (laserdisc)
• Optimum Releasing (2003) (UK) (DVD)
• Triangelfilm (1996) (Sweden) (VHS)

Other Companies

• Alloy Music  soundtrack published by (as Alloy Music A.S.C.A.P.)
• Chicago Police Department  special thanks
• Ferrer Talent  special thanks (as Ferrer Talent, Chicago, IL)
• Lassen's Tap  special thanks (as Lassens Tap, Homewood, IL)
• MPI Home Video  courtesy of (excerpts from "Becket")
• Mayor's Office, Chicago  special thanks (as The Mayor's Film Office, Chicago, IL)
• Midway International Airport  special thanks (as Midway Airport, Chicago, IL)
• Organic Theatre, The  special thanks (as The Organic Theatre, Chicago, IL)
• Screen Time Images  film restoration
• Sproute Route  catering (as Sprout Route LTD.)
• Tone Zone Recording  music recorded at (as Tone Zone Recording Chicago, IL)
• Zenith D.B.  post-production sound services (as Zenith D.B. Chicago, IL)

Also Known As:

Henry - Portrait d'un tueur (Canada: French title) [fr]
Henry - en massmördare (Sweden) [sv]
Henry - pioggia di sangue (Italy) [it]
Henry Lee Lucas - sarjamurhaaja (Finland) [fi]
Henry, portrait d'un serial killer (France) [fr]
Henry, retrat d'un assassí (Spain: Catalan title) [ca]
Henry, retrato de un asesino (Spain) [es]
Henry, to portraito enos dolofonou (Greece) [el]
Henry: A Sombra de Um Assassino (Portugal) [pt]
Henry: portret seryjnego zabójcy (Poland) [pl]
Retrato de um Assassino (Brazil) [pt]

Runtime:

83 min | Australia:77 min | Norway:78 min | Sweden:78 min | Italy:75 min (edited for TV)

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Certification:

New Zealand:(Banned) (uncut) | New Zealand:R18 (cut) | Australia:R | Finland:(Banned) (1992) | Finland:K-16 (cut) (1998) | Finland:K-18 (cut) (1992) | Finland:K-18 (cut) (1997) | Canada:18+ (Quebec) | Finland:K-18 (uncut) (DVD rating) (2001) | Argentina:18 | Chile:18 | France:-16 | Ireland:18 | Netherlands:16 | Norway:18 | South Korea:18 | Sweden:15 | UK:18 | USA:Open (rating surrendered: 1989) | USA:X (original rating: 1988) | West Germany:18 | Iceland:(Banned) (video rating) | Iceland:16 (original rating) | Italy:VM18 (1992)

Filming Locations:

Austin, Texas, USA

Company:

Maljack Productions

Trivia:

In the original script, the family massacre scene is longer. After the three family members have been murdered, Otis (Tom Towles) molests the body of the mother (Lisa Temple) and performs full necrophilia with it. Prior to shooting however, director John McNaughton made the decision to abandon this part of the scene.

Goofs:

Revealing mistakes: Some obvious matte lines are seen in the film from time to time.

Quotes:

Otis: I'd like to kill somebody.
Henry: Say that again.
Otis: I'd like to kill somebody.
Henry: Let's me and you go for a ride, Otis

Movie Connections:

Featured in Hollywood Halloween (1997) (TV)

Soundtrack:

LeLania

one of the scariest movies ever made, period.

With the BWP hype, a lot of talk of going around about "the scariest movie you've ever seen". Probably because I've seen over a thousand horror/fright/suspense/gore movies, I have trouble pinning it down. I can't name the scariest, I can name the top 5. As far as non-supernatural horror goes, this movie and Last House on the Left are the scariest movies I've ever seen.

I saw this at a film festival and the audience was very, very quiet. My friend and I just sat there quietly cowering most of the time. It's just way too realistic. The opening and closing are probably the most frightening, and we don't even see Henry killing anyone, just the bodies of his victims and their terrified screams in the background, echoing. It will give you chills down your spine. The stuff in the movie that scared me wasn't any big "jumps" or gore, just very disturbing, creepy moments (especially if you knew someone who was been the victim of a homicide, as I do). My friend I saw it with worked at the city prosecutors office and heard about plenty of local murder cases and said it rang very, very true to life. One of the most chilling scenes is early on, when Henry goes to a mall and just sits patiently in the parking lot, scanning. The camera looks coldly and calculatedly at different women in the parking lot from Henry's point of view. There are so many shots you almost start to wonder what the point of the scene is until it hits you: they are ALL potential victims, this is how he looks at women. I have always been careful as a woman whenever I am alone but after seeing the film, to this DAY I do not walk to my car alone at the mall without my mace in my hand, and I look all around me and never turn my back on anyone. The movie also does not glamorize the killing or violence against women at all.

Also, it's a good primer on home and personal safety. (a good rule- Do not EVER let a stranger into your house when you are home alone if you were not expecting him. In fact, after I saw this I never open the door when I am home alone and not expecting anyone, period. Think I'm paranoid? Watch this movie and see how safe you feel).

The plot sounds simple but it's not boring. The movie follows the exploits of Henry, a young man who is practically a textbook case of a serial killer (male, white, 30's, drifter, soft-spoken, shy). Conflict comes when his disgusting nasty inbred cousin Otis Toole stays with him, along with his pathetic sister. One night Otis and Henry pick up a couple of prostitutes and are having sex with them in the car. Henry kills both of them sort of offhandedly, with no more emotion than you would swat a fly. Otis starts joining him on his exploits. Henry is more sympathetic than Otis, however, because while Henry does these things because he is sick and doesn't have a choice, Otis seems to get off on them, and also should know better. Things sorta go downhill from there, and the sister complicates things because she is so desperately lonely that Henry starts to look good to her. It culminates in one of the most chilling, downbeat endings of all time.

After I saw this movie at the festival, I was lucky enough to be there when Michael Rooker, who plays the title character, came out and lectured and did Q & A. When I say lucky, I don't mean lucky that I got to meet a celebrity (though that was neat). I mean lucky that I was able to have proof immediately afterwards that this was just a movie. If the movie had ended and I just had to get up and go home, I probably wouldn't have gotten any sleep for about a week. He was very nice and personable, wore glasses and a blazer, not at all like his character. The thing I remember most clearly is someone asked him what kind of movies he liked and he replied, "I don't like horror movies, really, I like musicals". Everyone laughed for about 5 minutes, partially out of relief. BIG relief. See, it's just a movie, there's the actor right there, and ha-ha, he's actually very shy and charming and harmless, isn't that funny?

Even with all of that, I still find this one of the most disturbing, unsettling movies ever made. You haven't seen a really scary movie until you see this movie.