Amazon.com essential video
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 Axmaker
Description
Ever seen a film so terrifying that it made you want to sleep with all the lights on? A film so unsettling that some of its scenes were stuck in your mind long after you'd finished viewing it? John McNaughton's horrific masterpiece HENRY: PORTRAIT OF A SERIAL KILLER is that kind of film. Based on true events, this critically-acclaimed classic so believably portrays the senseless killing spree of a dangerous sociopath on the loose, Michael Rooker in a bone-chilling performance, that people can't stop talking about it even twenty years after it was filmed. If you've never seen HENRY before, get ready for the ride of your life. If you have seen HENRY and are one if its many fans, you're not going to want to miss this 20th Anniversary Special Edition, which is packed full of never-before-seen extras and is presented here in a stunning new high definition transfer supervised by the director.
Customer Reviews:
All the Things You Are.......2007-09-08
I first saw this movie about 10 years ago and I remember being impressed with the sheer audacity and outrageousness of it. Now, though "Henry" is certainly brutal and bloody, the tone of it is definitely warmer, mellower (decidedly, this may have more to do with me and my current state of mind as compared with 10 years ago...but be that as it may) and Michael Rooker (as Henry) is not only a vessel of depravity and feral misanthropy, he is also a fully rounded, though warped for sure, human being. In fact Rooker's performance is so thoughtful, his motives for murder so crystal clear that Henry is somehow transformed into a classical tragic hero: we can actually understand him....even empathize with him and this is a major feat on the part of both Rooker and director John Naughton. How do you turn a monster into a living, breathing human being? You write and perform him as if he is those very things. You give him a back-story that could plausibly bring him to unrepentant murder and you plot him on a course that naturally flows out of that back-story: very simple in theory but not often witnessed on the screen.
"Henry: Portrait of a Serial Killer" is a masterpiece of condensed, concise, spare and unrepentant mayhem. That it also has it's head on straight and it's motivations, though bloody and graphic, clear and motivated by natural common sense, only make it more of a revelation than it already is.
American Film Classic.......2007-07-05
This film is brilliant. Its subject matter is unnerving, but it is presented in a way that draws one in and never lets the viewer go.
The violence in this film is done in a why that makes the view imagine what is going on. The scene of a murder of a family as seen through a view finder is both amazing and shocking.
I am amazed that this film is not on more top best films of all time.
dull.......2007-06-26
This movie was so predictable.Henry is a stereo-type,his girl-friend is stoopid,his side kick probably has bad breath.No interesting insights and angles.He's just the same 'serial killer' we could find on cop programmes on t.v.
PERFECTION IN LESS THAN 90 MINUTES.......2007-06-19
see,horror movies can have charactor developement,humor and plot without having to wait 75 minutes for the gore.m rooker nailed this and i thought it would stereotype him as a maniac forever.t towles also makes the perfect,demented side kick (unfortunately,he was doomed to be stereotyped).
based loosely on real life serial killer henry lee lucas (he of a supposed 150 kills) H;POASK begins with a bang.we see the aftermath of a couple of vicious acts and then are whipped to real time.henry hooks up with simple minded,fellow ex-con otis (towles) and share an apartment.things get complicated when otis' sister comes to visit.shes a stripper whos running from an abusive husband looking to restart her life (little does she know !!!).
while henry is clearly uneducated,he has some sense of how to blend in.hes illiterate yet wise enough to get away with murder.at times,he even shows restraint and the ability to not be a murderer.he shares his wisdom of getting away with murder with otis.otis makes him look like einstein in comparison.this will definitely be just as good 20 more years from now.
for some ungodly reason,gollywood thought it was a good idea to make a ''sequal'' to this.i will not mention the title but will compare it to jaws 3d,godfather 3,exorcist 2-the heritic,starship troopers 2,speed 2....you get the idea.
***SPOILER THOUGHT***
why was henry upset at otis raping his own sister only to chop her up later ?!?!?!?
Truly terrifying.......2007-06-06
Henry-portrait of a serial killer just might be the scarriest film i have seen.. Specifically because of the films real nature (almost cinema verite) you cannot dismiss it and it becomes a real chilling possibility.. I have not been quite as freaked out since the first time i saw pasolini's 'salo' a film which depicted fascist sexual and violent opression in a real style.. The camera does not flinch nor does it prepare us with any kind of a traditional warning so common-place in horror movies.. It does not follow a formula it just seems to present us with violence and death in their most real and disturbing forms.. This is what i like about the movie it doesn't gloss over or sugar coat anything it's as if it is saying this is what it is... the reason for such an approach might have been the miniscule 100,000 dollar budget - but the results are far better than nearly every big budget horror or suspense film i have ever seen - indeed it just might be the best horror film since psycho.. The film proves that the simple approach is very often the best.. and it proves that so-called amateur actors are often capable of incredible and emotional performances (if they are directed as expertly as they were here).. So watch Henry at your own risk.. it is very disturbing but very rewarding..
Average customer rating:
- All the Things You Are
- American Film Classic
- dull
- PERFECTION IN LESS THAN 90 MINUTES
- Truly terrifying
|
Henry: Portrait of a Serial Killer
Starring:
Mary Demas ,
Michael Rooker ,
Anne Bartoletti ,
Elizabeth Kaden , and
Ted Kaden
Director:
John McNaughton
Manufacturer: Mpi Home Video
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD
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Arnold, Tracy
| ( A )
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Rooker, Michael
| ( R )
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Towles, Tom
| ( T )
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Mcnaughton, John
| ( M )
| Directors
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DVDs Under $9.99
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( H )
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Cannibal Holocaust
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The Texas Chainsaw Massacre (Two-Disc Ultimate Edition)
-
Audition (Uncut Special Edition)
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ASIN: 6305191883
Release Date: 1998-11-03 |
Amazon.com essential video
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 Axmaker
Customer Reviews:
All the Things You Are.......2007-09-08
I first saw this movie about 10 years ago and I remember being impressed with the sheer audacity and outrageousness of it. Now, though "Henry" is certainly brutal and bloody, the tone of it is definitely warmer, mellower (decidedly, this may have more to do with me and my current state of mind as compared with 10 years ago...but be that as it may) and Michael Rooker (as Henry) is not only a vessel of depravity and feral misanthropy, he is also a fully rounded, though warped for sure, human being. In fact Rooker's performance is so thoughtful, his motives for murder so crystal clear that Henry is somehow transformed into a classical tragic hero: we can actually understand him....even empathize with him and this is a major feat on the part of both Rooker and director John Naughton. How do you turn a monster into a living, breathing human being? You write and perform him as if he is those very things. You give him a back-story that could plausibly bring him to unrepentant murder and you plot him on a course that naturally flows out of that back-story: very simple in theory but not often witnessed on the screen.
"Henry: Portrait of a Serial Killer" is a masterpiece of condensed, concise, spare and unrepentant mayhem. That it also has it's head on straight and it's motivations, though bloody and graphic, clear and motivated by natural common sense, only make it more of a revelation than it already is.
American Film Classic.......2007-07-05
This film is brilliant. Its subject matter is unnerving, but it is presented in a way that draws one in and never lets the viewer go.
The violence in this film is done in a why that makes the view imagine what is going on. The scene of a murder of a family as seen through a view finder is both amazing and shocking.
I am amazed that this film is not on more top best films of all time.
dull.......2007-06-26
This movie was so predictable.Henry is a stereo-type,his girl-friend is stoopid,his side kick probably has bad breath.No interesting insights and angles.He's just the same 'serial killer' we could find on cop programmes on t.v.
PERFECTION IN LESS THAN 90 MINUTES.......2007-06-19
see,horror movies can have charactor developement,humor and plot without having to wait 75 minutes for the gore.m rooker nailed this and i thought it would stereotype him as a maniac forever.t towles also makes the perfect,demented side kick (unfortunately,he was doomed to be stereotyped).
based loosely on real life serial killer henry lee lucas (he of a supposed 150 kills) H;POASK begins with a bang.we see the aftermath of a couple of vicious acts and then are whipped to real time.henry hooks up with simple minded,fellow ex-con otis (towles) and share an apartment.things get complicated when otis' sister comes to visit.shes a stripper whos running from an abusive husband looking to restart her life (little does she know !!!).
while henry is clearly uneducated,he has some sense of how to blend in.hes illiterate yet wise enough to get away with murder.at times,he even shows restraint and the ability to not be a murderer.he shares his wisdom of getting away with murder with otis.otis makes him look like einstein in comparison.this will definitely be just as good 20 more years from now.
for some ungodly reason,gollywood thought it was a good idea to make a ''sequal'' to this.i will not mention the title but will compare it to jaws 3d,godfather 3,exorcist 2-the heritic,starship troopers 2,speed 2....you get the idea.
***SPOILER THOUGHT***
why was henry upset at otis raping his own sister only to chop her up later ?!?!?!?
Truly terrifying.......2007-06-06
Henry-portrait of a serial killer just might be the scarriest film i have seen.. Specifically because of the films real nature (almost cinema verite) you cannot dismiss it and it becomes a real chilling possibility.. I have not been quite as freaked out since the first time i saw pasolini's 'salo' a film which depicted fascist sexual and violent opression in a real style.. The camera does not flinch nor does it prepare us with any kind of a traditional warning so common-place in horror movies.. It does not follow a formula it just seems to present us with violence and death in their most real and disturbing forms.. This is what i like about the movie it doesn't gloss over or sugar coat anything it's as if it is saying this is what it is... the reason for such an approach might have been the miniscule 100,000 dollar budget - but the results are far better than nearly every big budget horror or suspense film i have ever seen - indeed it just might be the best horror film since psycho.. The film proves that the simple approach is very often the best.. and it proves that so-called amateur actors are often capable of incredible and emotional performances (if they are directed as expertly as they were here).. So watch Henry at your own risk.. it is very disturbing but very rewarding..
Description
Henry 2 picks up where the original (Henry:Portrait of a Serial Killer) left off. Henry (Neil Giuntoli, The Shawshank Redemption) takes a thankless job at a port-o-john company where he meets husband and wife, Kai (Ken Komenich, The Amityville Horror) and Cricket (Kate Walsh, Grey's Anatomy). They take pity on the homeless drifter and offer him a room in the home they share with their emotionally fragile niece, Louisa (Carri Levinson). Henry learns that Kai has a side job as an arsonist-for-hire, setting up phony insurance scams to make money for their boss, Rooter (Daniel Allar). He agrees to join Kai and on one of their first outings, they discover two squatters in a building that's been marked for fire. It is then that Henry introduces Kai to his life's work…and the murders begin. Kai has never killed before, but he turns into a willing accomplice. Initially, the two men work well together. But, as the killing sprees increase in their depravity, it's more than Kai can handle. He wants out, but he's in too deep.
Customer Reviews:
Herny is Back!.......2007-03-28
Well are favorite Serial killer is back. This time he gets a job cleaning Port a Potties. This leads him to staying with the Husband and Wife who run the place. Cricket is the female lead who you just might reconize from Grey's Anatomys.(Kate Walsh) Any ways he discovers his boss is a Arsonist for hire. Well this is right Herny's alley he gets to burn things for cash. Well they run into problems at one of the sites and have to kill a couple of teens. Henery tries to lead his boss down a path of murder for fun. He follows at first but even with booze and drugs he finds he does not have the guts for it. Well as you can tell it a wild romp for Henry and his new friends. It does not have that same creepy feel as the first one but it does offer a pretty good second film. It still has those uneasy moments that make Henry a creepy kind of film. Just go into film knowing it is not as good as the first but still offers some good bits for a second edition in the life and times of are favorite Serial Killer.
lead is wrong.......2006-08-16
Solid cast, with the exception of the lead. Rooker from the first one should have been back, as well as the original director and writer: John McNaughton and Richard Fire, respectively.
This director here doesn't seem to get suspense--and it hurt the film. There is just no beating the original. Too bad McNaughton and the rest from the first flick did not come back for an encore--because now, even if they did, it might be way too late.
It's kind of sad, because McNaughton might have had a far bigger/impressive film career if he had.
Skip this one. See the original (20 year anni issue, etc.). It will give you chills.
mask to hide my face after watching this movie.......2004-08-26
I got this in a Region 2 two disc set with both Henry 1 + 2 released by Dutch-Filmworks. The original is great, but "mask of sanity" was the worst bottom of the barrel el-cheapo z-grade attempt at a horror film I have ever been witness to. No script (to speak of) no talent and nothing to keep you watching it through to the end. It also looks like it was shot on video tape.... Fans of the original will be mortified.
WHY?!?WHY?!?WHY?!?WHY?!?WHY?!?WHY?!?WHY?!?.......2002-10-08
WHY?!?WHY?!?WHY?!?WHY?!?WHY?!?WHY?!?WHY?!?WHY?!?................this ranks with the other completely useless,horrible horror sequals-blair witch(they both were horrible though!),an american psycho 2,evil dead 2(it was hysterical though),exorcist 2,american werewolf in paris.....the list goes on(in fact i think ill make 1!)this was as spine chilling as killer smirfs.can someone explain this to me?what does it have to do with part one?PLEASE DO NOT BUY,RENT,STEAL,OR BORROW.youd be better off with plan 9 from outer space!
Guess who's back in the neighborhood?.......2001-04-18
Picking up shortly after the original left off, Henry (now played by Neil Giuntoli) takes up with a married couple and their disturbed niece, where he gets involved with the husband's arson for hire scheme. But arson only brings Henry so much joy, so he turns his new partner onto murder. This has been edited from the theatrical release (I don't know why) so the violence has been toned down. Again, the performances are good, but this one doesn't really grab you. Hopefully we'll see the uncut version soon, which might improve things. Penelope Milford (Coming Home) makes an early appearance as a victim. DVD extras include director commentary, trailers, and movie facts.
Customer Reviews:
Herny is Back!.......2007-03-28
Well are favorite Serial killer is back. This time he gets a job cleaning Port a Potties. This leads him to staying with the Husband and Wife who run the place. Cricket is the female lead who you just might reconize from Grey's Anatomys.(Kate Walsh) Any ways he discovers his boss is a Arsonist for hire. Well this is right Herny's alley he gets to burn things for cash. Well they run into problems at one of the sites and have to kill a couple of teens. Henery tries to lead his boss down a path of murder for fun. He follows at first but even with booze and drugs he finds he does not have the guts for it. Well as you can tell it a wild romp for Henry and his new friends. It does not have that same creepy feel as the first one but it does offer a pretty good second film. It still has those uneasy moments that make Henry a creepy kind of film. Just go into film knowing it is not as good as the first but still offers some good bits for a second edition in the life and times of are favorite Serial Killer.
lead is wrong.......2006-08-16
Solid cast, with the exception of the lead. Rooker from the first one should have been back, as well as the original director and writer: John McNaughton and Richard Fire, respectively.
This director here doesn't seem to get suspense--and it hurt the film. There is just no beating the original. Too bad McNaughton and the rest from the first flick did not come back for an encore--because now, even if they did, it might be way too late.
It's kind of sad, because McNaughton might have had a far bigger/impressive film career if he had.
Skip this one. See the original (20 year anni issue, etc.). It will give you chills.
mask to hide my face after watching this movie.......2004-08-26
I got this in a Region 2 two disc set with both Henry 1 + 2 released by Dutch-Filmworks. The original is great, but "mask of sanity" was the worst bottom of the barrel el-cheapo z-grade attempt at a horror film I have ever been witness to. No script (to speak of) no talent and nothing to keep you watching it through to the end. It also looks like it was shot on video tape.... Fans of the original will be mortified.
WHY?!?WHY?!?WHY?!?WHY?!?WHY?!?WHY?!?WHY?!?.......2002-10-08
WHY?!?WHY?!?WHY?!?WHY?!?WHY?!?WHY?!?WHY?!?WHY?!?................this ranks with the other completely useless,horrible horror sequals-blair witch(they both were horrible though!),an american psycho 2,evil dead 2(it was hysterical though),exorcist 2,american werewolf in paris.....the list goes on(in fact i think ill make 1!)this was as spine chilling as killer smirfs.can someone explain this to me?what does it have to do with part one?PLEASE DO NOT BUY,RENT,STEAL,OR BORROW.youd be better off with plan 9 from outer space!
Guess who's back in the neighborhood?.......2001-04-18
Picking up shortly after the original left off, Henry (now played by Neil Giuntoli) takes up with a married couple and their disturbed niece, where he gets involved with the husband's arson for hire scheme. But arson only brings Henry so much joy, so he turns his new partner onto murder. This has been edited from the theatrical release (I don't know why) so the violence has been toned down. Again, the performances are good, but this one doesn't really grab you. Hopefully we'll see the uncut version soon, which might improve things. Penelope Milford (Coming Home) makes an early appearance as a victim. DVD extras include director commentary, trailers, and movie facts.
Customer Reviews:
Herny is Back!.......2007-03-28
Well are favorite Serial killer is back. This time he gets a job cleaning Port a Potties. This leads him to staying with the Husband and Wife who run the place. Cricket is the female lead who you just might reconize from Grey's Anatomys.(Kate Walsh) Any ways he discovers his boss is a Arsonist for hire. Well this is right Herny's alley he gets to burn things for cash. Well they run into problems at one of the sites and have to kill a couple of teens. Henery tries to lead his boss down a path of murder for fun. He follows at first but even with booze and drugs he finds he does not have the guts for it. Well as you can tell it a wild romp for Henry and his new friends. It does not have that same creepy feel as the first one but it does offer a pretty good second film. It still has those uneasy moments that make Henry a creepy kind of film. Just go into film knowing it is not as good as the first but still offers some good bits for a second edition in the life and times of are favorite Serial Killer.
lead is wrong.......2006-08-16
Solid cast, with the exception of the lead. Rooker from the first one should have been back, as well as the original director and writer: John McNaughton and Richard Fire, respectively.
This director here doesn't seem to get suspense--and it hurt the film. There is just no beating the original. Too bad McNaughton and the rest from the first flick did not come back for an encore--because now, even if they did, it might be way too late.
It's kind of sad, because McNaughton might have had a far bigger/impressive film career if he had.
Skip this one. See the original (20 year anni issue, etc.). It will give you chills.
mask to hide my face after watching this movie.......2004-08-26
I got this in a Region 2 two disc set with both Henry 1 + 2 released by Dutch-Filmworks. The original is great, but "mask of sanity" was the worst bottom of the barrel el-cheapo z-grade attempt at a horror film I have ever been witness to. No script (to speak of) no talent and nothing to keep you watching it through to the end. It also looks like it was shot on video tape.... Fans of the original will be mortified.
WHY?!?WHY?!?WHY?!?WHY?!?WHY?!?WHY?!?WHY?!?.......2002-10-08
WHY?!?WHY?!?WHY?!?WHY?!?WHY?!?WHY?!?WHY?!?WHY?!?................this ranks with the other completely useless,horrible horror sequals-blair witch(they both were horrible though!),an american psycho 2,evil dead 2(it was hysterical though),exorcist 2,american werewolf in paris.....the list goes on(in fact i think ill make 1!)this was as spine chilling as killer smirfs.can someone explain this to me?what does it have to do with part one?PLEASE DO NOT BUY,RENT,STEAL,OR BORROW.youd be better off with plan 9 from outer space!
Guess who's back in the neighborhood?.......2001-04-18
Picking up shortly after the original left off, Henry (now played by Neil Giuntoli) takes up with a married couple and their disturbed niece, where he gets involved with the husband's arson for hire scheme. But arson only brings Henry so much joy, so he turns his new partner onto murder. This has been edited from the theatrical release (I don't know why) so the violence has been toned down. Again, the performances are good, but this one doesn't really grab you. Hopefully we'll see the uncut version soon, which might improve things. Penelope Milford (Coming Home) makes an early appearance as a victim. DVD extras include director commentary, trailers, and movie facts.
Amazon.com essential video
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 Axmaker
Customer Reviews:
All the Things You Are.......2007-09-08
I first saw this movie about 10 years ago and I remember being impressed with the sheer audacity and outrageousness of it. Now, though "Henry" is certainly brutal and bloody, the tone of it is definitely warmer, mellower (decidedly, this may have more to do with me and my current state of mind as compared with 10 years ago...but be that as it may) and Michael Rooker (as Henry) is not only a vessel of depravity and feral misanthropy, he is also a fully rounded, though warped for sure, human being. In fact Rooker's performance is so thoughtful, his motives for murder so crystal clear that Henry is somehow transformed into a classical tragic hero: we can actually understand him....even empathize with him and this is a major feat on the part of both Rooker and director John Naughton. How do you turn a monster into a living, breathing human being? You write and perform him as if he is those very things. You give him a back-story that could plausibly bring him to unrepentant murder and you plot him on a course that naturally flows out of that back-story: very simple in theory but not often witnessed on the screen.
"Henry: Portrait of a Serial Killer" is a masterpiece of condensed, concise, spare and unrepentant mayhem. That it also has it's head on straight and it's motivations, though bloody and graphic, clear and motivated by natural common sense, only make it more of a revelation than it already is.
American Film Classic.......2007-07-05
This film is brilliant. Its subject matter is unnerving, but it is presented in a way that draws one in and never lets the viewer go.
The violence in this film is done in a why that makes the view imagine what is going on. The scene of a murder of a family as seen through a view finder is both amazing and shocking.
I am amazed that this film is not on more top best films of all time.
dull.......2007-06-26
This movie was so predictable.Henry is a stereo-type,his girl-friend is stoopid,his side kick probably has bad breath.No interesting insights and angles.He's just the same 'serial killer' we could find on cop programmes on t.v.
PERFECTION IN LESS THAN 90 MINUTES.......2007-06-19
see,horror movies can have charactor developement,humor and plot without having to wait 75 minutes for the gore.m rooker nailed this and i thought it would stereotype him as a maniac forever.t towles also makes the perfect,demented side kick (unfortunately,he was doomed to be stereotyped).
based loosely on real life serial killer henry lee lucas (he of a supposed 150 kills) H;POASK begins with a bang.we see the aftermath of a couple of vicious acts and then are whipped to real time.henry hooks up with simple minded,fellow ex-con otis (towles) and share an apartment.things get complicated when otis' sister comes to visit.shes a stripper whos running from an abusive husband looking to restart her life (little does she know !!!).
while henry is clearly uneducated,he has some sense of how to blend in.hes illiterate yet wise enough to get away with murder.at times,he even shows restraint and the ability to not be a murderer.he shares his wisdom of getting away with murder with otis.otis makes him look like einstein in comparison.this will definitely be just as good 20 more years from now.
for some ungodly reason,gollywood thought it was a good idea to make a ''sequal'' to this.i will not mention the title but will compare it to jaws 3d,godfather 3,exorcist 2-the heritic,starship troopers 2,speed 2....you get the idea.
***SPOILER THOUGHT***
why was henry upset at otis raping his own sister only to chop her up later ?!?!?!?
Truly terrifying.......2007-06-06
Henry-portrait of a serial killer just might be the scarriest film i have seen.. Specifically because of the films real nature (almost cinema verite) you cannot dismiss it and it becomes a real chilling possibility.. I have not been quite as freaked out since the first time i saw pasolini's 'salo' a film which depicted fascist sexual and violent opression in a real style.. The camera does not flinch nor does it prepare us with any kind of a traditional warning so common-place in horror movies.. It does not follow a formula it just seems to present us with violence and death in their most real and disturbing forms.. This is what i like about the movie it doesn't gloss over or sugar coat anything it's as if it is saying this is what it is... the reason for such an approach might have been the miniscule 100,000 dollar budget - but the results are far better than nearly every big budget horror or suspense film i have ever seen - indeed it just might be the best horror film since psycho.. The film proves that the simple approach is very often the best.. and it proves that so-called amateur actors are often capable of incredible and emotional performances (if they are directed as expertly as they were here).. So watch Henry at your own risk.. it is very disturbing but very rewarding..
DVD:
- Homeless to Harvard - The Liz Murray Story
- House of Flying Daggers [Blu-ray]
- How Green Was My Valley
- I Heart Huckabees
- Jules and Jim - Criterion Collection
- Killing Me Softly (Unrated Edition)
- King of New York (Special Edition)
- Kiss the Girls
- Kramer vs. Kramer
- Lie With Me
DVD
DVD
![Henry: Portrait of a Serial Killer 2 - Mask of Sanity [Region 2]](http://www.germanelectronics88.com/noimage.gif)