Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #10120 in DVD
• Released on: 2003-05-26
• Rating: Suitable for 18 years and over
• Number of discs: 1
• Format: PAL
• Original language: English
• Number of discs: 1
• Running time: 85 minutes

Special Features
English
Region 2
Trailer
Trailer Reel
Director Interview
Director Commentary
Cast And Crew Biographies
Background Information

Synopsis
HENRY PORTRAIT OF A SERIAL KILLER, loosely based on the case of Henry Lee Lucas, a confessed serial killer, is a terrifyingly intimate journey into the twisted life of a murderous psychotic. As the blank-eyed Henry (Michael Rooker) drifts from place to place, he selects victims at random, slaughters them, and captures the brutality on videotape. When he is joined by his deranged roommate, a loudmouthed ex-convict named Otis (Tom Towles), the almost unfathomably malevolent acts multiply.
John McNaughton's film, in the tradition of such classic studies of homicidal personality as PEEPING TOM and TAXI DRIVER, goes further than both of these movies in its flat refusal to tell the killer's story on anything other than the killer's terms. McNaughton is able to present the world Henry aimlessly traverses as Henry sees it--almost unendurably bleak and meaningless--and in doing so he allows his film to go as deep into the nightmarish mind of a killer as anything ever committed to celluloid.

Customer Reviews

Henry, UNCUT! for the first time in the U.K
Henry:portrait of a serial killer is one of the most disturbing films you are ever likley to see. Not because of any extreme violence or gore, but because of it's very real premise and it having the objectivity of a documentary. This was one of the first movies of it's time to show serial killers how they really are. They aren't wise cracking geniuses such as Hannibal Lector and the like, they are very cold, detached individuals who seem indifferent to what they are doing. As the Lector movies became more and more absurd and moved closer into fantasy, and some would say farse, after watching them you know that he isn't out there lurking, you are safe. However, there is no such luck with this film, Henry could be anyone in the street, he could be standing next to you and you wouldn't know what he is, this film is set very much in the real world. "Henry" has been called a horror film or even more insultingly, a "slasher movie", however it is neither, it is a fascinating character study, this is probably the most true to life depiction of a serial killer ever filmed. It is not exploitation like Maniac(1980) and it doesn't have the dark humour of American Psycho(1999), it may be brutal but it is honest and unflinching in it's portrayal.
The movies "hero" is Henry,played brilliantly by Michael Rooker,an exterminator/handyman who drifts from town to town indulging in his uncontrollable need to murder, and he does so, almost as if he isn't aware of what he is doing is wrong. However, the film makers make no attempt for us to try and sympathise with Henry, they present the film as if it were a documentary as we see Henry change from polite,if slighty stupid,exterminator to his murderous alter-ego. This is the first time "Henry" has been made avaliable in this country in full and uncut, it contains around 45-60 seconds of footage missing from previous DVD and VHS releases,not much but I would rather have this version as it was meant to be seen instead of the versions the censors think we should see!
There are some very good extras on the DVD too. There's an excellent commentary from director John McNaughton and two insightful interviews,again with McNaughton, a censorship history timeline as well as the obligitory trailer and biographies. All in all this is an excellent DVD release of one of the most underrated films of all time. I recommend it highly, however it certaintly wont be to everyones taste.

Henry Lee Lucas
In reply to a previous reviewer who claimed this film was based on "a couple of dubious" charcters, I have to correct this. The film is loosely based on the acts of Henry Lee Lucas, a man who may or may not have been one of the world's worst serial killers (his confessions were rather confusing). He was definitely guilty of murder, and may be guilty of much worse. Whatever, dubious doesn't do this guy justice.

As to teh film, it is an excellent study of violence in films. The viewer is treated to a murder which is done in the "Hollywood" style. Henry and his cohort are set up as the heroes of the piece and kill a Bond-like villain. It is a comedic scene. Which makes the following murders all the more brutal as they are shot in a realistic and unpleasant way. The viewer is made to feel uncomfortable, we laughed at these guys before as they killed, now we want to look away.

Recommended.

henry = essential viewing
"Henry" has a well deserved cult reputation. The films ability to shock and numb audiences is spoken in tones everytime its talked about. The film centres on a loner called Henry,who has murderous impulses. He lives with former prison mate, Otis, who sells drugs to young boys. Otis brings his sister, Becky, as she has left her abusive husband. This makes things complicated ans Otis feels neglected as he thinks Henry and her are getting close. Near the end, everything comes to a head and i wont give away the ending. This is loosely based on a real life killer named Henry Lee Lucas, who claimed to have killed 300 people. Despite its grim subject, this is essential yet disturbing viewing. Killers in other films like Hannibal Lecter are portrayed as anti heroic and quite comic at times. Henry, on the other hand, there is absolutley nothing to like about him. He kills with no remorse and it doesnt matter who dies either (even though they are mostly women). What makes this film effective is not the deaths we see, its the aftermath of some of them and the only thing we hear are the sounds of them dying. Its the power of using the imagination what makes it scary. This is not for everyone. But if you have a strong stomach or are curious, this is definitley something that you will not forget