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Blackmail, Murder & Mayhem

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Henry: Portrait of a Serial Killer

Henry: Portrait of a Serial Killer

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Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Why This Is So Disturbing?
Review: Why do most horror fantics describe this as the all time scarist horror film ever made? Simple people like Henry DO EXIST they are walking around towns all around us. Just waiting to KILL you or me. Needless to say this is not a movie for the paranoid. For most Gorehounds this may not be your cup of tea. It is not very violent by my standards. In fact it is probably one of most tame movies I own.

Without appoligies this film shows the heartless Mind of a killer. While he may not be your "average" Serial Killer Henry is the worst type the type the type that defies patterns the type that Police pray don't exist. These sort of killers may be a whole lot more common then we as society would like to believe. How many unsolved murders are there a day?

That is why Henry is so effective it causes the viewer to realize that we are not as safe as we think we are.

Rating: 2 stars
Summary: Grim, yes, but rarely disturbing
Review: Maybe I'm more densensitized to screen violence than I give myself credit for, but I didn't find this movie anywhere near as disturbing as "I Spit On Your Grave" (in a good way) or "Happiness" (in a stupid way). It certainly didn't distinguish itself from any number of other exploitation films on the same subject.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: The Most Disturbing Film Ever Made
Review: I thought that I had seen every single disturbing film ever made and couldn't be shocked by a movie...

Then I saw Henry...

My review is 5 Stars because the film is simply chilling. I've never even felt this sick watching a movie. In fact, the first time that I watched it, I turned it off half way through! Even I had never done that before! Horrified and repelled, I rented it again and the film had lost none of it's impact. That's why this is a great movie. Presented in a documentary style fashion, the film is a straightforward nightmare that is essential viewing for fans who like to have controversial and important movies in their collection. Rent it first... I think I'll buy it next time I go to the video store!

Recommendations:

Man Bites Dog / A Clockwork Orange

Rating: 2 stars
Summary: What's the big deal?
Review: I bought into the hype surrounding Henry and rented it. Honestly? I really didn't get what the controversy was about. The movie was riddled with cliches ("Turn it on"), and it does not in any way, shape or form, hold true to the real story behind Lucas and Ottis Toole's deranged partnership. Add a rather hokey music sequence and it comes across as a violent movie of the week. The opening montages of the victims was effective, and the scene with the family IS disturbing and graphic enough to make you go "Whoah." But one whoah doesn't make it a must-have.

I suggest those with a fetish for serial killers read about Henry Lee Lucas and Ottis Toole instead of watching this. The real thing will keep you up all night- this almost put me to sleep.

Rating: 4 stars
Summary: Double-Dose of Disturbing
Review: This movie is a double dose of disturbing! Not only is it based on the exploits of real life serial killer Henry Lee Lucas and his equally whacked-out sidekick Otis Toole, but director John McNaughton chose to film the movie in a bleak, realistic, documentary style adding an uncanny sense of voyeurism to the bombardment of vicious murders, rapes and all out debauchery. Michael Rooker gives a powerful performance as Henry and truly captures the menace and insanity of one of America's most lethal serial killers.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Deeply one of the most disturbing film made.
Review: Henry,portrait of a serial killer is in my opinion one of the most graphic film in the serial killer gere.The film I think is one of the best and it is probaly much better than films like Seven,and Silence of the lambs,the movie takes a look at the life of a serial killer played by Michael Rooker,the movie is far more realistic than any other serial killer film that I ever seen,the film could not be ignore,just one word of warning if you are very sensetive than it is best to stay away from this film other than that I would highly recommend this film. A longer expanded review is comming shortly

Rating: 2 stars
Summary: Great movie, shabby DVD
Review: The movie itself gets 5 stars. No one who sees it will forget it. Case closed.

The DVD is another story. The extras are nothing to write home about. The "trailers" are actually video trailers, like the "Coming soon to home video" spots you see at the start of a rental video. So basically you're seeing an ad for a DVD you just bought, instead of the original theatrical trailer. The other trailer is for the sequel; big whoop. What I saw didn't inspire me to buy what looks to be a lame follow-up.

And don't believe the hype about this being the "director's edition." This edition is the same version you've always seen, in theaters, on VHS, and now on DVD. McNaughton never cut anything from the film, so it went out unrated. So the "director's edition" has always been available. (Maybe they mean the DVD has an interview with the director. If so, big whoop again.)

But fans of "Henry" really won't be able to get over how awful it looks on DVD. The transfer is unacceptable -- it looks like they took it off a second-generation VHS copy. It's not even letterboxed, for God's sake, obviously because they pulled it off the video transfer. This modern classic deserved better. For now, if you own it on tape, stick with that until someone comes out with a better edition, with say a running commentary, extras other than the no-frills basics you get on any $9.95 DVD, and most of all, A DECENT TRANSFER.

Rating: 1 stars
Summary: It's not scary
Review: It's not scary and there's no suspense. There is one scene that is disturbing, but other than that they leave it to your imagination. You know he's killing someone, but you don't see it. I wasn't looking for gore, but to be scared and this doesn't do it. You don't know any of the victims and I think that's what makes a movie scary.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: One of the scariest movies ever made
Review: 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. 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.

Rating: 4 stars
Summary: Shocking, revolting & amazing.
Review: This is a true horror film. The main character is not a burn victim come back to life, a demon from hell or a backwoods cannibal with a chainsaw, but just your average loser. Henry is probably much like the polite, but strange, neighbor next door, who really hasn't made much of his life.

With his prison pal Otis in hand, the duo kill and maim people the way most people would order their breakfast at McDonalds. Witness in one scene how they pretend to be broken down, so they can shoot a man who thinks he's coming to their aide.

Much like Man Bites Dog, this film could be seen as a parable on modern society's bloodlust. After getting a home video camera, the pair start to film their exploits, so they can watch and enjoy them later on. Henry and Otis watching themselves kill a family on video, is almost mirroring the viewers at home watching this film.

If you're expecting a non-stop, all out bloodbath, then you'll be disappointed. The film is very slow, quiet & low key. The violence is much less than your average slasher film, but much like Man Bites Dog, it's infinitely more disturbing and revolting, since it almost seems real.

Not a single laugh in the film, people who liked Man Bites Dog's offbeat, sick humor will be disappointed to find it's not here.

Like I said in my MDB review, if you're game, be sure to rent this. And if you like Henry and you haven't already, be sure to get Man Bites Dog, since it mines similiar ground.


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