When Im asked what the scariest movies of all time are, the first ones to come to mind are always The Exorcist, The Texas Chain Saw Massacre, and this one. Henry: Portrait of a Serial Killer is loosely based on the confessions of convicted killer Henry Lee Lucas about his cross-country murder spree with Ottis Toole. Some might say that its more docudrama than horror film and more disturbing than scary, but to me thats all just semantics because the fact of the matter is that theres plenty of scenes here that [should] make you feel uneasy, alarm you, cause you to fear what sort of evil is out there, and even sicken you and arent those the sort of feelings that horror films are supposed to evoke? The thing that sets this film apart, though, is how real it is. It doesnt make judgements, it simply observes. Everything that takes place here is so utterly plausible that it chills to the bone. Theres no sugarcoating, no camera flourishes, no slickness, little to no moments of levity, and nothings contrived. Just two real life monsters who are without consciences and seemingly devoid of any sort of emotions save for resentment, rage, and a lust for terror and death. The performances are uniformly excellent, but its Michael Rookers turn in the titular role of a lifetime that is the most convincing. The film was shot on 16mm in less than a month for only $110,000. The low-budget nature of the film lends itself wonderfully to the harrowing and bleak feel that will make you feel the need to bathe afterward. Although it was filmed in 1986, it was not released until 1990 due to disagreements with the MPAA over its violent content (it was initially given an X rating) and the producers worries that they wouldnt be able to market it. Its unflinching brutality and perversity are absolutely shocking and really will stick with you so do use caution if you are easily damaged emotionally. If somehow you are left without a sense of overwhelming desolation after viewing this film, you may have a bit too much in common with Henry and Ottis. youtu.be/OHVHqOoQf5k
Posted on: Thu, 31 Oct 2013 17:59:30 +0000