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Dom Robinson reviews
- Cert:
- Cat.no: 061 874 2
- Running time: 79 minutes
- Year: 1986
- Pressing: 2001
- Region(s): 2, 4 (UK PAL)
- Chapters: 16 plus extras
- Sound: Dolby Digital 2.0 (Stereo)
- Languages: English
- Subtitles: None
- Fullscreen: 4:3
- 16:9-enhanced: No
- Macrovision: Yes
- Disc Format: DVD 5
- Price: £17.99
- Extras: Trailer, Director Filmography, Interview with Director
Director:
- John McNaughton
(Henry: Portrait of a Serial Killer, Mad Dog & Glory, Normal Life, Wild Things, TV: Homicide: Life on the Street)
Producers:
- Lisa Dedmond, Steven A. Jones and John McNaughton
Screenplay:
- John McNaughton and Richard Fire
Original Score :
- Ken Hale, Steven A. Jones and Richard McNaughton
Cast :
- Henry: Michael Rooker
Otis: Tom Towles
Becky: Tracy Arnold
Not completely uncut, but less censored than before, Henry: Portrait of a Serial Killer is still one of the most chilling films ever made.
The film shows that films can be made about senseless killings without their being a reason to it, especially without having a daft, corny twist at the end. Far from being politically correct, we’re shown Henry (Cliffhanger‘s Michael Rooker) either killing someone, the after effects of him having killed someone – complete with the audio implications in the background, or the inbetween chats with his best friend Otis (Tom Towles) and Otis’ sister Becky (Tracy Arnold).
We’re treated to Henry’s theories on murder such as “you strangle one, stab another, one you cut up and one you don’t”, in order to avoid being captured by the authorities, because the mistake that most murderers make is to have a style that can identify them. Which seems odd that Henry’s labelled a serial killer because he doesn’t have a singular method. Murder “highlights” include the pair going to buy a TV and Henry’s reaction to Otis finding his sister more than a little stimulating towards the end of the film.
While it’s a violent film that must be seen by all who’d appreciate it, the UK version has been censored – cuts including a zoom-out shot of a dead woman with a milk bottle broken and stuck in her breast, as well as the scene in which Otis and Henry rewatch their own murder video again and again. We see them watch it once, but what’s censored is the rewatching, with the camera retrained on their faces instead of the video itself.
In total, there are 48 seconds of cuts, some previously waived from last time, but this current version includes 27 seconds of cuts requested by the BBFC plus 21 seconds of cuts already made by the distributor which the BBFC would’ve left in (D’oh!). Hence, for a completely uncut version, you’ll need to import the Region 1 edition.
Otis is given a “King Harold” after taking things too far.
The film is shot and presented in standard 4:3 fullscreen, but it’s very grainy. Part of the iffy look is down to intention and the rest down to age, but it could do with a remastering. Either way, it doesn’t detract from the power of the film.
The back cover states a stereo soundtrack and even the Internet Movie Database says it’s in surround, but the dialogue is often harsh and mono-like.
The brief extras are a Trailer, Filmography of the brief output the director’s been involved in and a 19-minute Interview with him which provides a brief insight into what he’s done with his life.
There are 16 chapters to the film which is fine for the brief time it runs for, but the English subtitles stated on the back cover are non-existant. The menus are static and silent.
PICTURE QUALITY
SOUND QUALITY
EXTRAS
OVERALL 
Reviewer of movies, videogames and music since 1994. Aortic valve operation survivor from the same year. Running DVDfever.co.uk since 2000. Nobel Peace Prize winner 2021.