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Henry: Portrait of a Serial Killer

post #1 of 11
6/10/07 at 2:10am
Thread Starter 
Hello all, I've just watched Henry for the first time. I've always heard about it over the last 20 or so years, but just never got a chance to check it out... until now. I've always heard lots of great things, and most of the praise I agree with. I have to say that although I didn't mind the character of Otis becoming Henry's partner, I found that it happened to quickly and didn't really think a person like Henry would allow a fool like Otis to know about his "secrets" aka killing.

Near the end I feared that Becky falling in love with Henry was going to dive bomb the flick into the ground. I hoped he would kill her and the ending was absolutely perfect.

All in all it was a pretty good 80s horror flick and much more than your run-0f-the-mill slasher, but I was expecting more... I will say I bet it was much more horrifying in the 80s and probably has some nostalgia with many a view in 2007.

Let me know your thoughts!
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post #2 of 11
6/10/07 at 2:45am
It's terrifying today as it was then. It's just the kind of terrifying that requires thought. It's not as shocking today as it was when it was released, but it's still a masterful piece of filmmaking and an incredible performance by Michael Rooker. That scene where they recorded themselves murdering the family and they play it back and watch it is truly disturbing.

Why did you want Henry to kill Becky?
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post #3 of 11
6/10/07 at 6:41am
Quote:
Originally Posted by Patrick Ripoll
That scene where they recorded themselves murdering the family and they play it back and watch it is truly disturbing.
Oh, that scene was just awful to watch. I don't mean that in a bad way. But just brutal. I saw this about 4 years ago and was completely horrified.

Quote:
Originally Posted by Patrick Ripoll
Why did you want Henry to kill Becky?
I found I kept wanting Henry to not kill Becky. You could tell there was maybe a flicker of humanity and I desperately wanted him to not kill her. At the end, I was hoping he'd just let her go. It's certainly not like he could take her with him. But the film did end the way it should with a character who is beyond humanity. It was a difficult film to watch and they never flinch from honesty - which is more than can be said for a lot of serial killer movies.
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post #4 of 11
6/10/07 at 9:59am
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by Patrick Ripoll
Why did you want Henry to kill Becky?
Patrick, It wasn't so much that I wanted the poor person that Becky was to be killed, but Henry had such violence in him I just couldn't believe he would change his ways for this one girl. I agree with what Mary H. was saying how there was this flicker of humanity, but then I think about that videotaping sequence and that family he kills with Otis and I thought, NO WAY he can just become some nice guy and have some relationship with her. I thought me must imagine her just like any other woman in his twisted view... and I think the film maintened his urges up to the very end. He couldn't conrtol himself.

Patrick and Mary, thanks for the feedback by the way!
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post #5 of 11
6/10/07 at 12:00pm
It is a fine film, and has a lot in common, tonally, with the underrated Witchfinder General.
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post #6 of 11
6/10/07 at 12:14pm
Henry's a very good film, and very disturbing in parts, but it pales in comparison to Man Bites Dog (C'est arrivé près de chez vous).
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post #7 of 11
6/10/07 at 7:35pm
Man Bites Dog is more disturbing and it feels like a more complete film, but the character of Henry is much much better realised than the character of Ben. Also, would Man Bites Dog exist if John McNaghton never made Henry?
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post #8 of 11
6/11/07 at 3:14am
Sue it would. They're Belgians.

Although, seriously, you make a good point. But you could also say would either have been made without TCM?
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post #9 of 11
6/11/07 at 10:37am
Quote:
Originally Posted by Gabriel Williams
Sue it would. They're Belgians.

Although, seriously, you make a good point. But you could also say would either have been made without TCM?
There's far more of Psycho than TCM in Henry, surely?
And that leads us back to Les Diaboliques, and, eventually, to Fritz Lang's M.
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post #10 of 11
6/11/07 at 12:50pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Gabriel Williams
Sue it would. They're Belgians.
They still create great chocolates though...

...and serial-paedophiles/murderers.

Though for you across the pond, their most precious gift to you would be the humble 'French' Fry.
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post #11 of 11
6/11/07 at 3:15pm
You are all too kind.
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