John McNaughton‘s masterful horror drama HENRY: PORTRAIT OF A SERIAL KILLER has been remastered especially for its 30th Anniversary. Widely regarded as one of the most frightening films ever made, the twisted and sordid  tale focuses in on a pair of murderers whose story continues to provoke, fascinate, and repel decades later. Upon its release in the mid-80s, the film stood apart on the cinematic landscape; as a “fictionalized dramatization” loosely based on the true life story of notorious serial killer Henry Lee Lucas (and featuring a resounding performance from Michael Rooker), HENRY stood in stark contrast to offerings of the era like the gimmicky, cartoonish characters of Freddy Krueger and the doll-faced puppet monster Chucky.

When Henry (Rooker) is released from prison following his mother’s murder, he supplements his job as an exterminator with a series of indiscriminate, violent, and cruel murders. Fellow jailbird and drug dealer Otis (Tom Towles) becomes a willing accomplice in Henry’s bloody killings, but as the depravity escalates and Henry forms a bond with Otis’ sister, Becky (Tracy Arnold), things start to get out of hand.

“One of the 20 scariest movies of all time!” (Entertainment Weekly)

“Henry: Portait of a Serial Killer still delivers potent depiction of evil.” (LA Times)

HENRY: PORTRAIT OF A SERIAL KILLER (John McNaughton, 1986 / 83 mins) Though the title makes HENRY: PORTRAIT OF ASERIAL KILLER  seem like a cut-rate slasher flick, the film is actually one of the most disturbing and terrifying examinations of mass murderers ever filmed. Loosely based on the story of confessed murderer Henry Lee Lucas, the film follows Henry (Michael Rooker) as he selects innocent victims–occasionally with his roommate Otis (Tom Towles)–and kills them, capturing their murder on videotape. Many of these murders rank among the most brutal and violent ever portrayed on film. The violence and the clinical, detached portrayal of Henry and his horrifying actions make this a disturbing, thought-provoking cinematic experience.