Henry: Portrait of a Serial Killer is a 1986 crime horror movie, about the random crime spree of American serial killer Henry Lee Lucas.

It stars Michael Rooker as the relentless killer. The character of Henry is loosely based on the real life serial killer Henry Lee Lucas, some details have been changed but that doesn’t make the story any less disturbing.

The haunting docudrama sees Henry arrive in Chicago to live with his ex-con buddy Otis (Tom Towles).  Then Otis’ kid sister Becky (Tracy Arnold) arrives at the house looking for a chance to escape her deadbeat guy back home and make a fresh start.

The movie follows the three along Henry’s murderous trail as he trains Otis on how to kill someone and get away with it. Meanwhile Becky is falling ever deeper for the dangerous killer; she feels an empathy with him due to her violent past.

There is never any guilt behind Henry’s murders, he seemingly operates with impunity. The guys steal a video camera and soon enough they are taping the murders and watching them back for pleasure.

All the while Henry’s pent up rage and sexual frustrations are getting to boiling point. He may be a strong man, but mentally he is weak. He has a madness locked deep with his psyche.

True life stories bought to life in movies are often dramatised and the story romanticised. But Henry: Portrait of a Serial Killer is gritty and raw. Back in 1986 Henry’s violent rampages were deemed so realistic that the movie wasn’t released until 1990. It is one of the most horrifyingly disturbing examinations of mass murders ever filmed.

The movie certainly hasn’t lost its shock factor. The violence portrayed in the movie makes for an extremely uncomfortable viewing experience. Also, unlike your standard horror movie, you know that these events actually happened and it doesn’t come any more terrifying than that.

Blu-ray Extras

Blu-ray extra features include commentary and interviews with Director John McNaughton, a look at the serial killer Henry Lee Lucas and the original movie trailer. But the guilty pleasure of the extras for me has to be the movie’s censorship history and deleted scenes.

Henry: Portrait of a Serial Killer is available on Special Edition Double Play (Blu-ray + DVD) from 24th October 2011.