Henry: Portrait of a Serial Killer Blu-ray Movie

Rating summary

Movie		3.5
Video		4.0
Audio		3.5
Extras		4.0
Overall		4.0

Henry: Portrait of a Serial Killer Blu-ray Movie Review

Deadly Friend

Reviewed by Michael Reuben December 5, 2016

Director John McNaughton's supremely disturbing Henry: Portrait of a Serial Killer is thirty years old, and MPI Media, which funded the production, is celebrating this grim anniversary with a new Blu-ray featuring restored audio and video supervised and approved by McNaughton and producer Steve A. Jones. Henry premiered at the Chicago International Film Festival in 1986, but for various reasons explored in the extras, the film was shelved for several years. Exhibition was limited to festival showings, culminating in its inclusion in the 1989 Telluride Film Festival, where half of the audience walked out. But those who remained included the late Roger Ebert, who would eventually join with his on-air colleague, Gene Siskel, in giving two thumbs up to McNaughton's unique combination of exploitation and art film. Though it only earned $600,000 in theaters (which was nearly six times its production budget), Henry went on to make a fortune in video rentals and sales, as well as theatrical re-releases.

MPI previously released Henry on Blu-ray in 2009. For this new edition, it has not only restored the film from its original camera negative and magnetic soundtrack, but it has also created informative new extras (as well as porting over most of the extras from the earlier Blu-ray).

For an in-depth discussion of Henry, please refer to the earlier Blu-ray review by Casey Broadwater.

Henry: Portrait of a Serial Killer Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

The booklet included with this new edition of Henry states as follows:

Henry is presented in its original aspect ratio of 1.33:1. This new digital transfer was created in 4K resolution on a pin-registration Arriscan film scanner from the original 16mm camera negative. Dirt, debris, scratches and warping were manually removed using PFClean and grading was performed using Baselight.

Note the reference to the film's origination on 16mm film. Henry was shot professionally (by Charlie Lieberman, who came from a documentary background), but it was also shot cheaply, and the new Blu-ray retains the rough texture of the original photography. I have tried to provide screenshots comparable to some of those accompanying the previous review (notably 1-8 and 19-20), so that readers can compare for themselves.

Direct comparison reveals that the previous transfer was slightly zoomed with the later presentation providing an additional sliver of image on all four sides. The new scan has contributed a noticeable uptick in detail and texture, rendering the apartment shared by Henry, Otis and Becky even more squalid and rundown. Nighttime sequences don't reveal significant additional detail, but this appears to be inherent to the source. (As the extras confirm, Henry was shot on the run, without permits and with a minimal crew.) Color-correction has removed the "red push" that was evident on the 2009 disc, rendering flesh tones more natural and making the relatively restrained gore more graphic. Blacks are solid, and the film's grain pattern has been rendered naturally and as finely as the source will allow. MPI Media has mastered Henry with a high average bitrate of 30.00 Mbps, with a capable encode.

Henry: Portrait of a Serial Killer Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

The enclosed booklet provides the following information regarding Henry's soundtrack:

The original stereo mix was transferred from the 35mm magnetic reels at 96k using a Magna-Tech. Once ingested, digital restoration was performed using ProTools HD and Cedar DNS software. The 5.1 mix was created from the ST composite track with added sweeteners and ambiences.

The new 5.1 mix has been encoded in lossless DTS-HD MA, and it is an impressive example of a respectful remix. Careful adjustment has smoothed out much of the unevenness in the dialogue noted in Casey's review, without compromising intelligibility. The electronic score by the team of Ken Hale, Steven A. Jones and Robert McNaughton has been effectively expanded across the front soundstage and into the surrounds so that its impact is even more ominous. The dynamic range is impressive, given the low-budget origins, which this remix has largely overcome.

For purists, the original stereo soundtrack is offered as an alternative, in lossless LPCM 2.0.

Henry: Portrait of a Serial Killer Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

The following extras are new to this 30th Anniversary edition of Henry:

• In Defense of Henry: An Appreciation (1080p; 1.78:1; 20:43): This new featurette addresses Henry's themes, its distinctive mix of genres and its cinematic legacy. The participants are director Joe Swanberg, film critic Kim Morgan, film professor Jeffrey Sconce, exploitation expert Joe Bob Briggs and Oscar-winning documentary filmmaker Errol Morris, an early champion of Henry who was responsible for its inclusion on the roster at Telluride.



• Henry vs. MPAA: A Visual History (1080p; 1.78:1; 10:52): This short provides a brief overview of the history of both the old Production Code and the current ratings system, as well as an account of Henry's trials with the MPAA. (The film was ultimately released unrated.)



• Henry at the BBFC: An Interview with NIGHTMARE USA Author Stephen Thrower (1080p; 1.78:1; 27:25): Henry has a long and tortuous history with the British ratings board, which Thrower recounts in detail.



• It's Either You or Them: An Interview with Artist Joe Coleman (1080p; 1.78:1; 8:43): Coleman created a memorable one-sheet for Henry. Here, he describes his first encounter and subsequent history with the film.



• In the Round: A Conversation with John McNaughton (1080p; 1.78:1; 28:05): In this new interview, the director covers a wide range of subjects, including his background and life before Henry and how they influenced his approach to the material. The interviewer is Spencer Parsons.



• 30th Anniversary Trailer (1080p; 1.33:1; 1:46).



• Booklet: The enclosed booklet contains an essay by Stephen Thrower (interviewee for the "Henry at the BBFC" featurette), as well as stills and disc credits.

The following extras have been ported over from the previous Blu-ray and are discussed here:

• Commentary with Director John McNauton (located under "Setup").


• Portrait: The Making of Henry (480i; 1.78:1, enhanced; 52:35).


• Deleted Scenes & Outtakes (480i; 1.33:1; 21:25).


• Interview with John McNaughton, 1988 (480i; 1.33:1; 30:44).


• Original Trailer (1080p; 1.33:1; 1:53).


• Still Gallery.


• Storyboards.

The sole extra from the prior Blu-ray that has been omitted, probably due to rights issues, is The Serial Killers: Henry Lee Lucas, an episode from a 1995 British TV series.

Henry: Portrait of a Serial Killer Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

Henry is an exceptional film, but it's not one that encourages casual or frequent viewing. I would be surprised if most owners of the 2009 disc have watched it more than once or twice. For anyone who wants to revisit this potent antidote to pop culture's fascination with serial killers, the 30th anniversary Blu-ray is a worthy upgrade. For anyone acquiring Henry for the first time, it's the best and only option.