Henry: Portrait of a Serial Killer
“He's not Freddy, he's not Jason...he's real.”
Synopsis
Arriving in Chicago, Henry moves in with ex-con acquaintance Otis and starts schooling him in the ways of the serial killer.
Part of the Henry: Portrait of a Serial Killer Collection
Stream the entire interconnected saga and experience every installment in chronological storyline order.
Trailers, Teasers & Extra Featurettes
Official promotional previews, behind-the-scenes footage, and exclusive clips.
Henry: Portrait of a Serial Killer Trailer (John McNaughton, 1986)Official
Type: Trailer • Published 2022-01-28
Top Cast
Explore Star Directory →
Michael Rooker
Henry
Tracy Arnold
Becky
Tom Towles
Otis
Mary Demas
Dead Woman / Dead Prostitute / Hooker #1
Anne Bartoletti
Waitress
Elizabeth Kaden
Dead Couple - Wife
Ted Kaden
Dead Couple - Husband
Denise Sullivan
Floating Woman
Anita Ores
Mall Shopper #1
Megan Ores
Mall Shopper #2
Cheri Jones
Mall Shopper #3
Monica Anne O'Malley
Mall Victim
Bruce Quist
Husband
Erzsebet Sziky
Hitchhiker
David Katz
Henry’s Boss
John Scafidi
Kid with Football #1
Benjamen Passman
Kid with Football #2
Flo Spink
Woman in Cadillac
Release History & Theatrical Window
Fantasporto Film Festival
Festival / Special Debut
September 24, 1986
Wide Cinema Exhibition
October 26, 2012
Physical Home Media
Financials & Box Office Performance
Production Budget
$111K
Filming & production cost
Worldwide Gross
$610K
Total global ticket sales
Box Office Return
5.49x
+$499K net gain
Theatrical Status
Mega Hit
Box office tier
Key Information & Fast Facts
- Director
- John McNaughton
- Screenplay & Story
- Richard Fire, John McNaughton
- Original Score
- Ken Hale, Robert McNaughton, Steven A. Jones
- Original Title
- Henry: Portrait of a Serial Killer
- Country of Origin
- United States of America
- Spoken Languages
- English
- Runtime
- 1h 23m
- Production Budget
- $111K
- Worldwide Gross
- $610K
- Production Studios
- Maljack Productions, Greycat Films/Neo Modern Entertainment
Creative Leadership & Key Crew
John McNaughton
Richard Fire, John McNaughton
Ken Hale, Robert McNaughton, Steven A. Jones
Charlie Lieberman
Elena Maganini
Steven A. Jones, John McNaughton, Lisa Dedmond, Malik B. Ali, Waleed B. Ali
Department Leadership Roster
Elena Maganini
Editor
Charlie Lieberman
Director of Photography
Steven A. Jones
Producer
John McNaughton
Producer
John McNaughton
Director
Ken Hale
Original Music Composer
Robert McNaughton
Original Music Composer
Steven A. Jones
Original Music Composer
Lisa Dedmond
Producer
Patricia Hart
Costume Design
Richard Fire
Writer
John McNaughton
Writer
Age Classification & Content Advisories
Official viewer rating standards and content warnings across international classification boards.
NR: Not Rated — Evaluated outside standard classification boards.
International Certification Matrix
FSK 18 — Restricted to adults 18 and older.
Interdit aux moins de 16 ans — 16+ only.
Suitable only for adults 18 years and over.
Not Rated — Evaluated outside standard classification boards.
Production Stills & Gallery
Official cinematic photography and background stills for Henry: Portrait of a Serial Killer.
Featured In Curated Collections
Editorial lists, community rankings, and cinematic collections featuring Henry: Portrait of a Serial Killer.
Watched
Movies and TV shows watched in Plex
Slashers & Psychopaths
1001 Movies You Must See Before You Die
1001 Movies You Must See Before You Die (All editions 2003-2024). A cumulative list including films subsequently removed in later editions. Totaling 1,260 films as of Nov 2024. 《1001部死前必看的电影》（2003-2024 全版本累积版）： 包含自2003年首版至2024年11月德语版修订的所有影片。即使在后期版本中被剔除的电影也予以保留。 *注：榜单源数据中包含部分剧集/迷你剧，由于本片单只收录纯电影，故不再收录以下非电影条目：* • [#019] Lovers Rock (2020) • [#418] Dekalog (1989) *(Updated via Automated ETL Pipeline: 2026-10-20 07:41:36 UTC+8)*
Arrow: Cursed Collections
Cursed Collections, from the Arrow Video Channel.
Arrow: Portraits of Serial Killers
Portraits of Serial Killers, from the Arrow Video Channel.
Arrow: Featured
Featured, from the Arrow Video Channel.
Similar Titles to Henry: Portrait of a Serial Killer
Movies sharing stylistic DNA, tone, and thematic storytelling
9.0
4.4
6.7
10.0
6.4
8.0
3.0
8.1
6.3
5.5
6.4
8.0
7.1
7.0
5.6
6.5
6.0
6.2
5.9
More Like Henry: Portrait of a Serial Killer
Recommended titles matching themes, cast, and genres.
Frequently Asked Questions About Henry: Portrait of a Serial Killer
Quick factual answers about cast, synopsis, director, box office, and release information.
What is Henry: Portrait of a Serial Killer about?
Arriving in Chicago, Henry moves in with ex-con acquaintance Otis and starts schooling him in the ways of the serial killer.
Who directed Henry: Portrait of a Serial Killer?
Henry: Portrait of a Serial Killer was directed by John McNaughton.
Who stars in Henry: Portrait of a Serial Killer?
The principal cast of Henry: Portrait of a Serial Killer includes Michael Rooker, Tracy Arnold, Tom Towles, Mary Demas, Anne Bartoletti.
When was Henry: Portrait of a Serial Killer released and how long is it?
Henry: Portrait of a Serial Killer was released in 1986 with a total runtime of 1h 23m.
What was the box office and production budget of Henry: Portrait of a Serial Killer?
Henry: Portrait of a Serial Killer had a reported production budget of $111K and grossed $610K at the worldwide box office (5.49 return on budget, classified as a blockbuster success).
Who composed the musical score for Henry: Portrait of a Serial Killer?
The original motion picture soundtrack for Henry: Portrait of a Serial Killer was composed by Ken Hale, Robert McNaughton, Steven A. Jones.
What is the age rating and content advisory for Henry: Portrait of a Serial Killer?
Henry: Portrait of a Serial Killer holds official age classifications: AU: R 18+; DE: 18 (FSK 18 — Restricted to adults 18 and older.); FR: 16 (Interdit aux moins de 16 ans — 16+ only.); GB: 18 (Suitable only for adults 18 years and over.); US: NR (Not Rated — Evaluated outside standard classification boards.).