10 Movies You Should Never Watch Alone

10. Henry: Portrait Of A Serial Killer

Although it didn't reach a wide audience - and with it, widespread notoriety - until the early 1990s, director John McNaughton's directorial debut was originally completed all the way back in 1986. Hard to believe, given how radically out of step it was with the predominant American horror cinema of the time.

Based loosely on the real-life crimes of Henry Lee Lucas and Otis Toole, Henry: Portrait of a Serial Killer stars Michael Rooker (making his film debut) as an anonymous working class resident of Chicago, who commits an ongoing series of random murders, and introduces his roommate (Tom Towles) to the horrific pastime.

The film met many problems with the censors, particularly in the UK when, for a time, it was only available in a cut which not only excised certain offending moments, but actually re-edited one specific sequence to make it less harrowing. (The BBFC finally passed it uncut in 2003.)

Shot on grainy 16mm film, the low production values and stark city streets lend the film a sense of kitchen sink realism, which is key to its success. Rooker's inherent charm as an actor, and the script's hints toward some vague underlying morality within Henry, only serve to make him more terrifying.

All of which makes it strange to think that today Rooker is beloved by young and old alike for his role in the Guardians of the Galaxy movies.