6. Michael Rooker - Henry: Portrait Of A Serial Killer
Addiction: Murder What To Say: All life is precious What Not To Say: God kills indiscriminately, why shouldn't you? Serial killers have been a staple of film for decades, providing Hollywood with a seemingly never ending supply of villains. We've had everything from immortal masked murderers like Jason Voorhees to the impossibly clever, intellectual Hannibal Lecter type killers. What we dont often get are depictions of murder addicts that feel real. Enter Michael Rookers Henry, protagonist of John McNaughtons film which was made in 1985 but not released, due to censorship issues, until 1990. (A completely uncut version didn't get a release until 2003). The film is a fictional version of real-life killer Henry Lee Lucas crimes and follows Rookers titular Henry as he kills randomly at will across North America. His victims are men and women, old and young and are all killed via different methods. The only thing that is the same throughout is Henry, filled with a cold indifference and menace. This is the real American Psycho at work. Henry: Portrait Of A Serial Killer was Michael Rookers debut performance and he brilliantly conveys the dysfunctional and homicidal compulsion of Henry without ever letting the viewer under his skin. The result is a powerful and disturbing performance of someone you definitely wouldn't want to meet in any alleyway, let alone a dark one. John McNaughton was so impressed with how authentic Rookers audition was he said that he hoped it was just acting. If you watch this film youll hope so too.
