The Portrait of a Killer

This film (drama)Also known asHenry: Portrait of a Serial Killer，is aUnited StatesProducerwomen sex，At1986Released in year 。The dialogue language isEnglish，Current Douban rating7.4(For reference only)。

HENRY is obsessed with killing; he views murder as an art form, killing different people in different ways at the same time. He rents a house to a man named OTIS, and when his sister comes to visit, HENRY's urge to kill begins to awaken again... This film is a representative work of American film noir, having won multiple awards in the late 1980s, with impressive expression techniques and editing. What is meant by "film noir"? Is it a genre, movement, or trend? There is still no consensus; some scholars believe "film noir" is a type similar to westerns, musical comedies, and horror films, emerging as a cinematic movement during the years 1940-1960, grounded in deep historical and social contexts. Others even argue that "film noir" must be in black and white, claiming that there has been no "film noir" for the last 60 years. However, I personally believe "film noir" is not any specific genre, although its name comes from the gangster/crime films and detective stories of the 30s and 40s. So what exactly is "film noir"? I think it is a type of film characterized by "dark or bleak" emotions and psychological tones, thus overlapping with other genres such as gangster/crime films, detective films (some believe noir detective films are an extension of gangster films), musical comedies, and even sci-fi and horror films (as the classification standards are different). The historical and social backgrounds that characterize film noir include significant events like wars, economic depressions, and the flaws in government and societal systems; it generally draws from real life (though there are also a few sci-fi themes); the classes depicted are not limited to the lower tiers of society but can also involve the upper middle class; often, the city under night falls is portrayed, with blue lights shining on wet streets, surrounded by tall concrete walls... The light and color are somber, the characters in the film express disillusionment or awakening, with melancholic temperaments, a sense of fate and pessimism, but they also often exhibit an anarchistic spirit of independence and disregard, caring for nothing. If female characters are involved, they mostly possess an independent spirit, sometimes evil, using sexuality to manipulate men to achieve their goals. Regardless of whether the protagonists are heroes or villains, their endings are often tragic (as the film is generally depicted from a critique and satire perspective), showcasing the conflict between order and disorder and condemning the depravity and brutality stemming from the pursuit of material desires. This film also has an alternate title: "Portrait of a Serial Killer," which sounds quite intriguing, doesn't it?