Basket Case (1982)

Here's a sick little movie for you--a creepy-funny shocker that's become a semi-cult classic since its release in 1982. It's a cheesy, low-budget horror flick about a small-town geek who arrives in New York City's Times Square carrying his mutant, telepathic twin brother in a big basket (hence the movie's title, get it?). They were once Siamese twins, and now they're seeking gory revenge against the doctors who surgically separated them against their will! Talk about brotherly love! The "normal" sibling has to keep his brother well- fed, and the basket-dweller's appetite runs the gamut from hamburgers to hookers. There's plenty of lowlife "meat" to be found in the seedy motel where the brothers live. Not exactly mainstream fare, as you might already have guessed, but director Frank Henenlotter handles the gruesomeness with resourceful ingenuity. The movie even gathered enough horror-buff momentum to spawn two lesser sequels in 1990 and 1992, which is all the proof you need to add this dubious trilogy to the gross-out hall of fame. --Jeff Shannon Amazon.com

Pretty much a guilty pleasure for me

The movie opens up with a man being stalked in his own home. After dieing a somewhat gruesome death. We are introduced to Duane Bradley(Kevin VanHentenryck)who is carrying a basket and renting a hotel room. The basket has a wild surprise inside.

The Basket Case is a pretty good horror comedy with a revenge theme. If you take it a little bit serious, the revenge theme actually works out. I enjoyed the movie most when it revealed some background to the main characters. It gave the movie some life and made the plot a lot more reasonable.

I will admit that I didn't care too much for the death scenes. Honestly, I think they sucked. No real imagination whatsoever but I loved the comedy. I found myself laughing way too many times to even come close to disliking this movie. Despite the fact it's not scary in the slightest and the suspense factor is very low.

Too many laugh out loud moments for me plus the ending was good too. Even though I did enjoy this. I haven't watched the sequels and I never will. This movie did it for me but it didn't truely capture me. I don't care to ever see what happens next. I think this movie will mostly appeal to those who live and die by horror comedy. Don't even bother with this if your horror must be serious all the time. August 21, 2008

Forget The Lotion! The Mutant's In The Basket!

The term "cult classic" is almost always used when someone talks about Basket Case. There is a reason for this. We goofballs that enjoy bizarre and wacky under-the-radar type horror and exploitation flicks are well aware of Frank Henenlotter's odd tale of separated Siamese twins gone berserk. Henenlotter is one of those directors who's also a hardcore fan of B cinema. He has his own company, Something Weird Video, that releases these black sheep of cinema. I don't even believe that if Henenlotter got a shot at big budget film making, that he'd even do it, or enjoy it.
Criticisms of Basket Case tend to target the quality of the FX, the acting and picture quality. Usually these criticisms come from mainstream folk who decided to feel adventurous and watch a "cult classic". But it's those very same targets that make the film beloved by the cult crowd. Budget doesn't hinder a movie like Basket Case, it enhances it, makes it more unique and entertaining. I'm not saying everyone should love Basket Case. After all it wouldn't exactly be a cult film if everyone did. But it is required reading for those into this sort of thing, and it's a wonderful example of a writer/director working independent from the studios and making the best of what he can with the meager amount of money he has. Hey, it worked for Romero, Hooper, Lewis, Craven and Cohen!
Basket Case is a movie inspired by dozens of B movies, therefore it's not taking itself seriously. It's not a full on comedy or campfest, but Henenlotter is winking at the audience. He is just having fun and allowing you to join in. Hopefully you do. June 7, 2008

Belial the basketcase does the mattress mamboo

Siamese twin brothers one that looks normal and one that resembles a piece of fake poo with a face and claws for hands. The stop-motion animation just adds to this schlock masterpiece in regards to the poor rating that one reviewer gave. I have to say i loved it. Salute to the great photography setting of hotel Broslin giving it a trashy creepy dirty look. Definitely in my top 50 of horror movies. Makes my top 10 in trash films. Most memorable scene is when Belial the mutant twin has a go at it with his brothers love intrest while she sleeps. April 27, 2008

You'd have to see this one to believe it!

We first meet Duane Bradley as he walks down a New York City sidewalk and into a very poor excuse for a hotel to get a room. Duane is a young man with a secret, a secret he carries around with him in a large, mysterious basket. Duane is also a man on a mission. Riding along in his basket is a pathetic but very dangerous creature named Belial who is actually Duane's much smaller, deformed Siamese twin. Still intensely angry about being forcibly separated from each other many years ago, Belial and Duane are in town to get violent revenge on the doctors who secretly took part in the procedure. A complication arises, however, when Duane sees a chance at happiness in the arms of Sharon, one of the doomed doctors' more outgoing receptionists.

If you are looking for some strange, low-budget, Grindhouse-style horror, look no further! It's easy to see why this film is legendary. It compiles some of the worst acting, effects, and so forth that I've ever seen! However, it's so consistently bad that it has its charm, and the story is twisted and interesting enough to please. Some viewers will surely fall in love with this one (many clearly have), and others will not, but it's worth checking out anyway. For my own eyes, the creature effects just fall way too flat, but I find the concept enjoyable and all the bad stuff too. Definitely a "so bad it's good" kinda movie. The 20th Anniversary Edition DVD is excellent for the diehard fan! The film is presented in fullscreen, which I believe is the correct aspect ratio, and is loaded with extras! There are trailers, TV, and radio spots, an enthusiastic commentary with director Frank Henenlotter, Producer Edgar Levins, and actress Beverly Bonner, a behind the scenes and promo gallery, radio interviews, clips from Beverly Bonner's awful cable comedy show, and a video short in which we are given a tour of some of the locales from the film. It's definitely the way to own this schlock classic! April 22, 2008

A Creepy goof of a movie

I love movies like this, they are bad, but oh so entertaining. The bad acting just adds to the charm. I'm sure by now after reading other reviews you know the plot. A set of conjoined twins are separated by a veternarian against their will, and they go to New York City to seek revenge. The problem is one half of the twin set is normal, the other twin is a half-formed mutant freak. with telekenetic powers. The monster also has a jealous streak and cannot stand for his brother to enjoy a normal life. The rape/killing scene towards the end of the movie is one of the greatest gags in B-movie history.

The black prostitute has a minor role, but when she is on the camera she steals the scene, she is very funny and when the freak twin winds up in bed with her too, it is a laugh fest.

Sure the stop motion photography looks like it was done by a high school sophomore in AV, but it just adds to the whole atmosphere of the movie in that it has a few frights and is intentially funny, a perfect combo.

All in all if you are looking for a great old B-movie from the 80's, this needs to be in your collection. March 19, 2008

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