Monday 5 September 2011

Basket Case (1982, Frank Henenlotter)

As a kid I used to be quite frightened of the front cover of Basket Case and made the decision it was too scary to ever watch……

But then I grew up.....

……Young Duane Bradley arrives at a cheap hotel in New York with a wad of cash and a big wicker basket. He feeds the contents of the basket hamburgers while they communicate semi-telepathically. It quickly transpires that Duane and the basket contents are Siamese twins who are seeking revenge on the Doctors that separated them.

It’s the perfect horror movie if you want a good laugh. Henenlotter seems to take great enjoyment of making the movie gross but funny. He also somehow manages to make you feel a little sorry for the deformed critter, who was left in the trash to die after the twins were operated on.

Really though, it’s enough to just watch the film for the stop motion animation where the wee mutant goes ballistic in the hotel room.

The extras are also worth viewing as Henenlotter revisits a few of the movie locations 20 years on. Interesting to note that part of it was filmed in a building which is now the Hellfire Club.

I give it 4 1/2 comedy horror movie stars.


3 comments:

  1. OMG. I have never heard of this film. What an awesome plot. LOL.

    ReplyDelete
  2. I'd watch it again easily if you are ever keen!

    ReplyDelete
  3. I love Basket Case. I haven't seen it in years, though.

    ReplyDelete